Pedestal Desk

A large pedestal desk constructed from oak felled from my client’s land. The desk was designed for the oak panelled study in a period property, and the dimensions and features of the piece were planned in connection with the room to ensure design harmony. This design includes seven drawers, including a key board drawer with fold down front, and two drawers designed to take hanging files. The desk is traditionally made using frame and panel construction, but also contains modern fixtures, such as runners, for the smooth running of the heavy bottom drawers.

Panels

The design of the desk was largely dictated by the room, and as such was made up of frames and panels, the frame dimensions with stopped chamfers were kept the same as the room but, unlike the room, the panels of the desk were fielded to add extra detail. The client also specifically requested that all timber defects and knots were left in to add to the country effect of the piece. To accommodate the client’s wishes, the panels were made first, selecting the most interesting parts of the timber for this.

Drawers

The desk contains seven drawers, three in each pedestal and one in the centre frieze for a computer keyboard. The six pedestal drawers are traditionally made using dovetail construction. The top drawer in each pedestal is intended for stationery, the middle drawer for papers, and the bottom drawers are fitted for hanging files.

Drawer Details

The drawers are all constructed from oak, using dovetail construction. Each drawer is lined in Cedar of Lebanon, the fragrance of which is enjoyed each time the drawer is opened. The drawer fronts are all fielded to match the panels, and at the centre of each drawer is a handle. The handles were designed specifically for this piece, and are in three sizes in order that they follow the increase in drawer sizes. Finally each drawer is fitted to its own individual place in the desk, allowing smooth accurate running and longevity of service.

Filing Drawers

The two large drawers at the base of the pedestal are filing drawers, designed to hold hanging files, and to do this the drawers are fitted with rails held in place with oak pins. To aid the movement of these heavy drawers, metal runners were incorporated into the design; these runners allow full extension of the drawer to gain access to the files, but also include a soft close mechanism which finished this feature to a high standard.

Design

The desk was designed to fit into an oak panelled room in a period property. The colour of the finish, right down to the tiniest stopped chamfer detail was matched, to ensure the desk would be appropriate for its setting. It is finished to the same standard all around to ensure that it can be placed against a wall or, if required, could stand in the centre of the room.

Key Board Drawer

The centre drawer was designed to house a wireless keyboard. It is on flat runners and has a fold down front, allowing the keyboard to be used while in the drawer, or lifted out and used on the desk top for longer periods.

Dimensions

The dimensions of the desk are
Width: 1270mm / 50 inches
Depth: 660mm / 26 inches
Height: 800mm / 31½ inches