Furniture you can make.

Making a piece of furniture that will endure, that is pleasing to look at, and that will complement the other furniture in your home, should call forth your best efforts in craftsmanship and design. With planning, patience, foresight, and a fair amount of skill in using basic tools, you'll find that making furniture can be a pleasant and profitable outlet for your creativity. If furniture making is new to you, follow the plans on the following pages closely. Although some were developed by home craftsmen, most are by professionals—furniture designers and builders, architects and designers, decorators, and cabinet makers.

Those readers who have an eye for design and experience in making furniture might use these plans simply as ideas for designing more personalized pieces. If you take this road, be sure the piece you design appears graceful and pleasingly proportioned, yet is at the same time tough enough to withstand everyday use. Before you begin the actual construction of a piece of furniture, it's a good idea to look through the entire book, paying particular attention to the special section in the back on building and finishing tips.