SYD – Fine Furniture/Design

Category: Desk

Bespoke Desk

  • Stefanie Desk

    Stefanie Desk

    stephdeskThis client approached me wanting to create a desk for her fiance as a surprise christmas present. She liked the Harmonson desk I created earlier, and she also showed me several photos of a contemporary and minimalist design she liked. I took the common link between the two and came up with this design.

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    This design is based off of the popular parson’s table. The minimal and clean look, I believe, is a timeless look. Where the legs meet the top, I decided to use a triple miter joinery. Most parson’s table made nowadays is mitered at the top, but the legs just butt up to the top, creating a weak joint. The triple miter, which was used extensively in chinese furniture, is a locking joinery. There are small tenons that lock into the mating surface, creating a joinery that is strong enough to stand even without glue- though glue is still used to make the joint even stronger.

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    The drawers are made from quartersawn white oak (which is stable and wear resistant) with hand cut dovetail joinery that ride on maple drawer guides (also wear resistant). I’m a big fan of drawers that slide against wood if it’s made and fitted well. It’s a subtle thing, but wood on wood drawers feel and sound better when used.

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    Other than the top and the drawers, the desk is made from Sipo Mahogany and Sapele panels . I used leather for the top because the client wanted the top to be made of another material and leather seemed very appropriate for this design. The leather helps to emphasize the frame work in the desk as well as making a nice writing surface. The dark tone of the leather will tie together nicely with the dark rubbed bronze of the handles manufactured by Linnea. (these photos don’t show the handles because I did not have the handles at the time of the photos. I will update with more photos when I take more photos.)

  • Harmonson Desk

    Harmonson Desk

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    This client likes to keep his office clean and uncluttered so when he asked me to create a new desk for him, I suggested we create a desk where it has the appearance of being light and airy. Most executive desks have a heavy look that makes the occupant look intimidating. How can you do business with someone that’s intimidating? The best thing a person can do is to achieve rapport.

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    What storage we lose from taking out the cabinets for drawers or doors that many desks have is to create drawer spaces in the space where the apron is- and also building a credenza to match the desk for many of the storage and office equipments.

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    At 60″ long and 32″ wide, the desk is on the bigger side. The desk is wide enough for two people to sit across from each other and have enough space to have conversations or to exchange in business negotiations. The extra size also allows for ample space to layout paperwork and it gives the ability to easily be organized. (The desk pad is on the bigger side, so in the photo, the desk may look smaller than it actually is.)

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    The wood chosen for this project is Mahogany for the frame work and Macassar ebony for the panels. I took design elements from traditional furniture designs and stripped it down to the essentials. The two wide drawers are hand dovetailed drawers that slide in wooden guide rails. There’s something soothing and pleasant about the feel of wooden guide rails. With this design, the charm of the whole desk would have been lost with manufactured drawer guides.

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