Blog – Page 26 – Modern Legs

Posted on July 9, 2013November 29, 2013 by sirwin

How to Make a Coffee Table

Coffee tables come in all shapes and styles, but for many houses and apartments they are the focal point of the living room, so folks want to own a coffee table that fits their tastes and decor. At Modern Legs we like simple lines and classic building materials like wood, steel and wrought iron. Today we thought we’d give a few simple suggestions for how to make a coffee table.

If you’re going after a classic wood coffee table, affordable and unique wood choices can depend a little on where you are. On the east coast customers have started with classic eastern hardwoods like oak, maple or walnut. Here in Colorado we have easy access to locust, catalpa and orchard varieties like apple, cherry and pear. On the west coast there are beautiful evergreen varieties like redwood, sequoia and several species of fir. Great cuts of wood can be found at lumber yards, from tree maintenance companies and in reclaimed wood yards from building renovations. Search for ‘reclaimed wood’ or ‘rough cut lumber’ to find sources for unique wood in your area.

When it comes to preparing the wood, you can sand, stain or clear coat your wood…it all depends on your color and protection preferences. We prefer showing off the wood by sanding and using a clear varnish, but it’s up to you. Once you have the wood selected and prepared, it’s time to choose legs. We love the simplicity of the classic hairpin leg, but some customers opt for tube steel or flat bar legs for a seamless design. We always suggest thinking about what height you want your table early in the process. If you’re replacing a table, measure the height of that table if you like that height, and are upgrading the quality of the table.

When you have your legs picked out, place an order and the process is almost done. Affix your legs to the table with wood screws and you’re done! We’ve heard from customers all over the country who have put together a one-of-a-kind table for $100 or less! Not only did they save some money, but they own a truly unique coffee table that they built. Now that you have some tips on how to make a coffee table…get out there and get creating!

Posted on July 3, 2013 by sirwin

Vintage Wood Benches with Steel Bench Legs

We may be in the modern bench leg business, but we know a beautiful piece of wood when we see one, and boy did Michael from Wood Shed Production choose some amazing wood to make benches from. He sent us some photos of these new benches made with flat bar bench legs.

First, they take reclaimed and vintage wood from all over the US and design custom furniture based on their customers’ specifications. Some of the lumber comes from homes or barns, like these two sections of beam, and sometimes the wood is harvested as a byproduct of the timber trade. Wood that is cut by the timber trade is often oddly shaped, or not considered a commercial wood types, and would be are discarded. The folks at Wood Shed Production know there is still plenty of potential in this lumber, so they take the time to cut, craft and finish pieces like these benches, and we’re proud that they chose us to make the bench legs! If you are interested in unique handcrafted furniture, have a look around our blog and get inspired. You can create wonderful furniture with a set of bench legs and some amazing lumber.

Posted on June 24, 2013November 29, 2013 by sirwin

DIY Furniture Project – Redwood Coffee Table

We’re big supporters of the DIY furniture movement, and we believe that anyone with some basic tools and an idea can build a beautiful piece of furniture for the home or as a gift. However, there might be something even more inspiring than building a new piece of DIY furniture. How about resurrecting an old piece of furniture? We sold a set of hairpin legs to Mary, and when she finished up her home furniture restoration project, she sent us a photo. Here is Mary’s “new” coffee table, and the quote she sent along with it.

“We were given a handmade redwood table with very thick wood stump legs. After sanding down the black varnish on the top and replacing the stumps with hairpin legs, we now love our one of a kind table. Thank you for having the legs to make this transformation possible.”

Mary

After all, anyone can order a coffee table online or pick one out at a furniture warehouse, but now Mary and her family can enjoy their new coffee table and let everyone who compliments it know they made that table! We’re glad our hairpin legs could help complete her DIY furniture project, and thanks to Mary for sending us a photo of the finished product.

Posted on June 18, 2013November 29, 2013 by sirwin

Bench Made with Modern Bench Legs

We just received a note and some great photos from Travis who bought some tube steel bench supports from us and created a great modern bench! His DIY furniture project turned out great and now he was a sleek professional-looking piece of furniture and he can take the credit for creating his own furniture.

We think the bench turned out great, and here is what Travis had to say:

Thank you for making those legs for me…I think it turned out great and I couldn’t have done it without those custom bench legs.

-Travis

We love seeing these projects, and we’re happy to show your amazing creations off to the world. If you’re wrapping up a project with our bench supports or hairpin legs, send us some photos!

Posted on June 13, 2013 by sirwin

Julie’s Live Edge Desk with Flat Bar Desk Supports

We just received a note from Julie thanking us for sending her a set of custom flat bar desk supports. She added them to a beautiful plank of wood which uses the live edge as part of the cut. We think Julie did a great job with her DIY desk using our custom supports and we love hearing from our customers and seeing what they make using our supports and legs. If you have a project you’ve just finished, send us a photo!

Posted on June 11, 2013November 29, 2013 by sirwin

What is Mid-Century Modern Furniture?

“Mid-Century Modern” is a big category, and refers to a sweeping design movement from the 1930s to the 1960s. This movement and the aesthetic it created can refer to architecture, product design, industrial design and furniture design. The term itself was used during the 1950s, but was brought back to the forefront by Cara Greenberg, who used the term in her book, Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s. The movement is often overshadowed by the giants of the time, including Frank Lloyd Wright and Oscar Niemeyer, but many of the lasting objects and ideas from the Mid-Century modern movement are found right in the homes and offices around us, and were created by less well known designers.

The look of the furniture being created during the Mid-Century movement was more simple and sleek than previous designs. Designers also branched out into a variety of materials. Plastic was the new medium of the day, but many furniture designers were created beautiful, clean designs from wood, metal and fabric. Popular designs which originated in Scandinavia, Europe, South America and North America used minimal decoration and smooth curves to create new furniture sets and standalone pieces.

So what is a Mid-Century modern table leg and how does it tie into the theme of Mid-Century modern furniture? There are many styles of modern table legs, and there are a few big groups when it comes to the Mid-Century modern category. Many of the furniture from the Mid-Century period was set on tapered wood or metal legs, sometimes featuring feet on the bottom of the leg. Hairpin legs were also created during this period and have been an enduring symbol of Mid-Century modern design. All of these modern furniture leg designs have been used for tables, chairs and furniture. The defining feature of these modern leg styles was the consistent simplicity and clean design of the finished pieces, and the legs were an integral part of the modern furniture movement.

Needless to say, our product lines are all based on this Mid-Century Modern aesthetic, and are born from the modern furniture designs of last century. We’re proud to keep the tradition of Mid-Century modern furniture and hardware alive in the 21st century. If you have a furniture style you’d like to see made by the craftsmen at Modern Legs, let us know!

Posted on May 28, 2013 by sirwin

Where Did Hairpin Legs Come From?

Hairpin legs for chairs and tables have been around for over seventy years and we get asked all the time where the design came from. There is sometimes a bit of confusion about the origin, so today we’re addressing the question: Where did hairpin legs come from? The story begins in 1941, when a young designer named Henry P. Glass agreed to create a line of outdoor furniture with Russel Wright, an established industrial designer. Wright was launching a new collection called “American Way”, and the two teamed up to create something new. The furniture was to be made from wrought iron and Glass created a set of designs that were simple, fresh and caught the eye of many in the furniture world. The line gathered accolades in furniture trade magazines and Alfred Auerbach, editor in chief of Home Furnishings, referred to the collection as: the “Hairpin Group” because of the unique legs found on the tables and chairs. The hairpin legs designed by Glass marked the beginning of a trend, and many pieces were created with the hairpin style incorporated.

Although Glass patented over fifty of this designs, the hairpin leg style was not patented and has been used by Hans Knoll, Charles Eames and other renowned furniture designers over the ensuing decades. For those of us who are passionate about mid century modern furniture and home accents, we consider this an enormous gift. Henry Glass created a simple, modern design and whether it was by happenstance or with clear intent, the design is not the property of one man or corporation. Here at Modern Legs, we’re still paying homage to the original design, and we’re proud to see so many beautiful pieces of furniture include the hairpin leg style.

Posted on May 20, 2013November 29, 2013 by sirwin

DIY Patio Furniture Ideas

Here in Colorado, our snowy spring is clearing up and turning into a beautiful early summer. We love the sunsets on the front range, and after a long day at work, what could be better than grilling or relaxing on the patio? Well, you could be eating with the family or relaxing on patio furniture you made yourself! We love helping our customers create amazing, original pieces of outdoor patio furniture at a fraction of the usual cost. So here are a few easy patio furniture ideas for anyone with a few basic tools and a desire to own beautiful wood and steel outdoor patio furniture.

We’ve seen some amazing outdoor benches made from our original flat bar steel bench supports, as well as our new rectangular tube bench supports. All you’ll need to get started is a piece of wood you’d like to turn into a bench, a screwdriver and a tape measure. In most communities, your local lumber yard will sell rough cut lumber at very reasonable prices, so do a little Googling and see what is available. A little sanding and a coat of varnish are good options, but an unfinished look can work as well.

Once you have your lumber, you’ll need to take a few measurements and decide what will give your outdoor bench the support it needs. We recommend bench supports for most long pieces of furniture, but hairpin legs can work on many projects as well. Once your legs or supports arrive in the mail, it’s as easy as affixing the legs and you’re done!

Another project we’ve seen more than a few of our customers pull together quickly for the patio is a repurposed door as a unique piece of outdoor furniture. Again, you’ll need to find a door you’d like to turn into a patio or poolside table. Reclaimed building supply warehouses, flea markets and antique stores can be an excellent source for do-it-yourself furniture materials. Then you’ll want to decide what kind of table legs will best accent your piece. Classic hairpin legs or three rod hairpin legs are a great choice. Some of our customers like the angular look of the square bar hairpin legs, or the tapered angle iron legs…but that’s up to you! So, we hope these patio furniture ideas help you get started on your next furniture project, and when you’re finished, send us photos of your DIY furniture project.

Posted on May 13, 2013November 26, 2013 by sirwin

Kimi’s Kitchen Table with Hairpin Legs

It’s hard to say enough about the creative group of people we’ve come across in our community. Kimi bought a few pairs of hairpin legs from us, and look what she put together for her kitchen! It’s a wonderfully finished set of Douglas fir boards which she added some 3 rod hairpin legs to. If you recall, Kimi is also the creative mind who build this matching set of kitchen and coffee tables with square bar hairpin legs. We’re so glad she’s turning our modern legs into modern furniture…keep up the good work Kimi!

If you have a DIY furniture project you’re planning or have just finished, share your photos with us and we’ll make sure you get a shout out on the blog.

Posted on May 9, 2013 by jritter

Is It Made Out Of Metal?

We sometimes get odd requests from clients, such as: “Can you make me a heavy curtain rod with unique hooks that hangs from the ceiling?”

Our response: “Is it made out of metal?”

Usually the answer is yes, and we can make it. It’s not just about fabricating things. It’s about the creative process, and that is what truly drives us to imagine new ideas and improve upon old ones. Are we the first people to come up with the idea of the hairpin table leg? Not even close! But we’ve tweaked it:

…and twisted it:

…to provide you with unique products that you cant get at Ikea. You usually end up at stores like West Elm or Crate and Barrel. While these stores provide some great inspiration, what you really end up with is a piece that is overpriced and cheaply made in a sweatshop overseas. I recently had a phone conversation with a customer who purchased her entire dining room set from West Elm and spent way too much money for what she got. For the same price she could have supported small business and received a superior product that was hand made right here in Our Country, the United States of America.

The moral of the story is: If you have a vision for a product and can’t find exactly what you want at the import warehouse, call us! Because most likely if it is made out of metal…we can make it better and stronger!