Canadian Home Workshop » Furniture Projects

Mission curio clock

Rick Campbell — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:48:49 +0000

The sturdy construction, tapered profile and clean lines that define this heirloom cabinet were inspired by the timeless designs of Elbert Hubard, Gustav Stickley, Charles Limbert and the Greene brothers—all renowned furniture makers responsible for the Arts and Crafts movement. Take time to admire the understated details of this classic design, and it’s easy to see why Arts and Crafts furniture has never gone out of style.

Build a rustic bench

Cathy Dalrymple — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:55:18 +0000

This lovely little bench suits any decor, indoors or out. Choose a paint colour to make it lively and hot, like this one, or a deep, rich colour; even black will give this bench a handsome appearance. It is a great starter project for novice woodworkers, and more advanced craftsmen can build it in an easy afternoon. This bench has a very straightforward design and no difficult joinery is necessary. You need to be careful with the circular cuts, but practicing on scrap will help you gain the necessary skill. The material is all off-the-shelf, 3⁄4″-thick laminated solid pine from a home-improvement store. I finished it with exterior latex semi-gloss paint.

Hidden heat: Build a radiator cover with storage

Michel Roy — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:42:38 +0000

Time for change: Baby change table

Ryan Shervill — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 03:27:59 +0000

When getting ready for our second daughter, Hailey, to arrive, my wife, Chantelle, and I discovered that the change table I had built for our first daughter, Emily, was nowhere to be found. We soon learned that the table had been floating from friend to friend for the past five years as they had their children. Since the table was currently in use by a set of new parents, I set out to build another one.

This time, I really wanted to make a change table that could grow with Hailey, right up into her adult years. Once we no longer need the diaper-changing area, the pad holder simply unscrews and the unit becomes a lovely piece of furniture for Hailey’s room.

This project is made of a combination of solid cherry and 3⁄4″-thick and 1⁄4″-thick veneered plywood. It has basic face-frame and carcass construction, with glued-in-place plywood panels for the door and back.

Build a hockey gear dummy

Cathy Dalrymple — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:30:09 +0000

Undercover mission: Side table with laptop compartment

Rick Campbell — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:53:15 +0000

While legendary Arts and Crafts furnituremakers would see their works reflected in this end table, it does have a few features that would leave them scratching their heads. The mortise-and-tenon joinery connecting beautiful quartersawn white oak speaks to the design elements used by craftsmen such as Gustav Stickley, Charles Limbert and the Greene brothers. These furnituremakers also would have appreciated the project’s fumed finish. But, they might be a little perplexed by the hinged lid at the front, covering a hidden compartment. This nook is vented so that a laptop can keep cool, and has holes through the back for power cords and cables. Although Stickley, Limbert and the Greenes never saw a microchip, I’m certain that the pioneers of the Mission furniture style would have approved of these practical innovations.

Turn in order: rotating bookcase

Ryan Shervill — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 21:27:10 +0000

In a small room, the most overlooked (and underused) storage area is the corner. Trying to find corner-efficient furniture can be frustrating, so we often end up filling that space with whatever will fit. I set out to build this rotating bookcase to address this problem. With a footprint smaller than 2′ square, the bookcase doesn’t take up a lot of floor space but offers a tremendous amount of storage, thanks to its round layout and ability to spin 360°.

End-grain coffee table

Hendrik Varju — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 04:51:20 +0000

End-grain tabletops look fantastic, especially when they have interesting patterns made with contrasting species of wood. Instead of the faces of boards forming the upper surface of the top, wood is arranged to show the end-grain. Don’t feel up to making an entire end-grain tabletop such as this? It’s easier than it looks, but you still can use the same methods on a smaller scale for a cutting board, butcher block or even a chessboard.

Bathroom clutter catcher

Cathy Dalrymple — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 15:54:12 +0000

Storage space can be scarce, especially in the bathroom. Toiletries have a way of multiplying and overtaking all the available surfaces. To address this common conundrum, I designed this little cupboard from ready-to-use laminated pine shelving found at any home-improvement store. I chose a simple and versatile style, making this a perfect weekend project.

Canadian Home Workshop’s Top 10 Projects

Canadian Home Workshop — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 22:35:37 +0000

How does one pick the best projects out of hundreds—and we have run hundreds? How does one distill 35 years of craftsmanship into 10 items. Well, it’s not easy and you can argue it’s not fair. But here are the best. Like all good lists, we hope this one sparks some debates. Is there a project whose omission is simply criminal? If so, let us know by mail, email or social media. Let’s discuss…right up to the 40th anniversary.