Bookcase Details

Below are pictures of some of the detail on the bookcases - which are now nearing completion.  The handles in the pictures are mock-ups at the moment.

Careful detailing gives the shelves a feeling of "floating"

Adding a stepped moulding to the shelf front gives lightness and adds visual interest

Mock up of hand-carved handles. We have used this design several times before, and it has a nice tactile quality.  It feels as if it is becoming a bit of a trademark - if it ain't broke...

Face Frames and a Double Panel

TOfay we finished making and fitting the face frames for the bookcases (ie for the doors to hang on), and also a small back panel which goes at the back of a display space in the middle of the right hand unit.  This panel looks like two separate ones butted together, but is in fact a single one with a shadow line down the middle.

We arrived at this panel design in order to make the cabinet it is fitted to harmonise with the pattern of doors on its sister unit on the other side of the fireplace.  Almost every design seems to have one particular sticking point, or "crux" which needs to be resolved to make the whole thing work.  In this case it was about how to make the two units go together perfectly even though one of them has an inconveniently sized hole in it to fit round a window while the other one doesn't!  The double panel is part of the solution.  This will all become clearer as the doors are fitted.....

Shelf Pins

Often it is tempting to leave the smallest, detailed parts of a large piece of furniture until last.  This is sometimes the right approach but can also be a mistake.  These little pieces can be quite fiddly and monotonous to do.  The energy that comes at the beginning of a project can be a big help in getting them done well and efficiently.  Leaving them to the end can result in a feeling of being bogged down and a tendency to rush them in order to "get the piece out".  In between sorting out the rods [full size construction drawings] for the bookcases I've therefore also been making the shelf pins - eighty of them....  They are of Elm, which will make a nice contrast against the lighter oak.

"Desk Tidys"

In the last few days I've been making "desk tidys" to go in two of the bureau cubby holes.  The depth of the cabinet has meant that there's plenty of space to divide up to take things like staplers, paper clips, pens etc.  The teardrop drawer pulls are a nice touch that to my eye fits in well with the general "Arts and Crafts" feel of the piece, and to a certain extent mirror the shape of the brass handle on the desktop.

Here's the right hand one....

The one on the left has a small box with dividers that drops in...

 

 

 Here they are seen in place.