GC Custom Woodworking has just received a commission to design and build a unique, custom furniture piece to safely store jewelry. It’s a large jewelry armoire. The design is based on a similar custom furniture piece we built two years ago. The armoire will have a real Chicago handmade wood furniture style: strong lines, clean design, and unique look. The design is informed by Arts & Crafts sensibility, but its final form is determined by the client’s specific needs and wishes. Here are a few initial drawings of the piece and a look at some of the material that will be used to build it.
The finished armoire will have a distressed look. We’ll use a traditional milk paint finish and several other finishing techniques to give the piece the fun look the client wants. The primary wood is hand selected poplar. Poplar is a stable hardwood that accepts paint well. The drawers will be made of maple and the jewelry dividers will be cherry. There are seven drawers. The bottom two are a bit deeper to accommodate some of the unique pieces in the client’s jewelry collection. Built into the sides are compartments to hang necklaces. A mirror is built into the lid. And we’re going to use a specialty hinge for the lid that works like a laptop computer hinge allowing the lid to stay open at any angle.
