A Frame and Panel Sideboard

[Dave Richards]

This is something I did partly for practice yesterday and partly to keep as an inspiration for a sideboard I want to build for our dining room. this is based on a piece by French designer Andre Sornay. The original was made about 1960. The base is a painted square steel tube frame, the frame members are mahogany although I use makore on this one. I'm guessing the panels are laminate on ply. The original appears to have threaded rods running front to back internally. there are polished brass acorn nuts capping the rods on the front.

I'm thinking if I were to build something like this I would make it a little deep--it's less than 18 in. now--and I would make a second shallow case to put on top with a couple or three drawers. Sort of along the lines of the one below. The original didn't have the top drawers; I just added them as an afterthought.



Before anyone says they thought the Sornay sideboard image is a photograph, it's not. The wall is from a photo I took, though.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

I like the second version, w/ the drawer unit on top. The offset between base and drawers gives it a nice shadow line.

 

[Dave Richards]

thanks, Bill. that's the sort of thing I'm considering for the first one.

 

[Hmerkle]

There is that 60's vibe to it - but I do like the drawer fronts...
and what appears to be "shiny" hardware - (maybe aluminum. stainless, chrome?)

 

[Dave Richards]

The second one is based on a design in a book from the 50s on how to build modern furniture. I imagine the hardware would be brushed aluminum or brushed stainless steel these days.