Chests of Drawers, Cupboards, Highboys, Blanket Chests
These pieces include dressers for storing clothing and chests used in all rooms of the house.
Pennsylvania Dower Chest
Pennsylvania dower chest
This highly decorated pine chest was created in the style typical of early 19th century Pennsylvanians. In addition to using SketchUp to model construction of the chest, I used SketchUp to create templates for the painted decorations.
serpentine chest
This 18th century Serpentine Chest of Drawers features a curved front, canted corners with fretwork, and extensive inlay and veneer. The serpentine curves and canted corners make this piece challenging to design and build.
Serpentine Chest
Virginia Low Cupboard
Virginia Low Cupboard
This cupboard serves as a media cabinet and support for the flat-screen TV in the family room.
Kitchen Dresser
The original, in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, is an example of Colonial American pieces by the Pennsylvania Germans. I used classic wrought iron rat-tail hinges and built it in Monterey Pine. The finish is milk paint. Reference: "Masterpieces of American Furniture" by Lester Margon.
Kitchen Dresser
Mahogany Bookcase
Cornice detail under construction
Mahogany Bookcase
I found this piece in a small book by Charles Hayward, "Period Furniture Designs". The author calls this a Mahogany Bookcase, however we are using it in the dining room, not for books. It is an English piece of late 18th Century. By far the Cornice Molding and the Bookcase glass doors are the most difficult constructions. The Cornice Molding is made up 18 individual components plus 40 small half-turned pendants. There are four separate major assemblies in this Bookcase - the lower Cupboard section, upper Bookcase section, the Plinth, and the Cornice. The front glazed doors of the Bookcase are separated by astragal shaped muntins at various angles.