Creating pleasing, eye-catching geometry should always be one of our goals as woodworkers. And this stepped chest, which is loosely based on 19th century Japanese Tansu styles, will definitely give you that chance! The corners of its three-tiered carcass and six drawers showcase the best of what box joints have to offer: a repeating interplay of lighter face grain and darker end grain in those interlocking pins. Notice here that the pattern on the drawers doesn’t break from top to bottom on the chest, regardless of whether the drawers are separated by shelves on the tallest and center tiers. The joints progress as light-dark-lightdark, all the way down.
Another design factor worth considering carefully is grain pattern. That was very important to me. I wanted the horizontal grain of the drawer fronts to flow across the chest, so I cut those pieces sequentially from a long panel of stock to ensure that it would happen.
Same goes for the grain pattern around the carcass. I was aiming for a waterfall effect, flowing up the long side and cascading down the steps. Paying attention to grain patterns this way harmonizes similar elements. No drawer front or carcass panel calls more attention to itself than another. That way, wood grain unifies the design rather than disrupts it.
Have you noticed yet that I used figured cherry for the
