Weekend Project

Some friends wanted to see how I spent the weekend (after a FaceBook post relating to furniture building), so here goes… Eventually, we'll need a very large (8 foot wide with 5-bays) hanging media cabinet — which, because of the size and configuration, will be a custom-made piece. I wanted to start with a prototype… and we needed a credenza/shelf/cabinet in the dining room.

Mid Century Modern-esque pieces are hard to find on the new-furniture market and craigslist is always spotty… unless you're Bret who has some weird cheap, vintage furniture karma. The pieces are either crazy expensive or a bit too ersatz. We did find a nice piece at West Elm which would have been the "if we bought it" piece, but for a lot less, we have a custom-made one and one that's a bit wider, which is good for the room — and one that hangs which is good for Roomba (our other pet).

This piece is made from oak plywood and edgebanded, but the final media cabinet will likely be walnut or mahogany to better match the house.

Since it will be hanging, it had to be over-built from a structural standpoint and the whole thing is assembled with joining-biscuits and pocket screws (on the back where they won't show). Simple nails and glue would not have held well. It will hang from the rail in the back/top and screwed straight to studs once we place it. We could've hung it on a removable rail/cleat but this was more straightforward and visually simpler. The back is open to show the wall color and the interior shelves are fixed and set back a bit to add depth to the piece. It will eventually (later today?) be stained black (like my favorite Knoll credenza).

So… on Sunday at 10am, we hadraw materials and by 10pm, it was clamped-up in the garage (with lots of breaks in between).

So, here you go, Bret: pictures… more after it's stained, finished and hung…