Coffee Table (Sketches)

Adam informed me that the first thing I should build of my own design would be a coffee table. For my own house. I'm not sure that I want or need a coffee table at the moment, but I have no particular bias against the design and construction of a coffee table. And since Adam is essentially providing me with all of my materials, tools, and guidance, I began sketching coffee tables.
I talked to my room-mates about what they might like to have in a coffee table. And I thought about what I would like. Also, about what I would like to build. Ideas were generated.

The final concept took for granted the use of a natural edged section of cherry that Adam offered. (And the partially-milled pieces of pine to its left.)

I wanted to preserve the natural edges, but was concerned about the leg injury hazard of exposing the edges to pedestrians. I decided to turn two edges in on themselves and create a second table layer in the gully between them. I began to think about it as a river valley or canyon and realized that by using the wider face of the cherry slab as the table-top, the undercut on the natural edge could be utilized as a handle which would, in turn, encourage the owner/users to further explore the edges with their fingertips as well as their eyes.

I sketched the concept a bit at home:

Then, not wanting to bring in my sketchbook, I did some new sketches at the shop:

Adam was encouraging, but suggested I build a quick model in SketchUp to get a better idea of the dimensions I would be working with (the materials pictured were just available contrasting Paint Bucket options; they bear no reflection on my choice of actual materials):

The SketchUp model allowed us to discuss the details a bit better and when I decided to use hardwood and reclaimed materials for a frame and panel construction, I did a few more sketches:

I'm considering wooden hinges:

Then created an organized page of dimensions and required materials:
 

Used that to put together my cut list then started cutting some of the pine timbers to approximate dimensions (after yanking a few stray nails):

 That's what I've got so far. It's a slow process and I have done most of the work in small chunks before and after work. Adam has also given me (14, 15?) Oak Kneelers that he was given from a (demolished? renovated?) Church for the panels in the body of the table. I pulled them from the bottom of the rack, under 1/16th inch of dust and riddled with long staples, short screws, and covered with the remains of an adhesive-backed padding. So far I've pulled the staples out of half of them. I'll take pictures as they improve.