This self-designed honors experience was centered on furniture building and consisted of two main parts: building and researching. The building part of the experience took up the majority of my time as I designed, 3D modeled, and built a four-foot square table with a removable top and compartment underneath. The intent behind the design was to allow for my family to assemble a puzzle inside of the compartment while still being able to use the table normally, as the tabletop can be replaced and the table used normally without disturbing the in-progress puzzle. The research part of this experience consisted of learning about furniture in different cultures and times in history through the use of resources from the public library.

During this experience, I had to overcome sourcing and design problems in order to build my table. Some of the wood that I could find listed online at hardware stores was not available at any local locations. This prompted a redesign of the table before the building had even begun. A misjudgment of the weight of the tabletop also forced me to rethink my design. Solving these problems taught me to accept help from others and that inspiration can come from anywhere, as my sister was actually the one that suggested a solution to the tabletop issue.

My research reinforced my understanding of the necessity of understanding the viewpoints of people from a variety of different backgrounds. Understanding and being considerate of other peoples’ opinions leads to better collaboration and respect for others. This is applicable in both our work lives and personal lives, and it is always something that can be improved upon.

Below is a video demonstrating the functionality of the table and a gallery of photos of myself working on the table.

Photos and video courtesy of Lisa Spraul.