French Console Table in Gilded Teak with Shell Stretcher

A crossed stretcher on a console like this is set out in plan, not in elevation, and that is the part most people never see. The four legs curve outward as they descend, so the point where each stretcher arm meets a leg is not directly below where the leg meets the apron. Our master Indian artisans draw the whole footprint full size on a board first: the four toe positions, the four points where the arms strike the legs, and the centre where the two arms cross.

The arms are then cut to that plan drawing, each one a shallow S so the pair meets in a smooth junction rather than a hard cross. Where they meet, a boss is left standing proud in the solid, and the shell is carved out of that boss afterwards, so the shell is part of the stretcher and not a piece glued on top.

The height of the stretcher is chosen last. Set it too high and it fouls the sweep of the legs; too low and the table looks like it is standing on a raft. The carver sights along the leg curve and picks the height where the arms appear to spring from the legs instead of crossing them.

Material: solid teak throughout, hand-carved. No veneer, no engineered board.

Top: veined cream marble slab with a hand-moulded edge, profiled to follow the shaped front.

Carving: pierced acanthus apron with a central cartouche, carved cabriole legs with scrolled toes, and a shaped crossed stretcher with a carved shell boss at the centre.

Finish: hand-applied gilding over the carved timber, sealed for durability.

Construction: traditional joinery, glued and pinned, with the apron pierced from the solid rather than applied.

Sizes: custom sizes made to order - final measurements confirmed in writing before production.

Made to order: length, depth, height, marble variety and gilding intensity are all specified by you.

Warranty: 20 years on the solid teak frame and joinery; lifetime cover against termite damage.

Photography: images on this page show the actual product, not renders.

A gilded console has two vulnerabilities in transit: the pierced apron, which is openwork and therefore has no solid ground behind it, and the marble top, which is heavy and brittle at its edges. Both are packed for separately.

The carved apron and legs are wrapped first in a soft non-abrasive layer that will not lift gilding, then in foam that is shaped around the projecting scrolls rather than compressed flat against them. The scrolled toes and the shell boss get individual corner protection.

The marble travels flat, not upright, on a padded board with edge guards along all four sides, so no shock can reach a corner. Frame and top then go into a rigid outer crate with cushioning between the two, and the whole assembly is strapped so nothing shifts.

This multi-layer protective packaging is why we can guarantee dent-free arrival. Please open and inspect the piece while the delivery team is still with you.

Delivery is free across India. There is no separate freight charge, no surcharge for distance and no difference in price between a metro address and a smaller town.

Because every french console table is made to order, production begins after your specification and dimensions are confirmed in writing. We share the build timeline with you at that point and keep you updated as carving, gilding and marble fitting are completed.

When the piece is ready it is packed as described and dispatched with a carrier used to handling carved furniture and stone. You are contacted ahead of delivery so someone can be present to receive it.

Arrival is guaranteed dent-free. If any damage has occurred in transit, photograph it in the presence of the delivery team and contact us - we will resolve it. The marble top is set onto the frame at your address rather than travelling assembled, which makes handling on stairs and through doorways considerably easier.

The solid teak frame and every joint in it carry a 20-year warranty. That covers the structure of the console - the leg joints, the apron, the stretcher connections and the seating of the marble - for two decades from the date it reaches you.

Alongside that, the piece is covered for life against termite damage. Not for a fixed term, not for as long as you own it - for the life of the furniture. We are able to offer that because the table is built from properly seasoned solid teak, a timber whose own oils make it inhospitable to termites, and because the finish is applied over correctly prepared surfaces.

If anything covered by either warranty goes wrong, contact us with photographs and we will assess and repair or replace. Warranty work on a hand-carved gilded piece is done by artisans working in the same techniques as the original build, so a repaired area matches the rest rather than standing out as a patch. The warranty travels with the furniture and applies anywhere in India.