I know this piece should probably been from White Oak, but it gets worse. I knew there was no way I could build a true piece of A&C furniture, so I felt a bit free to take some license. What we really wanted was a piece that evoked the Arts and Crafts style rather than a faithful reproduction. So for better or worse, here are some of the experiments made with the program:
:•Species – Red Oak: Compliments the existing furnishings, easy to source.
•Plywood Back Panel: Traditionally this piece would have used a shiplap backpanel, but in the name of cost, (and perhaps conservation) I used red oak veneered plywood.
•Simplified Joinery: Based upon my somewhat limited (but growing) skillset, it was decided to take advantage of a few biscuits and pocket screws, but still employ a few M&T joints.
•LED Lighting: While this light is "cooler" than traditional incandescents or halogens, we decided the trade offs of cooler temps, bulb life and energy efficiency would be worth it.
•Cup Hinges: I was more than a bit concerned about maintaining gaps and reveals on a large piece, so the adjustability here seemed like a worthwhile benefit. The size and configuration I needed were only available in silver, but hopefully they will offer them in bronze one day and I can recycle the silver ones on another project.
I realize that some of this is a bit blasphemous, but that was the inspiration and planning in a nutshell… 🙂
