Every woodworker has a mandatory rite of passage. Most often, handcut dovetails are part of the fun. For me, it was making a small cabinet in oak, with the challenge that it had to fit perfectly within an existing kitchen cabinet. According to my spouse, there was no question of rebuilding the kitchen because of my approximate measurement skills at that time. The cabinet measures approx 25 in high in by 15 in wide by 10 in deep.

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The cabinet has seven drawers, in french this is called a “semainier” (or “weekly” if you want). One very good suggestion by my local designer-in-chief was to incorporate handles on the side of the drawers. That way, you can pull out the (heavy ) drawer filled with knifes, forks and spoons, with both hands and carry it as a tray to the table to dress it.

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I wanted the bottom to be in leather, preferably dark. I found what I wanted at …IKEA, exactly the right dimensions. Nice added value.