The signature ebony pegs of Greene and Greene-style furniture offer a handsome way to reinforce joints or just hide screws. In Fine Woodworking issue #224, associate art director Kelly Dunton used short ebony plugs to add a bit of visual flair to a Greene and Greene picture frame built of cherry. Although they aren’t structural, these simple plugs serve as a beautiful decorative detail at each of the frame’s four corners.

The trick to getting these plugs right however, is in the chamfer. By using a padded piece of sandpaper, Dunton is able to ease the sharp chamfers cut into the plugs’ four corners. The result is a smooth, gentle transition as the ebony emerges from the cherry frame.