Fine Woodworking's Walnut Nightstand Plan

Build a nightstand that doubles as a bookcase with this printed plan. Designed by furniture maker Michael Cullen, this handsome nightstand was custom-made for a retired librarian who wanted a bedside table that works like a bookcase. This Walnut Nightstand not only looks stylish, but it provides a surface for all the usual bedroom items--lamp, alarm clock, eyeglasses and water glass. Below, there's a handy space for stowing papers, a drawer for writing materials and tablet, and storage for lots of books and reading material. For all its practicality, this beautifully designed and crafted stand is a mini work of art. It is just one example of Michael Cullen's ability to produce high-quality furniture that displays sound proportions, intriguing textures, and superb craftsmanship.

Skill level
Intermediate

DIMENSIONS:
17-3/4 in. wide x 14-3/8 in. long x 24 in. tall

WHAT'S INCLUDED:
extensive full-size and scale drawings
complete cutlist
step-by-step companion article

Michael Cullen studied mechanical engineering in college and started a career in the field. But the gravity of his family profession must have been too powerful: Before long he quit his job and followed his paternal grandfather and two great-grandfathers into woodworking. He went east to study under English furniture maker David Powell in Massachusetts, then returned to northern California, where he has been building furniture and sculpture since 1990. His current shop is in a former egg-sorting shed in Petaluma, once the egg capital of the country. When not in the shop adding texture to his latest bandsawn box, Cullen can often be spied on his bicycle, carving turns in the spectacular countryside.