Mick and Natalie’s Kitchen Part One: Design

Recently we were invited to replace this very dated kitchen for an artist and a restaurateur who both desired to be very actively involved in the project. This is the story of our work with Mick and Natalie.

The kitchen that had to go #1

The kitchen that had to go #1

The kitchen that had to go #2



Lynn visited our clients, talked to them about their desires, and left with a road map for a new design. After drafting and consultation Lynn had approval to build this design to be built of clear vertical grain fir:

Bird's eye view

South West view

This design work is great for the overall

massing and layout, but many of the details

were worked out in a more organic way,

such as Natalie’s gargoyle tile of Mick:

Next: Building the cabinet boxes

Mick and Natalie’s Kitchen Part Two: Building the Cases

Cabinets can be considered to be comprised of three main elements: The cases (or liners or boxes), drawers and other interior fittings, and the exterior cladding.

The cases are the functional interiors of the cabinets and usually are fairly simple. In the design drawings shown in the previous post ALL of the cabinet parts are included as shown in the exploded drawing below

Exploded view of a cabinet case

First the case parts are cut out using our sliding table panel saw that easily supports and cuts a full sheet of plywood

Cutting the case parts

The parts are then marked for where they go, and what additional machining or hardware they require. This information is also included in the design shown in the first post, and is printed out on a list of parts for the project.

Marking the case parts

Once the parts have their hardware and any additional work is done, the case is screwed together and is ready for doors, drawers, and peripheral parts.

A completed case

Mick and Natalie’s Kitchen Part Three: Building the Drawers

Unless you are doing hand cut dovetails, drawers are simple to make.  The drawers for Mick and Natalie’s kitchen used butt joints with little splines made of 1/16” aviation grade plywood.

Exploded view of a drawer box

After the parts are cut out on the sliding table panel saw, the dados for the bottom are cut in the sides, front and back. We have a saw set up with a power feed and a dado head, so all we have to do is turn it on and feed the material through.

Plowing the dado for a drawer bottom

Next, we set up the shaper to rabbet the thick bottom so that it will fit into the dados we just cut. Unlike the saw, the cutter on a shaper spins flat like a turntable and can be of any shape. It is used to make moldings, door profiles, or in this case, to make a simple rabbet.

Shaper set up to cut a rabbet

We use a power feed to control the stock as it passes over the cutter.

Using a power feed to mill a rabbet cut

Next we cut the small grooves for the splines by hand on the table saw. This photo shows Lynn cutting the grooves in the ENDS of the fronts and backs.

Cutting a groove for a spline in a drawer front or back

And this photos shows Lynn cutting the grooves in the INSIDE FACES of the sides.

Cutting a groove for a spline in a drawer side

The drawer is then assembled by gluing the splines into the grooves, and fitting the parts together. In this case we used prefinished material, so all that is left is to finish the top edges.

A completed drawer box

Hand Made Cabinet Pulls: The Actual Hands of Our Client

We have the good fortune of currently making cabinets for a couple who are both artistic. Natalie will be making the ceramic pulls by hand, by casting her own fist then shrinking it to 1/3 it’s real size. The technique involves a material called  “Reducit Pattern Compound”. This material shrinks when it dries, keeping perfect proportion.

To get the size desired, Natalie first makes a mold from her fist, then uses that mold to make a reduced version in Reducit. That is still too large, so she then repeats the process using the already once reduced model. The completed mold is then used to cast the pulls in ceramic.

Hand made Cabinet pulls

Live Edge online goes live

Live Edge Online debuts line of designer eco-wood lamps, furniture
Seattle WA – December 2009

Seasoned woodworker and artisan John Blunt has developed a product line of one-of-a-kind live edge lamps and bonsai stands. Each piece is constructed by hand using sustainably harvested and salvaged woods, and finished with an earth-friendly dairy by-product varnish. They are sold exclusively online at LiveEdgeOnline.com and in an affiliate brick and mortar store in Seattle.

John’s interest in illuminating wood veneer has simmered for over 30 years, and has recently come to fruition. After much investigating, John has devised a way to make ecologically benign, pliable veneer lamp shades. The shade material adapts to free-form shaping, which allows each lamp to be a distinctive unification of form and function. The base and stem of each lamp are also unique constructions, often requiring innovative techniques for wiring and assembly.

Not only are the lamps useful, beautiful, and eco-friendly, they are ambassadors of the natural world in our often highly-processed habitats. Each lamp, bench, table, and bonsai stand brings into a room the representation of nature at its most expressive and vigorous. “Live edge” refers to the living part of the tree, the outer rings. A log is cut into slabs and then typically the slabs are used in their entirety. Only the bark is removed, yielding the natural edge.

John Blunt is also the proprietor of IsGood Woodworks, a custom cabinetry shop that has been serving high-end clients in the Greater Seattle area since 1992. Donald Smith creates the benches and tables found on the website, which are also available at his City Trees shop in Seattle. Andrea J. Bernard contributes lamp design and construction, as well as web design and marketing support. More of her work can be seen at autumnthing.com.

It is with much pride and eagerness that Live Edge Online opens its doors and offers its designer-class line of lamps and assorted furniture to the discerning public.

About Live Edge Online
Live Edge Online is a burgeoning enterprise, piggybacking on the success of its parent company, IsGood Woodworks. The web store is making its debut online, having launched in November 2009.
4660 East Marginal Way S
Seattle WA 98134
(206) 767-3757
10am – 6pm PST M-F
livelight@liveedgeonline.com
liveedgeonline.com

Live edge wood lamp with tiger maple shade

Detail of tiger maple veneer shade

Walnut slab coffee table