We moved the coffee table from the shop to its new home, our living room. Many of you commented on the table's unusual shape, and it is unique - but, this is what my wife wanted. It certainly would not work with a traditional sofa, but I think it works well with our sectional sofa. As to the finish schedule, I used a paste made from Timbermate as the initial grain filler, followed by sanding to 220; I then made a mix of Old Masters Grain Filler and Minwax Weathered Oak Stain (2 parts Old Masters, 1 part Minwax Stain). I did not sand after the application of this mixture, but I did rub it out with clean cloths after about 15 minutes. The next day I started applying multiple coats of Minwax Wipe on Poly (Clear Satin). I can't recall exactly how many coats I applied, at least six. After every second coat, I sanded with a 1000 grit pad on a Festool finish sander. My wife is delighted with the result, therefore I am happy, too!