Joinery is as much a part of all M.T. Maxwell furniture pieces as is the primary structural element. For the ultimate in strength, mortises and mitered tenons are used in frame corners. The frames, forming external skeletons, are themselves a design element. The external frames let the drawer sides become the sides of the pieces. Open frames simplify the lines and keep a crisp, clean look which perfectly complements the warmth of the cherry.
the drawers
the joinery
All drawers use lap joints, pegged with walnut dowels for strength and color contrast with the much lighter-toned cherry. The overall look is quietly dramatic, made more so by the bored-through pull holes on the drawers, with walnut cross bars. The trestle dining room tables use through tenons in the lower rail, with walnut keys to make them easily taken down, but extremely solid when assembled.
the drawer slides
Drawer slides are all wood, with walnut slides gliding in cherry drawer sides. Such wood-on-wood slide design was once common, extending well beyond the Colonial era and even into this century, but fell into disuse with the ease of installation of less expensive metal guides. The only metal used in most M.T. Maxwell furniture is found in the bed frames (for the connectors that hold the side rails in place), hinges, and small screws that hold the drawer stops in place.
the finish
M.T. Maxwell hand-rubs three coats of polymerized tungoil, a clear finish that brings out the beauty of the unstained wood, while providing exceptional protection. To top things off, a wax is hand-rubbed into the finish for added luster.
historic features
Michael Maxwell has brought historic features into a contemporary setting, using the wood itself as the primary design element, and holding other features to a minimum. Another integral design element of our furniture is the use of octagonal spindles. Pegged at each end with walnut, the piece is more attractive for this feature, and also sturdier.
furniture construction
