Fine Woodworking 2007 Building Furniture

d e s i g n oPt i o n s Fo r F r a m e - a n d - Pa n e l do o r s

D e s i g n i n g w i t h Pe r i oD s t y l e s P roPo r t i o n i n g b y t h e b o o k

Use period characteristics to design a door in harmony

with its surroundings.

18th century

Classic proportions,

raised panels; made

of mahogany.

Contemporary

Geometric proportions,

unadorned forms; made

of contrasting materials.

Arts and Crafts

Bold, simple forms, minimal

molding, wrought-iron

hardware; made of oak.

Although the designer’s eye should always be the final judge

of what looks good, there are a number of traditional systems

you can use to establish pleasing proportions.

the golDen mean

The golden mean may be expressed as a ratio, BC:AB as AB:AC.

This is approximately 5:8.

ABCc is a golden

rectangle. Squaring

a golden rectangle

leaves another golden

rectangle (shaded

area Aabc); squaring

this rectangle

produces yet another

golden rectangle

(double-shaded

area a¹b¹c¹c). This

smallest rectangle

produced the shape

of the door’s upper

panels (left).

the classical orDers of architecture

The Tuscan column (the first of the five classical orders of architecture)

is built on a ratio of 1:7. The column width = 1, the column height = 7.

All other dimensions are multiples or fractions of this ratio; for example,

the base and the capital are each one-half the column width.

Victorian Gothic

Emphasis on vertical elements,

pointed arch panels, linen-fold

carving; multicolor finishes on

walnut or fumed oak.

8

8 5

A B C

5 B 5 C

b

b¹ c¹

a

8

A c

a¹

7

6

5

5

4

3

2

2

1

1

(^1) ⁄ 2
7
5
F ineWoodworking.com
In a video, Graham Blackburn discusses
design options for frame-and-panel doors. Go to
http://www.finewoodworking.com/buildingfurniture.
Use the ratio of the Tuscan order (or any other order) to
proportion a door. Divide the height of the door by seven, then
use multiples or fractions of the resulting unit to size the
panels and frame members. (For an 84-in. door, the unit would
be 12 in.)
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