Green Restaurant Communal Dining Table

Sometimes, to move forward, you’ve got to look back. This communal dining table was one of my early pieces, built for my good friend Damon Brasch, chef and owner of Green New American Vegan Restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona. He wanted a table that matched the restaurant’s spirit - bold, authentic, and built to bring people together.

I crafted the 12-foot-long table using GFRC concrete, experimenting with a dovetail detail I had never tried before. I masked off a central dovetail design, sprayed one side green and then the other side gray, and when the tape came up, the two halves locked visually together like a puzzle. To add to the raw, honest character, I inlaid found metal pieces - an old saw blade, a gear - reminders that even industrial artifacts can tell stories.

The base was inspired by the first conference table I ever made: concrete plinths with through-holes, only this time the I-beams were swapped for Douglas fir wood beams. The mix of concrete, wood, and found metal gave the table an edge that matched the vibe of Green - unconventional, creative, and full of life.

Looking back at my original design sketches for this project, I can see just how far I’ve come. But the table still stands as proof of what happens when you take risks and let the materials guide the design.

And please forgive the low-resolution photos - back in 2006 we were basically taking pictures with potatoes.

If your space needs a communal table that sparks connection and conversation, let’s talk.