Here are two bedside stands built with one and two drawers. The black highlights match an iron bedframe. Normally the construction of wood furniture requires the primary support structure (i.e. legs, frame, top) done first. And then for decoration, trim and color are added second. No, not me! I like to make things difficult.
Note how the frame and trim were built initially, as shown next. This resulted in their structural strength appearing kind of flimsy and possibly questionable. Why would I build them that way? How would I make them stronger?
To answer the why, I wanted the black legs and trim to “flow”, to look as if they were “one” (see detail on the left). I didn’t want the trim to appear like an add-on. Because the structural support was of different wood and was to be clear-coated and not painted, I realized they had to be built in sequence. The panels (i.e. the structural component) were of Sapele wood, finished with dewaxed shellac and then lacquer. The curly maple top was also finished in the same manner.
I created mortises and tenons at the leg joints for added strength before gluing. The legs were of teak wood.
I was able to glue the panels with half-mitered joints at the corners to give added strength.
If I say so myself, they ended up okay and sitting next to the black wrought iron bed frame, they compliment one another.
