Flexibility

Everyone always remarks how life is so different these days - driverless cars, social media politicking, Yelp, Uber and Snapchat; it�s all changing. Even ten years ago, no one could have predicted what would be popular today. So staying flexible in this ever changing society is a must. 

(Flexible, get it?)

I certainly didn�t see that I�d be getting a whole  bunch of commissioned work from Air BNB hosts - people who open their home as mini bed & breakfast hotels. To be a registered AirBNB host, you have to outfit your home to certain standards, and that�s where I come in. I�ve been working with various homeowners, sprucing up their furniture so that it's more attractive, safer, and durable. On top of that, sprucing up your furnishings adds a cohesive design element to your home. 

Sometimes the projects that come to me are very vague; this homeowner sketched a headboard that she wanted me to build on a scrap of paper. 

I actually prefer to work like this, without firm dimensions that I have to adhere to - so that I have some flexibility when building. 

So this started out with a simple sketch, and in this case - they even dropped off some paneling that they had. (Not my choice of building material, but like I said - flexibility is good.)

Their goal was to have a headboard that attached to the wall, with two �bedposts� crating a small alcove for the people in bed.  Because there was other furniture in the bedroom that this headboard had to match, they wanted to employ curves in the design of the bedposts. 

I started with the flat paneling, adding the posts on either end. Building up layer after layer, I was able to create the curve they wanted. 

It�s funny how the timing of this project coincided with the AWFS show that was in town; the fine people at Pony/Jorgensen donated a bunch of their new clamps to my shop, and they came in really handy for clamping the boards in place while I marked the cuts I needed to make. 

A few years ago, at the 2017 AWFS show, I won a huge package of Senco tools - six nail guns, a compressor, and all the accessories that one would need. These three guns have become workhorses in my shop - the 23 gauge pin nailer, the 18 gauge brad gun, and a stapler. In this case - the stapler was helped me build this headboard effortlessly� working with this type of paneling is all about - glue, staple, and repeat!

The posts are starting to take shape, you can see how I created that subtle curve on the front edge. Like I said - glue, staple, and repeat! This glue bottle took a beating!

After the curved stack was complete, I capped the ends and trimmed everything flush with the router and a flush cut bit.

Here�s the finished headboard, which will be covered in a faux textured stucco to match the rest of the room. It hangs on the wall with Z clips, and despite working with materials that I don�t love, this was a very fun piece to build� no pressure, and freedom to build it however I wanted.

 I�ll take that kind of work any day!