The coffee table, Part 1

So now that I have the sofa situation figured out, it's time to move onto the coffee table. I have this deep desire to build it myself. After all, that's why I wanted to live on my own, to have furniture the way I wanted it an to get the experience of building things. Since college I've had this strong craving to make something of my own.
I'm thinking my apartment may be a but heavily skewed to the mid-century modern look, when really I'm a combination of mid-century modern, modern, rustic and industrial. I'm thinking the uber modern dining room chairs I have picked out will help along with the introduction of the perfect coffee table. So I've been contemplating reclaimed barn wood with hairpin legs, to give a nod to the rustic/industrial/mid-century modern in me. Similar to these:

With one piece of gorgeous reclaimed wood?
Image from Kriselkeeper via Remodelista

Or lovely planks?
Image from Sit and Read

Or with a cubby for bonus storage... I'm leaning this way, I think. But I need to figure out the construction.
Image from here.

And there are a plethora of other beautiful little ladies out there as well.

So getting excited about this reclaimed wood thing, I ordered samples from Elmood Reclaimed Timber in Smithville, MO and they're absolutely gorgeous. I mean I was expecting like a 1x1x1 sample or something like that. But these are substantial. After placing an online order, where I could specify what I was interested in, they sent me a delightful and personal confirmation e-mail. A few days later a fun package came with a plank-sized brochure and the samples. It's all beautifully prepared, a beautiful experience, and although pricey, you can bet I'll be giving them my business because of the time (and money) they've already invested in my patronage.

Antique Heart Pine-Rustic plank & Black Walnut-Country Select slab samples

I'm also thinking I need to make something lovely out of these samples and give them a new life as well. Candle holder? Napkin holder? Necklace? (Does anyone have a belt sander that I could use?) It will be something fun for sure!

And not to throw all that out the window, but I do need something modern in my space. So these nesting coffee tables in white from Ikea keep popping into my head. Thoughts? Are they too modern? Would they look foreign in the space? I'm also updating my throw pillows to be much more modern... is that enough?

This is what I will be thinking of during my many miles in the country on RAGBRAI. This and pie.