Every year, this time change messes with me. I just can't get used to it getting dark before 5:00, and it messes up my internal clock, making me want to hit the sack WAY too early.
So I've actually been starting my days early...well, early for me! Lately, I've been getting to my shop at 8 or 9 AM, and my favorite thing to do it put on some headphones and get to work.
The nature of woodworking is often slow and it's easy to overthink things. So when I built this bookcase,
I spent many an afternoon thinking about the drawer pulls. I'm not a fan of hardware at all, in fact, I try to avoid hardware on most of the pieces that I build. But these four drawers definitely needed a way to open them.
On a slightly related note - something dawned on me recently. I'm a big fan of Mid-Century Modern furniture, which often has very specific hardware, or a lack thereof. My folks had an AMAZING Mid-Century walnut bedroom set, and I think that set influenced my love of this style. Their bedroom set had inset pulls, and was sleek and contemporary. That style is such a huge influence in my work; why did it take so long for me to realize that!?!
Back when I used to build kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, I incorporated inset pulls, a slick little method for opening a drawer or door without using any hardware.
But these designs are dated - thankfully!
Still - I needed to come up with something simple and contemporary.
I've always been a big fan of simple scooped pulls, so I cut out a few pieces of cardboard and experimented on these drawers, to decide where to scoop the drawer face. I settled on an upper right location, and made a simple jig to rout the scoop in each drawer face. I didn't even have to remove the face to rout it.
And BAM! - another finished piece.
I particularly love the curved sides in the upper part of this bookcase - which perfectly compliments the curves of the drawer scoop.
I'm finishing up a terrific Cherry office cabinet (You can see the start of it if you scroll up and look at that those first two photos.) I just need to figure out the hardware situation on that cabinet and it will be complete.
Again - the hardware dilemma hits me in the face!
