I mentioned that the next event was to be a visit from the clients' to view the work-in-progress.
Well, it took place over the weekend.
When the visit was being arranged I was told that the purpose of the visit, or a part at least, was for their children to see the item under construction.
Now, I have been making furniture for a long, long time and I have had many and many workshop visits and inspections: visits to inspect progress; make decisions and, no doubt, for clients to satisfy themselves of some doubt or anxiety; but never had the proffered purpose been ' to show the childrren'
But there is always a first in everything so, even if a little quizzical, I looked forward to the event and I was not to be disappointed for their children, one boy, one girl, one of them nine and the other twelve engaged, and were engaged, with every detail. - It transformed the usual routines of a workshop visit into a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.
.............................
Some readers may have observed, in previous posts, the wide stiles of the chest-of drawers.
These are there to receive the proposed heel-blocks and pilasters as shown in the drawings.
However, during the inspection, my clients queried whether the item would benefit by their elimination.
This immediately indicated to me that they favour an even greater level of minimalism than I do myself.
But, since I had created the wide stiles for the purpose of receiving pilasters, not as a stand-alone design feature, I found it hard to see past this and expressed my doubts.
So I suggested that, to ensure that we achieved the best result, I apply mock-ups of both options, one to each side of the item, so that we could compare and contrast.
This I did yesterday and I came to the view that the elimination of the pilasters rendered the item too bland and I suspected that my clients might consider the skirting fitted round the heel-block too much.
So I decided to look for a middle way..........
....................and came up with this.
And I sent all this up to my clients with the following comments...........
I think the skirting fitted straight on to the chest of drawers with no heel-block or pilaster is too bland or, in other words, I think the item looks better with the heel-block and pilaster.
But I figured that you might well consider the skirting fitted round the heel-block beneath the pilaster to be too fussy so I decided to look for a third way.
As soon as I had done it, it became my favoured solution.
Once your decision is made, I will refine the heights and margins of the elements: E.g the height of the heel-block relative to the skirting; the height of the skirting relative to the rail beneath the drawer etc., - for instance, if you were to select the original option of the skirting being fitted round the heel-block, there is far too much heel-block showing above the skirting.
It's over to you!
And I received their decision today.
They agree with me so we are running with the pilasters and the skirting running up to, but not round, the skirtings.
More soon.
