Credenza/Shelves Design Feeback

[Aaron Liebling]

I'm building a new credenza/shelves for my office and basing it off a design I really liked which was for a typical long credenza (https://www.wescover.com/p/furniture...pa--PS1Fcoig7r). I plan on using the basic design queues, but the width will be shorter (~32") and I want to extend the side legs up and add some shelves. I'm afraid that adding the top shelves makes it feel too much like a japanese temple/gate and less midcentury - my wife is Japanese and she loves midcentury, but doesn't want to evoke the temple aesthetic.

I've attached a screenshot from my rough sketchup. Note that it doesn't reflect any bezels on the parts so feels a bit more square than it will eventually end up. Maybe the rounding of the hard edges will be enough to mitigate the "temple" feeling, but I cannot help feeling that the top just doesn't feel very midcentury/interesting.

A couple of thoughts:

1. It would be nice to find a way to incorporate the curves from the bottom legs/base in to the top, but when I modeled that it felt very heavy.
2. As modeled the shelves are simple slabs that run from edge to edge of the legs. I considered getting fancier - for example adding side bars (between the front and back top arms) and then using brass dowels to attach the actual shelves (so the shelves wouldn't actually touch the arms). Are the simple slabs too boxy/plain?

Apologies for the relatively rough sketchup...I'm not very good at capturing the small details (bezels, exact joints, etc...).

Any other design thought welcome!

Screen Shot 2020-11-03 at 11.33.41 AM.jpg

This is the (lovely!) original design I'm using as inspiration:


Screen Shot 2020-11-03 at 11.35.07 AM.jpg

[Jamie Buxton]

It looks like somebody designed from the floor up to the first shelf, and somebody else came along later and added a bunch of stuff above.

[Aaron Liebling]

Spot on Jamie! I guess I'll go back to the drawing board and try to come up with a more holistic design.

All the carcass-based pieces I've built previously have been much simpler, classic midcentury designs (variations on teak and mahogany boxes). I'm trying to get out if my comfort zone here.

[Scott Winners]

What if you square up the feet? Somehow to me the credenza does not look like a Japanese temple, but the shelf unit does. Don't know why. Maybe lose the doors, have a couple shelves below the big shelf and then three above the big shelf. Might be able to bring back the special feet that way.

Just a couple ideas. I am well aware I should not quit my day job to become a furniture designer.

[Paul F Franklin]

I'm a rank amateur when it comes to furniture design, and I know zip about MCM aesthetics, but that won't stop me from offering suggestions... I would play with changing two things. One: decreasing (or increasing) the height of the lower section. As it is now, the division is roughly half way, which I usually find visually unsatisfying. Try shifting it and see if you like it better. Two: Try breaking the alignment of the vertical side pieces, perhaps by narrowing the upper shelf section, so you don't have visually unbroken straight lines at the sides.

[Aaron Liebling]

What if you square up the feet? Somehow to me the credenza does not look like a Japanese temple, but the shelf unit does.

That was my feeling as well. At this point, I may resort to just splitting them in to a credenza (bottom half) and then some unattached, free-hanging midcentry-style square shelves.

Great suggestions Paul. I agree on the 50/50 balance and the unbroken even sides being unsatisfying . I'll play with it some more this weekend and maybe post a few more versions.

The feedback is much appreciated!

[Jim Matthews]

Is it possible to slide the scale of the lower cabinet "up" until you like the way it looks ?

The base might appear better near 2/3 total height.

When the time comes to level the footpads, you'll be seeing it from much higher - the real problem will be getting a broom, mop or Roomba underneath.

Nothing wrong with your design skills - it's clean.