Mechanical engineer Alwyn Jones was recently given the task of creating something seen on the internet—a type of request we’ve all faced at some point. This particular project was from his girlfriend, who had seen a coffee table constructed out of milk crates and wanted him to replicate its rustic design. When the mechanical engineer discovered this wasn’t feasible, he scrapped that idea and decided to build his own table instead. Jones’ solution takes a conventional coffee table and installs a planter into its top surface, creating a piece that’s both functional and an eye-catching decorative piece.
In a post on Imgur, Jones takes us through the DIY process. After gathering materials, he cut a long hole into a pre-made table top, creating a space where the planter would rest. The joints for the form were then calculated, cut, and bonded. Once the main frame for the table was secured, slats were assembled as a secondary shelf and wedged between the legs. Finally, the top was dry fitted and the construction was over—the next steps were priming, painting, and planting the vegetation in soil.
For those who want to build a custom table like this one, Jones’ post acts as a helpful guide. When he shared his handiwork on Reddit, one user had an alternative idea for the plants in the table. “If you put some rocks on top,” Redditor pugsnthings explained, “it may help keep the soil from getting on stuff, can also look really cool.”
