Walnut Kumiko Andon Side Table

Inspired by traditional Japanese Andon lanterns, this table base lights up.  Behind the kumiko and shoji paper is a modern wifi or manually controlled coiled 6' LED light strip. The lighting options are; warm natural, cool natrural, a warm orange fade, and a cool sapphire blue fade. 

This tables highlights your room with a soft subtle glow perfect for evening cocktails or rainy days.

Kumiko Andon tables are original and unique to Philomath Woodworks.

 

Solid unsteamed walnut top featuring high figuring, I designed this top to have four diagonal sections. The clean formal joinery stands in contrast to the inherently wild grain found within each quarter. The result is a delicate balance between things made by man and things made by nature. Randomness organized within the orderly.

Each edge has a soft radius to echo the kumiko.

 

Unsteamed Walnut Kumiko.

The kumiko pattern is called "Shippo Kikko" and represents the seven treasures of Buddhism.

This kumiko pattern is extremely difficult to master, and is made by steaming the walnut strip then bending and clamping each piece around a curved mold. After the wood dries, the radius is permently held in the wood. This table has 48 steam bent pieces.

Kumiko is a delicate and sophisticated technique of assembling wooden pieces without the use of nails. Thinly slit wooden pieces are grooved, punched, mortised, and then fitted individually using a plane, saw, chisel and other tools to make fine adjustments. After dry fitting I then reassemble using glue to make the kumiko structural for furniture. The technique was developed in Japan in the Asuka Era (600-700 AD), and has since been refined and passed down through generations of craftsmen who are passionate about the tradition of kumiko. You can watch my "Making Kumiko" video on the ABOUT page.

 

Proprietary Philomath LinBee Finish - a natural blend of linseed oil and Montana beeswax (for more details please see LinBee product page).