WOODWORKING
Chapter 16INTRODUCTION TO CABINETRY
Introduction
Cabinetry is the term we use to describe the craft of making cabinets, shelving, and furniture. In this
unit, we will focus primarily on cabinet making. A cabinet, when all is said and done, is simply a box.
Different schools of design vary in style and quality, but it is still a box.
Understanding the schools of design, however, is important to planing, designing, and constructing a
cabinet. Space utilization, aesthetics, color, texture, style, and more are all a part of cabinetry design.
Mixing artistic shape and whimsical scroll work with the cold, sterile cuts of contemporary art, for
instance, simply does not work. The human eye is confused and the emotional response to the interior
design of a home is muddled. Moreover, when you know the style you want, the design phase goes a lot
smoother because you know ahead of time the look you will be shooting for.
Schools of Design^2 :
Scandinavian: This style of design is typified by clean horizontal
and vertical lines. Compared to other designs there is a distinct
absence of ornamentation. While Scandinavian design is easy to
identify, it is much more about the materials than the design.
Sometimes Scandinavian styles are called “Modern” and
“Contemporary” though some differences exist.
French Provincial: This style of design is very ornate. French Provincial
objects are often stained or painted leaving the wood concealed. Corners and
bevels are often painted with a gold leave or given some other kind of
gilding. Flat surfaces often have artwork such as landscapes painted directly
on them. The wood used in provincial varied, but was often originally
Beech. Early American Colonial: This design emphasizes both
form and materials. Early American chairs and tables are
often constructed with turned spindles and chair backs often
constructed with steaming to bend the wood. Wood choices
tend to be deciduous hardwoods with a particular emphasis
on the wood of edible or fruit bearing trees such as Cherry or
Walnut. Sometimes people refer to this style of furniture as
“County Furniture.” Rustic: The rustic style of design sometimes called "log furniture" or "log
cabin" is the least finished. Design is very utilitarian yet seeks to feature not
only the materials used but in as much as possible, how they existed in their
natural state. For example a table top may have what is considered a "live
edge" that allows you to see the original contours of the tree that it came
from. It also often uses whole logs or branches including the bark of the tree.
Rustic furniture is often made from Pine, Cedar, Fir and Spruce. Mission Style: Mission Design is characterized by straight, thick horizontal and
vertical lines and flat panels. The most common material used in Mission
furniture is oak. For early mission cabinetmakers, the material of choice was
white oak, which they often darkened through a process known as "fuming".[4]
Hardware is often visible on the outside of the pieces and made of black iron. It
is a style that became popular in the early 20th century; popularized by designers
in the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveaux movements.(^2) Descriptions of schools of design cited from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinetry
Unit IV: Cabinet Construction