$42,000 Council Design table versus $799 Z Gallerie piece
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Only one of these pieces is the $42,000 Periodic Table by One & Co., the San Francisco design firm that put a luxurious spin on the rustic lumber trend. Using a specially developed process, the 44-inch square table is produced by Council Design using reclaimed Douglas fir coated in silver.
The original costs such a huge chunk of change that a smaller version, the 47 (named for silver’s number on the periodic table of elements), was released last year and featured on L.A. at Home. The 47 sells for $1,200 at Design Within Reach.
Now, Z Gallerie has minted a lookalike coffee table that sells for $799. Which of the photos is the original Periodic Table, and which is Z Gallerie’s Timber Coffee Table?
Keep reading to find out which is which and why they cost what they do ...
The Periodic Table, pictured top left and at right, is handmade from carefully selected Douglas fir beams, which are known for splits and knots.
‘Texture is so important to the piece,’ says Council Design founder Derek Chen. ‘There is a lot of sanding required, and it takes 20 steps to finish the table, including a clear coat that prevents tarnish.’
All the finishes are water-based.
The table is mounted on a 1-inch-tall square metal frame that ends 3 inches shy of the edges of the table, so the piece appears to float. Each table is unique and can be purchased through Council Design dealers.
The Timber Coffee Table by Z Gallerie, top right and at right, is a mass-produced product made from cast resin. The company has also used this technique to create its Sequoia console and glass-topped dining table, which were molded from the roots of an acacia tree.
The Timber Coffee Table mold was constructed using oak beams used as railroad tracks in the Philippines, and the finished piece is painted silver, silver leafed and antiqued with an oil finish. It has a more uniform texture, color and sheen than the Periodic Table, and it sits on chunkier, more visible feet.
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-- David A. Keeps
Photo credits: Periodic Table from Council Design; Timber Coffee Table from Z Gallerie