Shaker Boxes

When I was younger, I cherished any amount of time that I was able to spend at my grandparents’ house. Their house was my home away from home. And of course, the fresh sugar cookies that magically appeared on the counter was (and still is) my favorite treat.

Thinking back on the time I spent there, I can still picture their living room with the large curio cabinet along the wall. Inside, my grandma had a set of three containers that fascinated me. Only after becoming a woodworker did I realize these were called Shaker boxes. When I first saw the plans for the set of Shaker boxes shown here, it brought back a flood of memories.

Traditionally, Shaker boxes were oval containers made from thin, bent strips of hardwood. They were predominantly used in the kitchen to store dry foods like flour, or in the workshop to store small items. While they may not be the ideal choice for food storage today, they’re still great for holding small items, or simply displaying on a shelf.