"too much" raised panels?

[CNT]

the link above is a drawing of what I want to make soon. The drawing is NOT to scale! There are also two real pictures of what I already made for the kids.

The reason I am showing the pictures of the kid's TV center is to show how much "plain" wood is exposed around the corners. For the kids, it's perfectly fine. But, for the living/family room, I want to make it nicer.

The difference between the drawing and the pictures is the drawing has doors enclosures. The front doors (sliding to hid the doors in sides) is to cover the TV, VCR, and stereo. The sides will cover VHS, DVD, and other little junks.

My question is would it be "too much" raised panels if I do raised panels for the corners (2 front, 2 back and four 45-degree). It would be eight of ~5" raised panels (see top view, last picture).

I could make the front wider and the 45-degree shorter? That way only 4 sides (2 front and 2 back) would be raised panels and the short would be small plain 45-degree strip.

I also did a sample of smooth round corner. The problem is how to put crown molding around it (on top)? With "straights", I could easily put dental crown molding on it.

Any suggestions? Pictures? Plans? Drawings?

Chuck

[bf]

I'm far from being the expert. However, when you make a raised panel, aren't the rails and styles typically 2.25 inches wide (that's what I use).. doesn't leave much room for a panel if the whole thing is 5" wide. That was a design problem I had when doing my new fireplace mantel. I wanted to do raised panels on either side of the fireplace.. anyhow, I did some mock ups, and it really didn't look good until the unit (including styles) was about 12" wide.

[CNT]

Correct...

However, can do like 1.25" and use something like CMT 800.518.11

Another way is I could just router a three-line strip grooves.

Chuck

[Patriarch]

CNT wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Check out a good book or two on kitchen cabinet designs for ideas. They often need to solve similar corner and side treament challenges.

Patriarch

[Richard]

Patriarch,

Any suggestions for specific books? I'm fairly new to furniture design and am looking for a good reference on different design concepts.

Thanks, Richard

[Patriarch]

"Richard" wrote in news:1121202709.893868.25150 @g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Udo Schmidt, Taunton Press, "Building Kitchen Cabinets" Jim Tolpin, Taunton Press, "Building Traditional Kitchen Cabinets" almost anything by the late Danny Proulx

and many others...

But these I've read and used. Others have expressed their opinions, recently, in a thread on, I think, building your own kitchen cabinets. Swingman posted today to that thread, with links to pictures of a kitchen he's done in a house he's building.

Patriarch

[CNT]

I don't see anything that he does in regards to what I am inquiring about? Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful (as I congratulate to him in recent post). All his work has sharp corners.

I am looking for small strip ideas (say 5-6" wide and 6' tall). See my original post with link to my webpage.

Chuck

[Swingman]

There's been a trend the past few years around here, particularly in contractor built kitchen cabinets, to use 45 degree "corners" exactly as you have drawn in your sketch ... it's a nice look.

These local example are not, however, "raised panels" for corners, but there is no reason why you couldn't make them that way if you have the time and inclination.

The ones you have in your sketch are not difficult to do if you have a tilting arbor table saw, and crown molding can be cut around it quite easily. Narrow "raised panels" for the "corners", as you seem to be suggesting, could be cut in the same manner.

IIRC, Leon has a pretty cool method of joinery for corner stiles that he uses on corner cabinets that may lend itself to what I am guessing you are wanting to do. Might want to ping him and see if he can chime in with some ideas.

[CNT]

Thanks for the reply. But more are still welcome! :D

The only reason for the 45-degree corners is safety! Not only for kids, but for our big heads too! The one I made for the kids is just fine, it's short (3-1/2' tall), so not "too much plain" exposed. But for a 6' tall, I think it would be too much "plain" look. I have been thinking/switching if I should do raised panels or simply 3 line grooves (total of 6 lines per corner). I think I will have to do more full-sized samples (pine) and see from there.

Sure, simply make rails/stiles ~ 1-1/2" and go from there. Just concern if it would make the whole thing look "too much" raised panels.

I made few furnitures with 45-degrees and like it. My DeWalt TS does a good job with 45-degree. I use biscuits and glue, no Kreg.

LEON, COME FORTH! :D

Chuck

[Patriarch]

CNT wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Swingman's project is a nice one. What I meant to suggest, however, was that, buried back in that thread, weeks ago, was a discussion of books on kitchen cabinet making. Google should be your friend there.

Failing that, experiment! See what you like, and can make with what you already own. It's an age old process of discovery.

Patriarch

[bf]

Interesting. I'd still be concerned that the proportions would be off if you had 1.25" for each style and 2.5" left for the panel. But obviously, I'm not a designer. Let us know what you decide to do. I'd be interested to see how it comes out.

[Richard]

Thanks Patriarch! I'll check them out...