Looking for advice on a coffee table that I'd like to build for myself, that will be based on the piece pictured below by Selva, an Italian producer. An ambitious first project, my design would feature two drawers (his and hers) on each opposing end, but otherwise I intend to pretty much duplicate what I'm seeing in this picture.
coffeeTable_Selva-Sophia.jpg
The selected wood for the legs and apron rails is steamed European beech. The top and shelf will be either beech or birch ply, wrapped with a solid band of beech. Runners and kickers for drawers will likely be maple.
What I'm wondering is:
- Would having drawers at both ends compromise the overall strength of the table?
- Would there be a need for corner bracing given that the undermounted shelf combined with M&Ts at the top of the legs "seems" like it would offer sufficient resistance to racking stresses. Would there even be room for corner bracing if the runners/kickers are mounted directly to the apron rails?
Thanks in advance.