Hi Shawn,
Yo is right, if you post some pictures directly you will get more feedback! However, here are my thoughts:
-The first image provides no value in my opinion, and I feel that if you were to include it I would put it on a page with another image
-Overall composition could be improved upon, but I do like the off-white background
-Light and shadow look good, however I would adjust the grain on the legs to make it feel more realistic and to provide a more accurate depiction, as well as the top.
-Due to the design being so minimal, I would like to know a little more about your intent and inspiration behind the design besides being inspired by minimalism and Scandinavian design. You probably realized from this exercise that minimalism can be extremely difficult to do well.
-Due to the taper on the legs being so minimal, it almost feels unintentional, and is visually distracting in my opinion.
I think you will continue to get some valuable feedback from this forum and I look forward to seeing more! Good luck.