Sakura Media Console - Part III
“Nothing works without details. They are everything, the baseline of quality
”
As I had mentioned before, I start with a very bare bones design plan and add details as I see fit as the project comes together. Because no two boards are alike, it takes some design thinking to determine what grain patterns will work well in certain areas. Once I had planed boards to their desired thickness, I got to work laying out how the boards would fit together.
Luckily the longest boards had some incredible figures which I wanted to showcase which is why I selected it for the top of the case. When the late afternoon light hits the wavy interlocking grain it pops with an eye catching chatoyance. In fact you can even catch glimpses of it within the door slats.
Once I had the case built, I had to decide on a way to enhance the overhang on the top and bottom boards. I went through several iterations and the most striking – practical with a toddler at home and worried about sharp edges – ended up being a pair of counterbalanced rounded edges.
With the main case details in place, I installed the slatted doors to view my work and felt it was missing something. The entire case was starting to feel very japanese influenced. Something about the slats and rounded edges made me think of using Shoji paper. Separately, I’m always looking to expand my repertoire so I ordered up some nice Kozo (mulberry) paper interlaced with golden threads and some traditional nori paste. It ended up being a very simple addition that elevated the entire project.
The final design elements that came were the interior shelves. Once built, I felt that it lacked enough storing capacity because the interior was thin and tall. Luckily I had leftover cherry veneered ply from the back of the case so I made shelf inserts. I then used what leftover lumber I had to cut edge banding so that it blends perfectly into the case.
I hope you enjoyed this series on the production of this case. If you have any questions or are interested in a commission feel free to comment or email me at andrew@norelliwoodworking.com.
