How would you lay out these curves?

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Here's the table my wife wants me to build for her...it's only taken a decade to get her to choose one!

I've already figured out the joinery connecting the semi-circles to the leg assemblies--floating tenons with drawbores for the clamping forces.  The semi-circles aren't load bearing, so the grain orientation isn't likely to cause any real troubles, but I'm thinking that each semi-circle should instead be made from three sections, which will allow the grain to flow a little better around the curves.  Final shape would be cut with template routing after gluing up the sections. 

What do you think?

[Stwood_]

Glue up the width you need, say 8"?, then lay both ends of the curved piece on one side of the glueup.

[Willyou]

IMO, the arcs made in multi sections would look strange and it would over complicate your build. I think the arc in the upper left of your photo looks the best. I would find straight grained lumber like that or use quarter sawn and run the grain tangent to the midpoint of the curve as shown by the upper left arc.
The grain in the lower right is close, but not quite tangent to the midpoint of the arc and looks a little wonky.

[Bill Holt]

I think the arc in the upper left of your photo looks the best. 
The grain in the lower right is close, but not quite tangent to the midpoint of the arc and looks a little wonky.

I agree, and IMHO, cherry will look much better than the oak.

[blackhat]

Might be time to explore laminating and veneer.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Might be time to explore laminating and veneer.

I had actually thought about that, but I'll build this in cherry so the grain patterns won't be as prominent as the red oak used here. 

And since it's for our home, if it's not perfect, it'll be okay. 

I really should add a vacuum bag to my arsenal...

[nodima]

The basic approach looks to be very similar to that used when making a hayrake table.   Google hayrake table, and I believe you will find links to the FWW article on making one. 

I'd go with a single piece for each curve, rather than with laminations.  Think the assembly steps through well.

[AHill]

Pretty sure those curved sections are laminated then a veneer applied to the outside of the curve. Otherwise, you'd have end grain exposed like near the bottom of the section on the near right side. I wouldn't be surprised if the table shown didn't use veneered ply. It's stained, so somewhat easier to match the outside veneer to the ply veneer.

[hbmcc]

Use wood with less  dramatic figure.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Use wood with less  dramatic figure.

So, that doesn't address the question at all.