Wood Pulp, Bound and Printed

Fiction (novels, novellas, short stories, poetry, plays, graphic novels) and Non-Fiction (instructional, essays, academic) books have the capacity to provide a wealth of ideas, perspectives, and new ways to view this world we live in.

As part of my creative process, books and online resources serve as deep wells for inspiration and a necessary step in the research and planning process. The following books provided ideas – philosophical, technical, and logistical – that informed the design and

construction of our desk well built.

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"Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers" by Leonard Koren and "The Book of Tea" by Kakuzo Okakura

Koren and Okakura’s books each profoundly influenced my views on life, art, work, and interestingly enough, desk design. For a detailed explanation of their influences and broader description of Wabi-Sabi, please see my post Wabi-Sabi: Thoughts on a Way of Being.

At a high-level, influences from these books on the desk related to three central elements of Wabi-Sabi: Impermanence, Imperfection, and Incompletion

“Wood Identification & Use” by Terry Porter

Materials and source play a significant part in the design of wooden furniture – they are dictated by the use/function of the pieces, availability of resources, final location of furniture, choice/requirements for tools/methods, amongst other factors.

Porter’s book acted as a thorough references of the different types of wood, their properties, durability, and typical uses. This information was helpful in deciding which species of wood we would use (primarily maple, walnut, and cherry) and for which purposes (work surfaces vs. frame vs. compartments) and with which finishes (stains and oil vs. wax vs. polyurethane).

“Making Desks and Bookcases: Techniques for Better Woodwork” by Nick Engler

What an exceptional book detailing the techniques, design elements, measurements, and examples of a variety of classic desks (slant-front, double pedestal, rolltop and lap style). Engler’s book include clear drawings with cutaways showing joinery options with straight forward descriptions (including a section dedicated to secret compartments, of which one option was directly included in our deck).

Possibly one of the most useful and unique sections (from a design perspective) was a thorough description of desk ergonomics, with a clear table outlining all the necessary dimensions for a standard deck (surface height, width, depth) broken down by desk type and specific components (drawers, compartments). This information was absolutely invaluable – highly recommended reading!

“Collins Complete Woodworker’s Manual” by Albert Jackson and David Day

A beautifully illustrated and comprehensive book covering a full range of woodworking considerations from wood/material choice, design, tools, joinery, hardware, carving/marquetry, and finishing. Specific to our project, the sections on design (accommodating for wood fluctuations and internal strength/support), joinery (dovetails, tongue and groove, pining, use dowels/cookies, rabbeting), and examples of bookcases/desk/tables were all valuable references.

“The Shaker Legacy: Perspectives on an Enduring Furniture Style” by Christian Becksvoort

Having encountered references to Shaker furniture while researching wood furniture construction, Becksvoort’s wonderfully presented book provides both interesting historical context regarding the Shaker movement, beliefs, and exceptionally crafted furniture (detailed in full-color crisp pictures).

A few takeaways and influences on our desk included a focus on simplicity in design, the use of local wood and resources, a deep sense of craftsmanship (ensuring furniture will last generations), and the importance of the building process and work itself while transferring knowledge (from father to son).

I also appreciate the sense of bespoke-ness in how furniture was tailor-made for specific rooms/environments or specialized needs of the owners (mirroring our desk’s modular design necessary to navigate a narrow/restricted staircase into its current home).

“Desks: Outstanding Projects from America’s Best Craftsmen” by Andy Charron

Without a doubt, Paul and Michael Wilson’s double pedestal desk – as presented in Charron’s text – was one of the primary design and technical inspirations for our desk. Their clearly presented 3D drawings and two-dimensional schematics acted as excellent blueprints for our design process (through which we leveraged the powers of adobe illustrator and Google sketch-up to bring our ideas to the page).

What was particularly helpful were the detailed cut lists for the pedestal desk (providing approximations for the necessary dimensions of materials) and easy-to-follow instructions for joinery regarding joinery for the frame, drawers, and breadboards.

A real strength of Charron’s book is a focus on a select number of desks with very legible drawings and concrete step-by-step instructions which can be adapted as needed.