I’m building a corner cabinet/entertainment center. Does anyone know why the traditional corner cabinet pattern has side posts attached to the face frame at 45 degrees, instead of moving that angled joint back to where the side posts attach to the carcase at the wall? That makes the side post-face frame come together at 90 degrees–easier for this visible joint. It also seems to me that building it this second way would be lighter visually and would allow for a cabinet over a useful chest of drawers, though the drawers will look kinda like home plate.
Virtually every example and plan I’ve seen has the 45 degree angle at the face frame. Am I missing something obvious?
Replies
Dave, if I'm reading your description/question correctly, I'd suggest that having the posts at the face frame angled at 45 degrees, rather than at 90 degrees (with the corner posts at 45 degrees), breaks up the monotony of the front of the corner cabinet.
In other words, you have three planes presented at the front of the cabinet: The plane at the front/center of the cabinet, and the two planes between the face frame and the corner posts. (Seen from above, this would mean that the cabinet has five sides altogether: the two long sides against each wall, two short sides joining the wall to the face frame, and the face frame itself.) This creates some visual stimulation and interest, even if the center plane is mostly imaginary and dependent upon the frame and the front edges of the shelves to delineate that area.
You can still put drawers in the lower part of the cabinet, within the boundaries of the face frame (the drawer fronts don't have to go wall to wall). Depending upon the dimensions of the face frame and your preference for drawer depth, rectangular drawers in this scenario would be quite functional and -- to me -- easier to build.
On the other hand, you may prefer a simpler presentation... if so, go for it. (Although I wouldn't want to build home-plate shaped drawers, myself.)
David
Perhpas it is because the triangles created by running the face frame all the way to the wall would make the piece appear larger and heavier, and take up wall space, but the additional space created would be so small that it would not be useful. Wall space is valuable for wall art, etc., my bride insists.
Alan
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