Canary Wood · Waterfall · Epoxy
El Mesoncito de Luis
The Commission
A Storyteller’s Table
Luis is a storyteller with a very determined aesthetic sense. He loves elegance combined with the complexity of textures and depth of layers. He wanted a small end table — fully functional, something that would let him work from the couch in his living room.
But he didn’t want a laptop pillow or something generic. He wanted something that would add beauty to his space, not just function. He sent me this as a reference — simple in a sophisticated way, with great functionality. It could be an end table, a coffee table, or even a small bench.
The reference that started it all.
The Wood
Canary Wood from Colombia
Luis is also a maker — he makes connections, companies, he likes to improve people’s lives. Naturally, this meant he wanted to be an active part of the creation process. Music to my ears. So it started with him and me going to the lumber store and buying the wood together.
Luck had it that when we arrived, there was this gorgeous slab of Canary Wood — Amarillo. We looked at other species out of curiosity, but we both knew what we wanted right away. Later, I’d discover that this wood came all the way from Colombia — where I’m from, and where Yami, Luis’s wife, is also from.
The Build
The Happy Accident
The slab was so well milled it just needed smoothing and cutting. This presented a problem — Luis had mentioned how epoxy on wood was catching his eye, but the wood had very few defects. Until it did. When I was cutting the straight edge, a hidden knot broke through. Usually a problem. This time, a gift.
I had my epoxy hole. It was hard to fill and required patience and a lot of sanding, but the result was worth it — a surprise for Luis. After that, nine dowels on each join, card scraper to bring out the natural luster, stiff brush to clean the live edge. The waterfall joint came together clean and square.
The Reveal
Elevated
The magic started with the finish. Odie’s oil — non-toxic, requires more elbow grease, but gives depth to the colors and solid protection. When I applied it on the waterfall side, the grain wrapped around the corner like it had been poured. I was in love with the thing.
Luis took his mesoncito home, and the objective was achieved — it elevated his space and gave him a new working surface that is inspiring and beautiful. The leftover scraps were too gorgeous to burn, so I cut them into coasters. Yami would see in them the patterns we both grew up with in the clothes and mochilas of our country.
Specifications
The Details
