Changing Table/Dresser design

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  • bthorne
    Forum Newbie
    • Oct 2007
    • 82
    • Ruckersville, VA
    • Craftsman 21829

    Changing Table/Dresser design

    I've finally gotten some time to get back in the shop recently and have some nursery furniture to build. Next up is a changing table / dresser for my future daughter. I'm modifying this from Wood magazine's "Double-Duty Changing Table/Dresser" plans. My sketchup renderings are below.





    I've modified some of the setbacks and moldings as well as the drawer fronts to be more in line with my tastes. My wife wanted a door covering the shelves on the right, so I will be adding that with a slight arch to the top rail to match the one on the crest.

    My real question comes in selecting the wood and grain direction for the drawer fronts and door panel. The case will be maple ply, with solid maple trim and legs. I'm planning to use some nice curly maple for the panel in the crest (with some mods to the design to allow for expansion/contraction of that panel). I had wanted to use some curly maple for the drawer fronts as well. (grain running horizontal, so the figure would be vertical). The question then becomes what I should do with the panel in the door on the right.

    I've come up with a few options here and would like your thoughts:
    1) Usually I would do a panel with the grain running vertically - I could resaw and book match wood for this, but this would lead to the curly figure here running horizontally. I'm concerned that a vertical orientation of figure on the drawers and horizontal figure on the door would look a bit odd. Any thoughts on that?

    2) I could make a panel from the same pieces as the drawer fronts (essentially a continuation of their grain) with the grain running horizontally in the panel. This would leave me with vertical curly figure on the panel, but this would increase wood movement in the panel. Should I be concerned about this?

    3) I could use clear or birdseye maple for the drawer fronts and door panel, and have the crest be the thing that draws the eye most.

    Thanks in advance for your input. I'll be back to check on and reply to feedback, but for now, I'm out to the shop to get started on the case - this thing's on a deadline!
    --
    Bryan
  • atgcpaul
    Veteran Member
    • Aug 2003
    • 4055
    • Maryland
    • Grizzly 1023SLX

    #2
    Not to complicate matters even more, but what are you going to do about the grain on the ends of the dresser? Maybe this is why the original design didn't have a door, but just open shelves.

    I'd be in the same quandary as you if put in the same position. Personally, I think it will look weird if you continue the grain from the drawers to the door, but that's me. Then you have that intersecting the end panel grain which will probably run vertically. Me, personally, I'd let it be and have the door grain run vertically while letting the drawer grain run horizontally.

    And congrats.

    Paul

    Comment

    • mpc
      Senior Member
      • Feb 2005
      • 979
      • Cypress, CA, USA.
      • BT3000 orig 13amp model

      #3
      If you are concerned about grain and highlight directions changing between the drawer faces and the door... what if the door didn't look loke a door? Imagine instead what appears to be 3 small horizontal panels that looked like 3 more drawer fronts. But they are really one larger panel with kerf-sized slots painted black to complete the illusion. Make the slots after the big drawers are mounted so you can continue the drawer-to-drawer gaps across to size the slots.

      Just an idea. Your Sketchup idea looks good.

      mpc

      Comment

      • bthorne
        Forum Newbie
        • Oct 2007
        • 82
        • Ruckersville, VA
        • Craftsman 21829

        #4
        Paul,
        The grain on the ends of the dresser will be maple ply oriented running vertically. I agree that continuing the grain onto the door panel could look odd, unless one were to do away with the frame and panel design altogether as put forward by mpc above. That "false drawers" look would certainly be interesting (and could be very cool if done well), but isn't really the look I'm going for in this piece / room.

        I think my wife has fixed my dilemma by choosing option 3, more strongly figured wood on the crest, and clear maple on the drawer fronts and door.

        And congrats.
        Thanks! It's going to be a big change in life, but one we're very excited about.
        --
        Bryan

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