tillsammans nightstands

nightstands · cherry

These nightstands were designed to be stylistic extensions of the syncline bookcase. In all three pieces I wanted to play with the theme of gentle, inviting curvature within a rectilinear context. My wife and I collaborated on the design process; she wanted a more spacious upper shelf and no lower shelf. I wanted the lower shelf so I could shove laundry that would otherwise be on the floor out of sight. Drawers are side-hung on oak drawer slides.

Cherry ages beautifully over time as tannins in the wood oxidize and a deep, ruddy glow emerges. It's a joy to watch. A lot of the darkening process takes place in the first six months, but the color continues to develop for well over a year. 

wood
cherry
size
20″ w × 12″ d × 21″ h (each)
finish
shellac and hardwax oil
price
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availability
built to order
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local pickup / local delivery / shipping

the pair of cherry nightstands side by side in front of a rusted saw blade and a corrugated wall
the carved lower rail where the side meets the shelf three-quarter view showing the dovetailed top and tapered legs the top and side from above, with dovetails at the corner top-down view of the case and its rounded side opening
the lower shelf framed by the curved side the tapered legs from below, in front of a rusted saw blade
left half of the nightstand front, split through the center of the drawer pull right half of the nightstand front
the drawer pulled partly open above the open shelf, in warm light a carved foot up close
at an angle in afternoon sun the curved side rising from the lower shelf, against a cork floor the carved drawer pull and wavy cherry drawer front up close

in the shop

rough cherry boards laid out on the bench freshly cut dovetails on a side panel a case dry-fitted on the bench a leg blank with its joinery cut
a case assembled on the bench side panels with their rounded openings cut a joint in the side panel up close
using a shop-made jig to bandsaw non-concentric curves for the drawer pulls
block planing the dovetails flush
exciting moment: the first coat of shellac

sketchbook

I drew multiple versions of this piece and ultimately decided I liked my first idea best. Though I didn't end up splaying the legs as drawn. 

pencil sketch of a nightstand with a slatted back and rounded corners pencil sketch of a nightstand with sweeping curved sides pencil sketch of a nightstand on straight round legs, marked 20 inches wide and 18 inches tall

let's make
something.

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