Complementary wood for curly cherry

[Greg]

I just scored 60-odd bd ft of beautiful curly cherry. I want to make a side table, TV table, or pair of nightstands with the wood; depends on what plans I find. This wood is *so* figured and curly I think it would be overkill to use it for all visible parts of the furniture. It would be stunning for the table top, door panels, drawer fronts, that sort of thing. I am just drawing a blank on what wood to use for the cabinet frame, rails and stiles, etc. My ISP can not provide access to rec.binaries.woodworking (or whatever site) to view submissions from newsgroup reviewers, so I am not able to browse those pictures.

Any ideas on what would go with curly figured cherry? I know this is a wide-open question, but when I think of, say, oak as the frame wood, I just can't see it. Maple and cherry might work but I'd need to see an example of it. Can't get the visual part of my brain around this one.

Any suggestions or URLs for pictures gratefully appreciated.

Greg

[alexy]

No urls, but a friend made a beautiful occasional table out of black walnut and curly cherry. He cut a thick veneer from the cherry, which he then bookmatched for the center of the table top. The border of the top, legs and skirt were all black walnut.

[Charlie Self]

Maple should work nicely. The cherry will darken as it ages, eventually become darker than walnut (which lightens as it ages, but don't bet on living long enough to see both woods change that much). Maple doesn't change much, if at all, so the contrast is greater each year. Oak is too heavily figure, IMO, so would detract from the cherry's figure.

[Doug Miller]

Maple. Or holly. The combination is gorgeous.

No, oak wouldn't look all that great; you want something without any pronounced visual characteristics (grain, color, or figure) which would draw the eye away from the cherry. That means maple, basswood, holly, maybe tupelo (but it's awfully soft); perhaps boxwood, beech, or birch.

Stay away from anything with a wide, coarse grain or strong color. You want those pieces to complement the figured cherry, not compete with it.

Just hold a piece of maple up next to the cherry -- should give you enough of an idea.

[LEGEND65]

Maple and cherry is one of my favorites.

[rjdankert]

here is a site that has a lot of pictures:

suppose you could cut and paste to see if you find a combination you like.

newbie/lurker's two cents: use plain (non-figured cherry) for the frames.

Bob

[Lew Hodgett]

Light colored, quarter sawn, maple or white oak would be good candidates.

"Quarter sawn", is the operative phrase, IMHO.

Have fun.

Lew

[SonomaProducts.com]

What about plain Cherry for all linear parts and the curly stuff for any field areas (panels, table tops, drawer fronts? Sometimes contrasts can look pretty bad on furniture. It takes away from the mass.

Another exotic approach would be to stay > I just scored 60-odd bd ft of beautiful curly cherry. I want to make a

[Mark & Juanita]

How about using plain or quartersawn cherry? That's what I'm doing for my end tables, using normal cherry with figured cherry plant-on panels

[Woodson]

Greg:

I did a curly cherry blanket chest with curly birch base molding...it's on my web site..go to "Furniture and Specialty Pieces" and scroll to the blanket chest

Moonwood Enterprises

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