Modern Accent Table: Progress Update

Progress Updates

This week marked another solid step forward in the table build, and while a few things took a little longer than expected, overall progress remains strong. First and foremost, the glass top arrived—and it’s going to work very well. I went with a 20″x20″ square with rounded corners. This should be a good overhang on the table without sticking out too much, preventing tipping. It is also 1/2″ thick which makes it quite heavy, this allows it to be held down with its own weight, no need for fasteners. With the glass in hand, I was finally able to test the fit and confirm that everything is aligning the way I hoped.

One of the biggest accomplishments this week was successfully cutting all of the joints for the main frame. This was a major task, and I’m happy to say it went really well. The biscuit joiner performed accurately, and everything fit together snugly, which should give the final piece great structural integrity. I also began working on the shelf joints, which are proving to be a little more challenging. Due to the orientation of the tool and the tight angles involved, lining everything up has required extra care and patience. It’s a bit slower going, but I’m confident that with a little more time, I’ll get a clean, strong result there as well.

Figures 1 & 2: Progress of plywood with cuts, clamped together

One small obstacle I ran into involved spacing during assembly. My original cut list didn’t fully take into account the space that would be lost where pieces join together. This meant that a few pieces didn’t align quite the way I had planned. Luckily, this was a relatively quick and easy fix. After a bit of re-measuring and recutting, the corrected components went together smoothly. It was a good reminder of how important it is to account for joinery in the planning phase.

Looking Ahead

The next step is to choose the hinge hardware, which is an exciting design decision. I’ve been exploring a few different options—some that are completely concealed for a cleaner, more modern look, and others that are more decorative and visible, adding a little visual interest to the final piece. I want the hinges to feel intentional, whether they blend in seamlessly or stand out a bit. I’ll be weighing the aesthetics along with the functionality to make the best choice for how the piece will be used.

Beyond that, the last big decisions will be picking out a stain color and choosing the handle hardware. Once assembly is finished, the piece will be ready for staining fairly quickly. I want the final tone to complement the wood grain while coordinating nicely with the glass and any metal hardware I choose. Handles, like the hinges, will add the finishing touch—something tactile and functional that also ties the look together.

I originally hoped to have full assembly completed by April 11, but at this point, that deadline has shifted slightly. The new target date for assembly is Wednesday, April 16. This is just a few days behind schedule, and while it’s not ideal, I still feel confident that the overall project timeline will work out. With the assembly nearly complete and finishing tasks well in sight, I should still have plenty of time to apply stain, install hardware, and make any final refinements before wrapping things up.

* I used AI to assist with expanding details and editing.