The High Board was the final graduation project for my carpentry apprenticeship and was a 60 hour build. It won the second prize for the best design in my class.
The concept behind this high board was to design a transitional piece of furniture to be used between living and dining areas in a home. It is a bar unit, but also holds crockery, glasses, salad bowls and cook books. The drawer can be used for cutlery, serviettes or bar accessories. It has a wine glass holder to display glasses and multiple shelves for other items.

The Indigo blue HPL was selected to make the high board a serene addition to any living environment. Complimenting it is an interior of beautiful quatersawn oak veneer and solid oak edge banding. The drawer with handcut dovetails runs perfectly on a wooden channel, and has a striking blue front. The wine glass holders made of solid oak give the user a feeling of sophistication. Special soft close hinges have been routered into the doors and carcass and are subtle and sleek. The base has an exposed three way tenon and mortise joint to showcase the art of woodworking.
In order to break away from the boxy nature of the piece and add interest, I wanted the doors to have a contrasting element that would make the furniture more dynamic and unique. After much exploration I settled on this shape of a rounded, asymmetrical triangle. The shape is veneered, making it stand out from the blue door, as well as acting like an insight to the interior of the cabinet.

The challenge of this project was being able to design a unique piece of furniture, while making sure to play to the skills developed during the course of the apprenticeship. The piece had to be simple enough to construct flawlessly within the 60 hours, but also showcase your hand skills and aptitude to perfect complicated processes.
The piece garnered many compliments and got me the second prize in the design competition organised by the carpentry guild. It was commended for its sophistication, classic yet interesting design and beautiful craftsmanship.

Materials: Particle Board, MDF, HPL, Oak Veneer, Oak wood