You can make an interesting table with a boring top by focusing on the base. I made this coffee table several years ago using a slab of Cypress. I bought it from a different buddy who sells all kinds of slab. I think I paid $180 for it. I made tapered and angled legs, a blanket shelf, a 4' wide drawer and color. First bronze paint then watered down forest green and did a rub through on the corners. Since I wanted the focus to be on the base I cut the live edge of the slab off on the table saw at 22°