Side Table, Part 1: Design

I'm sure I've written this before, but design is not my strong suit.  I don't particularly enjoy the process, but it's one I've got to muddle through.  At least I get to use Sketchup, which can be enjoyable, even though I'm not exactly what you would call, an "advanced" user (read: I can't do anything but basic shapes with it).

My to-do list has for some time included a side table for the second bedroom / wife's office.  I discussed it with her several times and various designs took shape.  The key dimensions came about due to where it would be located: next to a deep couch with 23 1/2" arm height.  So the table would be about 24" high and 24" deep.  We discussed width and settled on 18".

I recently bought a copy of Bill Hylton's excellent book, "Illustrated Cabinetmaking".  This book goes over lots of furniture construction techniques and also includes a section on standard dimensions for various types of furniture.  Many of the ideas in the various iterations of the design came from this book (even though I ended up using a different source for inspiration).

At first, she wanted something with a drawer and two shelves that could house baskets, something like this picture she found online.

Internet picture: not sure to whom I should give photo credit

So I drew something up similar to that, but with open sides and back.

First design option

The second version was similar to the first in that it has one drawer and two shelves, but was different in construction technique.  This one had solid sides and back, as well as different feet.

Design candidate 2

The first two designs got shot down because we couldn't find baskets the right size to fill the shelf areas.  So I looked into designs with three drawers.

Design 3

I liked this one.  It could probably be described as a "chest on stand" and my mind flew with ideas of how to construct the bottom portion.  Unfortunately the wife wasn't into it, especially the bottom part, so it was back to the drawing board.

I recently re-read LAP's reprint of "The Joiner and Cabinetmaker".  In the reprint, The Schwarz builds the three main projects described in the original text and gives lots of extra tips and techniques.  It occurred to me that my third design was similar to the chest of drawers from the book, just with different proportions and different style of feet, so I looked at what my design might look like with bracket feet.

Similar to design 3, but with bracket feet

I liked it, she liked it, and as Ralph might say, "there was much joy in Mudville".

This design features solid wood sides and bottom (as opposed to frame and panel construction), with three rails connecting the upper aspect of the sides.

The carcase

The sides are dovetailed into the bottom - that's the longest run of dovetails I'll ever have attempted.  The top rails are half-blind dovetailed into the top edge of the sides.  And you can see there are dadoes in the sides that will house the drawer dividers.

Drawer dividers drawn in

The part of the dividers that run front to back (runners and kickers) will be maple for better durability.  The rest of the piece will be poplar, as my wife plans to paint this end table.  I know, I know ... heresy!  But I have to remember, the customer is always right.

The drawers will be 4", 5 1/4" and 6 3/4" deep, with poplar fronts and maple sides and back.  I haven't decided yet what kind of pulls to use.

The top will be a solid panel of poplar, 1" thick and overhanging a bit on three sides.  Finally, the bracket feet will be 4" high and 4" wide.  I'll be using glue blocks to help attach them to the carcase.

The bracket feet with glue blocks shown (untrimmed)

Oh, yeah - one more detail.  As an homage to "The Joiner and Cabinetmaker", I'm going to make a frame and panel back.  If that works out, it will go a long way toward keeping the carcase square come time for glue-up.

The frame and panel back

All for now.  I'll update progress in the coming weeks.