The "Lotus" Bed

5/16/08 I've been talking with a client about a queen size bed for the last couple of months and we finally got underway this week . We went back and forth for a while ... I got too fancy with the design and she sent me a simple headboard shape sketch and a sample "lotus" flower which we put together into the drawing and inlay sample below. I'm working on a finish sample that will lend the ash a "pinkish whitish tone" and we'll also be calming down the inlay either by tinting it whiter or by making the background outline and petals in say cherry and curly maple so they stand out less from the light color of the bed .... I think it's going to be very peaceful. Click the pictures to enlarge them ...

With short rails for photograph

6/13/08 ... All finished now ... story below ...

The client's guidance sketches

Working drawing, except for change to side view at footboard

Gluing in the inlay background

'Petals' glued in .... Ready to clamp

Second step on the finish samples ... The wood has been sanded lightly and oiled

... we're looking for something like the 'pinkish-whitish' tone on the left

Test cut of headboard in mdf to guage proortions and overall feel
It's hard to get all the information that you need from a drawing and this process doesn't take a lot of time and lets us see if we know where we are going. In this case, we're going to rotate the flower inlay slightly, move it so the bottom interesection is on the centerline and move it up closer to the top of the headboard....

Close up of sample cut

The top of the headoard to be cut, sanded and inlaid before gluing to the rest of it shown assembled below

The first rough assembly and dimension check

Several hours of jointing and planing rough lumber

Our first sample inlay The bubinga wouldn't lighten up with the white stain so we changed to ash