My current project is to build two nightstands for my bedroom. Both my wife and I wanted a nightstand that has a sizable top to hold a lamp, an alarm clock, a glass of water, and maybe a book. Since we both read a lot, we also wanted a lot of storage to hide away all the piles of books and magazines that currently end up laying on the floor. I haven’t decided yet if I want to make the nightstands a cabinet with a single door, two drawers, or some combination of the two. Since I haven’t decided yet, the pictures currently only show the carcase. The overall dimensions are 26″ high x 19″ deep x 23″wide.
I started with a basic shaker design. While I really like shaker furniture, we wanted something that wasn’t quite so plain for these pieces. The first change I made was to put a compound curve on all four legs. I thought about splaying the legs out a bit at the bottom, but in the end I decided against it. As pictured, the top of each leg is in the same plane as the bottom of the leg. In addition to the compound curve, I also tapered the last 2 1/2″ of each leg. It tapers down to 3/4″ x 3/4″.
In the view pictured below, you can see that I curved bottom stretcher on the front of the cabinet. The curve starts at the top of each leg taper. At it’s widest point, the stretcher is 2″ wide. At it’s narrowest point, it is 1″ wide. I kept the bottom stretchers on the other three sides of the cabinet a straight 2″ wide (no curve).
I thought a rectangular top was a bit dull, so I added a curve to all four sides. I tried to keep it subtle; over-doing the curvature on the top could become gaudy. The top has a 1″ overhang at it’s corners and a 1/2″ overhang at it’s mid-points.
The pictures that I’ve shown here are my first cut at a design. I’m still playing with it. I’d appreciate any comments or suggestions that you all have that might help to improve the design.
To view the entire Nightstand Project series, please visit my project page.
Unfortunately, I cannot offer any advice. I am pretty new at this. But just wanted to let you know that I’m watching it with a lot of interest as I am planning to do 2 nightstands myself.
Have you thought about the wood and finish for the piece yet?
Hey Dave…………what kind of profile router bits you have???? Any thoughts on some ornamentation???? What about some inlay banding????
As for doors, if you decide on doors, make it a double door rather than a single. Ergonomically it will work better, especially on a night stand. You couch down to open the door, and a single door swing is wide enough to make you move to open it fully.
I like the foot action you’re playing with.
Neil
Hi Neil,
I think I’m settled on using 2 inset drawers.
OK, I’m interested… what would your approach be for ornamentation on this piece?
Thanks,
Dave
Hey Dave…..
Let’s just throw some stuff against the “end panel” here.
How about a 1/4″, 5/16 or 3/8″ manufactured inlay banding around the top, or make a solid piece of inlay yourself insert around the top edge.
OR…….make a 1/4″ bullnose about a 7/16 to 1/2 wide and bending (experiment with kerfing the back edge) into a groove around the top. This will give you some shadow lines and a nice bead around your top.
You could also lift the top up a bit with a solid reveal of metal (ie: brass, polished aluminium, brushed chrome), or the same wood you are building with and nring in depth and curiousity.
I need to see the drawering your intended drawers. To get an feel for the vertical look.
Dave…….I’m just throwing stuff out there. I have no idea of your entire look, other pieces that will be added at a later date.
That’s it for now………..toss some more out there. It’s kinda fun!!
Neil
Hi guys,
Jeremy: Right now, I’m considering either cherry or walnut. I’m leaning towards walnut. For a while I was kicking around the idea of African mahogany, but I thought that the ribbon pattern of the grain might be a bit distracting.
Neil: I like the idea of incorporating a small amount of metal. I think some brushed chrome hardware on the drawers would look sharp. A simple inlay around the edge on the top would look nice… maybe maple. I’m hoping to finalize my Sketchup drawings over the next few days, so I’m going to play around with some different options to see how they look.
Dave
Hey Dave…………. AKA: “the little behemoth that could”
Really curious as to where you end with your nightstands. Most when engaged with the design process often just plan stop the process way to early, but your entire thought process to all of woodworking seems so open you’ll explore everywhere. Very refreshing, Dave and a huge strength!!!
Neil
I like the overall design, but am biased towards a bit thicker top, and less curvature – you don’t want to roll over while in bed and poke your eye out
I agree too that the drawers are a better option than doors.
I am building an end table right now, using African Mahogany. The price of the lumber is reasonable, it looks good, and is a user-friendly wood I’ve heard. It cuts well, but I’ve done some planing on face grain that has led to some gouging of the softer wood (sapwood?). This gouging does not occur with my thickness planer, so maybe I need to do a little more honing on the plane iron, though I generally get good results with Red Oak.