Chessboard Side-Table: A “Queen’s Gambit” Fantasy

I worked on this side-table inspired by the mini-series “Queen’s Gambit” in-between commissioned pieces. Creating fantasies and moods in the furniture I work on is a favourite activity of mine and in this one I envisioned a chessboard permanently marked into the top. There were many steps involved before the final piece was achieved, and I almost gave up on the piece. Removing the original door and utilising the space as a open shelf instead of a closed are, finally resolved my dilemma.

From the beginning I wanted to remove the wooden joinery connecting the legs to each other. Although I loved the long legs, the joinery felt like over-kill on this small piece. Once removed, I filled in holes and smoothed out surfaces to disguise their absence.

To achieve the chessboard squares, I stripped back the original finish and stained the darker squares using a water-based stain from Borma Wachs. The body was painted using Fusion Mineral Paints Everett, a dark leafy green and I found a rice paper decoupage print depicting an old stylised map.

I really like how this has turned out and am excited to find out who embraces this fantasy too. Despite not being a chess player myself, I love other types of boardgames and like the idea of a designated spot for these activities. May the games begin.