tank idea - ramblings of a want-to-be 'scaper.....

[James O]

Pretty new to this all but have really taken to the planted tank idea. We have a small 1 bed flat where the lounge is our main room. It is quite literally our living room. In it we have a nice 4 seater table (+chairs) that can extend to take up to 10 but thats only about 6 times a year (Mrs O is a mega cook/entertainer with 4-6 guests every weekend ). Normally the table is just covered in junk (mostly my junk to be fair) We have a pair of poang armchairs with matching footstools as theres only two of us and the open frame makes for a more spacious feel. Thats it apart from some floor standing bookshelves.

Now heres the plan.....I want a larger tank and would quite like to get rid of the big table/rubbish dump, but Mrs O wants a dining table. I'm after minimising furniture in the lounge and so came up with this (please excuse my rubbish rendering, I've only used SketchUp for this image )

The tank is 1800mm long x 350mm high x 450mm deep in a low tech style. There are equal cupboards at each end and the table top is hinged to fold flush into the recess and will be store thus. In the recess I will store 2 or 3 more parts of table top that can be connected together to seat 8 (The legs will be trestles stored elsewhere). Should be a great spectacle for dinner - wont be eating fish though .There are a couple of points i'd like your thoughts on.

1) what do you think of the whole idea (practicalities etc)?
2) how does the long'n'low idea sound (?

thanks in advance

 

[Edvet]

It should be doable. I would make the base of the tank stick out 2 inches or so and have the tabletop on hinches at the underside. This way you could stowe a nice thich tabletop (say 3/4 inch). You would have to think about the light not shining in the eyes of someone sitting at the table. But a sturdy tankstand should pose no problems. Tanksize i don't expect problems.

 

[kirk]

I like the idea of this. If this was ada style where the table Top fold in flush when not in use. Is that the idea? You could use I leg or two that fold in half that goes into the cabinet. I'll draw a which scratch and put it up if you don't mind?

 

[kirk]

Here's the quick pic.

sorry not the best at drawing . Couldn't draw a witch scratching predictive text grrrr.

 

[James O]

I like the idea of this. If this was ada style where the table Top fold in flush when not in use. Is that the idea?

That's it exactly Kirk tnx for your efforts btw! The cupboard doors will rest on the internal vertical dividers and the table top will sit between them, resting on magnets or a soft close unit. That way the table will be flush with the doors when closed. I'm not sure about the locking hinge you drew though - might get in the way of your legs when sat facing each other. I was thinking of drop down legs a la pasting table that fold up to the bottom of the table. Orrrrrrrrr a simple piece of wood that slots under the table into a fixing under the tank for a cantilevered brace.

The tank is taking inspiration from BigTom's bucket'o'mud, pretty much everything under the title search 'shallow', Iwagamis and the low tech masters....

 

[ivydree]

Brilliant Idea!! Can't wait to see it happening!

 

[Gilles]

Nice idea and can't wait to see how it 'folds out' hehe