We transform century-old woods into unique furnishing creations
We create furnishing masterpieces in precious essences, giving new life to century-old trees fallen due to natural causes and to fossilized trunks. We directly select the wood from the places of origin, from Europe to North America. In Italy, with skilled artisanal passion, we transform this noble raw material into personalized works of art and design, tailored to your tastes and needs.OUR STORY
Tabula was born from a friendship and a long-standing love for wood. Georg Schurian is a wood hunter, and he has sensitivity, passion, and respect for wood in his blood. For four generations, his family has worked in the wood industry. He noticed that the industrial production of furniture often discards a significant part of the wood, especially when it comes to large trunks. He dreamt of finding a solution to save this vital and beautiful material that he loves from being wasted. He decided to rescue two centuries-old European walnut planks from a sawmill and brought them to Italy as a gift to his friend Cristian Bassi, a creative artisan. Georg was moved by the beauty of the table Cristian created, working patiently and by hand on that specific wood. He had an idea: long processing times, manual work, and customization respecting the uniqueness of every plank and essence would be the cornerstone principles of a new design philosophy, in perfect harmony with nature and trees. The two friends started the Tabula project, determined to enhance the singularity of rare century-old tree trunks and fossil trunks by creating custom-made pieces of furniture that celebrate their uniqueness. Alessandro Ardito, passionate about wood and with a long experience in the furniture industry, joined them to develop the Tabula project, from internal management to customer relationships. Today, Tabula is an ongoing project, always open to new encounters and collaborations.DO YOU KNOW HOW YOUR TABLE OR FURNITURE PIECE IS MADE?
Research
Georg, our ‘wood hunter’, selects only wood worthy of being rediscovered and reappraised, with the utmost respect for the land, biodiversity and the forests. This means large trees with a unique history and character which would not normally be used in the furniture-making industry, trunks which have fallen due to natural causes, and tree trunks preserved for thousands of years on river beds. Georg can also source wood on request, to create items with rare or unusual woods for enthusiasts and collectors.
AIR DRYING
After being selected, the trunks are sawn. The resulting boards are left to air dry, a lengthy procedure which can take up to two years. This wait is a fundamental part of the process: it helps to maintain the rich colour of your table and prevents warping.
Drying
Solid wood is a living material, therefore subject to adjustments over time, based on temperature and environmental humidity. After traditional seasoning, we subject the wood to a special vacuum oven drying process to achieve optimal structural stability of the boards. Bringing the wood to a humidity level below 15% can take years, and even longer in the case of very large and thick boards. With this additional tribute to the long timescales of nature and trees, we preserve your table from future deformations.
CALIBRATION
Each raw board is processed with a calibration sanding machine. Sanding belts of different abrasiveness, depending on the characteristics of the wood, sand and smooth the board. We entrust this delicate task to carefully selected expert partners who are as passionate about wood as we are. Carefully scrutinising the quality of the result is nonetheless our responsibility. The largest boards are planed by hand at our own workshop.
CREATING THE PIECE
When the board is ready, the exciting process of design begins. We find the perfect orientation to highlight its unique veining, shapes and patterns, and showcase any lightning strikes or time-created cracks. The features of the finished table already start to take shape. There are two options available for the top: Unica or Plurima. The first refers to tables and tops made from a single board. The second type is made using two matching, mirrored boards.
APPLYING THE FINISH
To protect the surface of the top of your table or piece of furniture, we choose one of three finishes, depending on how the piece will be used: water-based varnish, acrylic varnish, natural wax oil finish. These are all carefully applied by hand. Other possible finishes can be discussed with the customer.
OUR TEAM
Georg Schurian
Our very own wood hunter, always on the move. Nature and wood are in his blood: for four generations, the men in his family have worked in the wood industry.
Cristian Bassi
This creative master craftsman brings a devotion to excellence and perfection to our project. His skilled craftsmanship is matched only by his incredible aesthetic sensibility.
Alessandro Ardito
A trained designer with 25 years of experience in the furniture industry, he handles the overall development of Tabula. He manages the projects and takes care of customer relations.