Wood Jiali Bench

A long plank on splayed legs, with the grain doing most of the talking.

This Jiali bench is contemporary, from the Primitive Collection, in sand blasted elm wood. Sandblasting wears away the softer wood between growth rings, leaving the harder grain raised and the surface gently ridged to the touch. The thick top runs flat and plain, with the grain swirling across it in brown and gray. Four squared legs splay outward at the ends, joined under the top by short aprons. It is 60 inches long, 14 deep and 17.5 high.

Room for three, or for one with a newspaper.