Hi Ed, Best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery. My first impression is that there is a dissonance between the base and the chest. I think you should either lean more into the Krenovian style with a more rectilinear base or change the chest of drawers to pick up the taper of the legs. I also think the proportions are off. The chest of drawers is too small in relation to the height of the base. I would play with those dimensions until I found a combination that was more pleasing. Shorten the legs, taper the drawer unit and make it slightly taller with a slightly wider base to be more in line with the bottom of the legs. The method of leg attachment seems a bit clunky. I'd think about creating the base as a separate unit with the legs mortised into the top like legs into a chair seat. Then attach the chest of drawers to the base in a way that drawers appear to be floating above the base by 3/4" or so. I've done a quick pencil sketch of my suggested modifications and now, whatever the outcome, you've sent me off on designing a new project of my own. Thank you for the inspiration.
It was interesting to read about the critique process for architects and look at the parallels to engineering. Basically just strip out all the art and subjectivity, and if a reviewer starts a sentence with, “I think…” and never provides reasoning for it (with backup data, if asked), they don’t get invited to the next design review.
That said, as a mechanical design engineer, I find myself completely and utterly incapable of providing feedback for this cabinet without knowing what its end use will be. I suppose that’s the great thing about a cabinet, you can store art supplies in it for a while, then your rubber duck collection in it later. And if you’re making it to sell, the end use is none of your damn business.
This is probably why I’ll never be a decent furniture designer/maker.
The only critique I could give that isn’t purely devoted to its function, to which I am ignorant of, is that the ratio of positive to negative space seems off. It looks, to my eyes, like a skeletal structure with a cabinet perched atop it, rather than a cabinet with legs beneath it. But maybe that was the creative vision? I would probably either scale the cabinet up by ~25% or plow some grooves in the stretchers to inset a little shelf in there for a plant or something. That would destroy the skeletal nature of the structure, but would cure some of the wasted space, which is the part of the whole thing that really doesn’t sit well with my form-driven-by-function engineer brain.
I thoroughly enjoy your blog, by the way. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences in such a well-written manner.
I hesitate to criticize others work, but you asked...It looks like a cabinet on a stand. Unfortunately, the cabinet and stand don’t seem to be married. It looks like you could have placed the cabinet on a stool and gotten the same effect. I would rework the stand to integrate the two pieces so they look like they should go together. What is your objective? Is it one piece or two? If you just wanted to build a cabinet and only have a stand to put it somewhere, eliminate the stand and hang it on the wall.
Hi Ed, I initially thought WTF, but I really like the concept. I like the splayed legs in contrast the the fine top plus the colours. I makes it feel fine plus, organic & alive ( like a giraffe). I am not 100% sold on the Moravian style leg joint at the top. Hey but I like the raw simplicity of it. I would not want it any fancier. That's my 50 cents worth. I look forward to seeing the finished product. Cheers David
I see two separate items when I look at this. It appears that you have set your cabinet on a tall stool and will be back to fetch it soon. I like both, but not together. Perhaps a pedestal base for the cabinet? Have fun!
hi Ed i like the undercarriage/chair inspiration a lot, though for my personal taste i never cared for small cabinets on stands because i think it wastes a lot of space. as for an alternative idea keeping the essence of your design, I'd be curious to see the carcass have a trapezoidal shape to it. think mirroring the splay of the legs so the top of the carcass would be slightly wider than the bottom. this might allude to a crown molding (without using one which wouldn't work) and bring balance to the force.... erm top and base of the design.
I had a reaction to this which I couldn't place initially(the critique part I could immediately, same method was used in Design first year before branching off, same contributing factors to state of mind too ) . War of the Worlds and fun and I like it. There you go, a response by association, which quite possibly is in no way intentional on your part Ed. The legs splaying out a little past the drawer carcass should provide enough stability and it is not so big that the drawers would be weighted enough to move things around too much upon being opened. Unless you have a thing for collecting lead sinkers. I do agree with some of the other comments about the drawer faces being interrupted by the drawer rails . Visually if they were to be stacked on each other with minimal clearance between each the faces would be essentially framed by the surrounding carcass. The base elements of the legs, the carcass and the drawer faces would be defined each in their own right. I like the sound of the differing stains on the drawer faces as an added visual element and believe the selective use of finishes will potentially make or break the overall aesthetic along with timber selection. I like the faceted double taper on the legs and stretchers and the angled batons, there would be a sharp definition to them with a degree of delicacy and weightlessness. If they were rounded or there to be round overs introduced there would be discordance unless the same was applied to the drawer carcass edges. Hope this makes sense.
Hi Ed, depending on the proposed setting of the piece I would consider reviewing the leg splay or increase the width of the top section. At those proportions I think I’d keep kicking the legs by accident. But it could just be me. All the best.
To me, the carcase looks perched on the base having very little relationship with the bottom. I believe that if the base was shortened the base and top relationship would improve.
I think it would probably ruin the look you're after but I can't look at this without the feeling that there needs to be some visual break between the legs and the top, such as a moulding at the bottom of the carcase. I suspect that changing the height proportion between the cabinet and legs (2:3, maybe?) could mitigate this concern as well. I realize I'm not really giving a "why" here and I apologize but it's a rather visceral feeling and I'm having trouble putting my finger on what bothers me about it.
What jumps out to me is the second draw down could do with being a touch higher its currently too close to the top drawer in height. Were you leaving the legs natural wood? I'd be tempted to try having the legs darker.
I really have to have some nerve to come up with the audacity to comment on your work, after all you are a MUCH better craftsman than I will ever be, but you asked for it.
The little cabinet looks to small, if I will keep the height of the legs, I’ll make the cabinet 495 mm, that will give the whole thing a better proportion (GR) also I don’t like the way to connect the legs to the cabinet, the battens make it to look like an afterthought, dam, I forgot the legs, I’ll attach them with battens. I’ll loose the battens and attach the legs to the cabinet, and put them more closed to the sides of the cabinet, I understand, it makes the whole thing a little more difficult to build. I don’t like the rails between the drawers, there is no need for them and dilute the focal point, which in my opinion should be in the drawers and the base.
Please forgive me. And forgive my English, on my defense, English is my fourth language, and the only one I learned as a grown up, with almost no formal training on it.
I like the piece. But I lean towards being utilitarian in concept and execution, so I'm looking at the space below the drawers and wondering if I couldn't press that into service. The second largest drawer makes me hungry for more...
So I printed 2 copies of your drawing and took them to my guillotine and glue: now there are 5 drawers. Kneecapped the legs halfway below the stretcher and kept your overall height.
And fugedabout da stretcher: can't balance nothin' on that. Gimme a shelf instead. Or else.
Hi Ed, Best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery. My first impression is that there is a dissonance between the base and the chest. I think you should either lean more into the Krenovian style with a more rectilinear base or change the chest of drawers to pick up the taper of the legs. I also think the proportions are off. The chest of drawers is too small in relation to the height of the base. I would play with those dimensions until I found a combination that was more pleasing. Shorten the legs, taper the drawer unit and make it slightly taller with a slightly wider base to be more in line with the bottom of the legs. The method of leg attachment seems a bit clunky. I'd think about creating the base as a separate unit with the legs mortised into the top like legs into a chair seat. Then attach the chest of drawers to the base in a way that drawers appear to be floating above the base by 3/4" or so. I've done a quick pencil sketch of my suggested modifications and now, whatever the outcome, you've sent me off on designing a new project of my own. Thank you for the inspiration.
Agree that the scale of the cabinet and base don’t match. It looks like you set a jewelry box on top of a stool.
It was interesting to read about the critique process for architects and look at the parallels to engineering. Basically just strip out all the art and subjectivity, and if a reviewer starts a sentence with, “I think…” and never provides reasoning for it (with backup data, if asked), they don’t get invited to the next design review.
That said, as a mechanical design engineer, I find myself completely and utterly incapable of providing feedback for this cabinet without knowing what its end use will be. I suppose that’s the great thing about a cabinet, you can store art supplies in it for a while, then your rubber duck collection in it later. And if you’re making it to sell, the end use is none of your damn business.
This is probably why I’ll never be a decent furniture designer/maker.
The only critique I could give that isn’t purely devoted to its function, to which I am ignorant of, is that the ratio of positive to negative space seems off. It looks, to my eyes, like a skeletal structure with a cabinet perched atop it, rather than a cabinet with legs beneath it. But maybe that was the creative vision? I would probably either scale the cabinet up by ~25% or plow some grooves in the stretchers to inset a little shelf in there for a plant or something. That would destroy the skeletal nature of the structure, but would cure some of the wasted space, which is the part of the whole thing that really doesn’t sit well with my form-driven-by-function engineer brain.
I thoroughly enjoy your blog, by the way. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences in such a well-written manner.
I hesitate to criticize others work, but you asked...It looks like a cabinet on a stand. Unfortunately, the cabinet and stand don’t seem to be married. It looks like you could have placed the cabinet on a stool and gotten the same effect. I would rework the stand to integrate the two pieces so they look like they should go together. What is your objective? Is it one piece or two? If you just wanted to build a cabinet and only have a stand to put it somewhere, eliminate the stand and hang it on the wall.
Hi Ed, I initially thought WTF, but I really like the concept. I like the splayed legs in contrast the the fine top plus the colours. I makes it feel fine plus, organic & alive ( like a giraffe). I am not 100% sold on the Moravian style leg joint at the top. Hey but I like the raw simplicity of it. I would not want it any fancier. That's my 50 cents worth. I look forward to seeing the finished product. Cheers David
Poorly worded criticism from me I’m sure, but I appreciate the opportunity to share and your openness to such a critique:
-I like the concept in general, though I’m often not typically a fan of cabinet on stand
-The base is wider than the case, I like that for stability but visually and functionally (maneuvering around it) I don’t like that
-Initially I thought it was a turned base, and was off put, but think if going this way, octagonal is the shape to go.
-The base should separate from the cabinet easily, it looks like a permanent connection as designed
-Consider the lower stretcher spacing (probably down to the ⅓ mark vs ½ )
-Consider adding another deeper drawer at the bottom of the case I think that might better balance the top/bottom
-I like the color idea.
Timely, as my youngest son (3rd year architecture student) prepares to leave for Paris, France to study abroad for a semester. Best wishes.
Ed,
I see two separate items when I look at this. It appears that you have set your cabinet on a tall stool and will be back to fetch it soon. I like both, but not together. Perhaps a pedestal base for the cabinet? Have fun!
hi Ed i like the undercarriage/chair inspiration a lot, though for my personal taste i never cared for small cabinets on stands because i think it wastes a lot of space. as for an alternative idea keeping the essence of your design, I'd be curious to see the carcass have a trapezoidal shape to it. think mirroring the splay of the legs so the top of the carcass would be slightly wider than the bottom. this might allude to a crown molding (without using one which wouldn't work) and bring balance to the force.... erm top and base of the design.
I had a reaction to this which I couldn't place initially(the critique part I could immediately, same method was used in Design first year before branching off, same contributing factors to state of mind too ) . War of the Worlds and fun and I like it. There you go, a response by association, which quite possibly is in no way intentional on your part Ed. The legs splaying out a little past the drawer carcass should provide enough stability and it is not so big that the drawers would be weighted enough to move things around too much upon being opened. Unless you have a thing for collecting lead sinkers. I do agree with some of the other comments about the drawer faces being interrupted by the drawer rails . Visually if they were to be stacked on each other with minimal clearance between each the faces would be essentially framed by the surrounding carcass. The base elements of the legs, the carcass and the drawer faces would be defined each in their own right. I like the sound of the differing stains on the drawer faces as an added visual element and believe the selective use of finishes will potentially make or break the overall aesthetic along with timber selection. I like the faceted double taper on the legs and stretchers and the angled batons, there would be a sharp definition to them with a degree of delicacy and weightlessness. If they were rounded or there to be round overs introduced there would be discordance unless the same was applied to the drawer carcass edges. Hope this makes sense.
Hi Ed, depending on the proposed setting of the piece I would consider reviewing the leg splay or increase the width of the top section. At those proportions I think I’d keep kicking the legs by accident. But it could just be me. All the best.
First, I really enjoy your posts.
To me, the carcase looks perched on the base having very little relationship with the bottom. I believe that if the base was shortened the base and top relationship would improve.
I think it would probably ruin the look you're after but I can't look at this without the feeling that there needs to be some visual break between the legs and the top, such as a moulding at the bottom of the carcase. I suspect that changing the height proportion between the cabinet and legs (2:3, maybe?) could mitigate this concern as well. I realize I'm not really giving a "why" here and I apologize but it's a rather visceral feeling and I'm having trouble putting my finger on what bothers me about it.
Top heavy. Might fall if nudged? Need to steady it with one hand while opening a drawer? Better at near typical table height?
Hi Ed,
What jumps out to me is the second draw down could do with being a touch higher its currently too close to the top drawer in height. Were you leaving the legs natural wood? I'd be tempted to try having the legs darker.
What about thining the boards between the drawers and lowering the stretcher a bit. Reminds me Krenov but a stick version.
I really have to have some nerve to come up with the audacity to comment on your work, after all you are a MUCH better craftsman than I will ever be, but you asked for it.
The little cabinet looks to small, if I will keep the height of the legs, I’ll make the cabinet 495 mm, that will give the whole thing a better proportion (GR) also I don’t like the way to connect the legs to the cabinet, the battens make it to look like an afterthought, dam, I forgot the legs, I’ll attach them with battens. I’ll loose the battens and attach the legs to the cabinet, and put them more closed to the sides of the cabinet, I understand, it makes the whole thing a little more difficult to build. I don’t like the rails between the drawers, there is no need for them and dilute the focal point, which in my opinion should be in the drawers and the base.
Please forgive me. And forgive my English, on my defense, English is my fourth language, and the only one I learned as a grown up, with almost no formal training on it.
Hope you get better soon. Happy Father’s Day.
I like the piece. But I lean towards being utilitarian in concept and execution, so I'm looking at the space below the drawers and wondering if I couldn't press that into service. The second largest drawer makes me hungry for more...
So I printed 2 copies of your drawing and took them to my guillotine and glue: now there are 5 drawers. Kneecapped the legs halfway below the stretcher and kept your overall height.
And fugedabout da stretcher: can't balance nothin' on that. Gimme a shelf instead. Or else.
Now my peasant appetite is replete.