Mid-Century Modern Mashup

Handmade Desk in Cherry, Maple, Walnut & Brass

I designed and built this desk using cherry, maple, and walnut, with brass spacers for that floating effect. The asymmetric leg and cantilevered drawer give it a mid-century modern feel of the “scribe desk” which inspired it. The more modern racing stripe that runs across the drawers and desktop is more akin to car design and contemporary woodworking, a nod to modernist painting wrapping the sides of the canvas. As well, the 2″ thick slab is a departure from the scribe desk (usually glass table top) providing some bulk while incogrously floating on only a few connection points.

Some details I enjoyed are the staggered chamfer on the desk, providing a decco feel, and the base cabinet’s open side allowing the drawers, when open, to reveal the wood stripe. Naturally, the carved out drawer pulls replicate the negative space of the legs, attempting to harmonize the elements across the desk.