Veenendaal period furniture

Home, St. Marys, Ontario

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Come in, see what's inside.

New pictures added November 25, 2011 - a tall clock

A look at some of the pieces I've built

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I have been making furniture for 38 years. For me it remains a hobby and not a business. I am primarily interested in American period furniture from the mid to late 1700's as well as the work of the Shakers. Hand tools are used extensively in creating these pieces.

To view a larger image click on any of the pictures seen on
these pages.

Comments are welcome and can be left by clicking the

'# comments' tag at the bottom of each item.

Walnut tilt top tables

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The larger table has a dished top, turned on the lathe.

Tall clock

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A reproduction of an 18th century tall clock from Ohio. Finished in milk paint from Real Milk Paint Co. Reproduction face, hardware antiqued in the shop.

Linen Press

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This piece is a near copy of a 1780's linen press at MESDA in Salem, NC. It doubles as a media cupboard so I used full height doors on the lower case. A drawer hides behind the doors and contains CDs. The upper part houses the TV and DVD player behind the tombstone doors, the lower a stereo and speakers.

I used dovetailed bracket feet rather than the original's ogee bracket feet. The feet support a plinth on which the case rests. The finish is aged milk paint, red over black followed by a darkened oil topcoat.

The Rat tail hinges are by Fisher Forge, the escutcheons by Ball and Ball , milk paint by The Real Milk Paint co

Comb back arm chair

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A slightly different version of the comb back arm chair shown below on this blog. I modified the leg turnings, the arm posts and the rake and splay angles of the legs and arms. The color is Real Milk Paint's deep Windsor green over red over Behlen's American walnut NGR stain. The top coat is 3 coats of Watco light walnut danish oil.

Fireplace Mantel

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This is not a copy of any particular mantel but it fits the fireplace nicely. The style dates from the late 1700's. Another mantel in a similar style can be seen here.

Connecticut Highboy

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In cherry, finished with oil and shellac. Two drawers have fan carvings. The hardware is by Horton Brasses

The dovetails are hand cut and the piece has 158 dovetails in total. The upper case joints are also dovetailed but these dovetails are hidden by the cornice and waist mouldings.

Sheraton Tall Post Bed

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A queen size tall post bed in cherry. Post height is 81 inches.

Painted flat to the wall cupboard

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Inspired by a Lincoln county piece featured in Howard Pain's book. The width was modified to suit a smaller dining room. The piece sits on a plinth base with fully dovetailed corners. The upper doors feature true divided lights. Finished in milk paint and linseed oil.

Comb back arm chair

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With knuckle arms and carved volutes at the ends of the crest rail. The back is taller than most examples of its type.

Inspired by similar chairs made by Bruce Chambers of Cookstown, Ontario and Chris Harter of Madison NY.

Detail of arm and knuckle handhold shown as well as the carved volute at the ends of the crest rail.

Bird cage Windsor chair

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Deceptively simple in appearance, this is the most difficult Windsor chair to make. Designed by Woody Scoville of East Calais, Vermont who generously shared the measurements with me.

Philadelphia arm chair

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One of the earlier forms of windsor furniture with a large D shaped seat, ball and cylinder feet and carved volutes at the ends of the crest rail.

Sack back Windsor chair

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With knuckle arms. Painted in a deep Windsor green in milk paint with a top coat of oil.

Hoop back side chair

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The curved back has a slight reverse curve just above the seat to give it a lighter and more elegant appearance.

Fan back side chair.

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Writing arm windsor.

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This chair is not a copy of an historic chair but was designed by David Goodwin who shared the plans with me.

Sack back arm chair with crest rail.

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Painted in dark windsor green over red with a coloured oil finish.

Carved volutes at the ends of the crest rail.

Continuous arm Windsor chair

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Painted, dark red milk paint over a lighter red milk paint.

Dining room

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Showing a tapered leg table with pine top and breadboard ends, the base painted in black over red milk paint, several windsor chairs and a flat to the wall cupboard.

On the floor - a painted canvas floorcloth in the mariner's compass pattern.

Wood and metal chandelier

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6 lamps, blackened metal arms and bobeches with hand forged ceiling hook.

6 inch canopy.

Hanging wall cupboard

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Cherry, finished in shellac. Divided light door with restoration glass. A small drawer gives additional storage.

Kitchen table

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This table has a cherry top with breadboard ends and a
single drawer.

Slant top desk

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Based on the piece by Ontario cabinet maker John Doan as seen in Pain's book but in cherry rather than bird's eye maple.

The small interior drawers are in birds eye maple.

Shaker candle holder

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The Shakers hung these lamps on the peg rails seen in all Shaker dwellings. This one is electrified and includes a swallowtail joint on the front edge of the tray.

Tilt top table

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In cherry with snake feet. The dished top can be tilted vertically. The legs are dovetailed into the column.

Shaker oval boxes

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A nest of 5 boxes in painted maple with swallowtail joints.

Built in bookcase

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Painted pine and birch with adjustable shelves.

Appalachian dulcimer

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In cherry with hummingbird soundholes, scrolled head with African blackwood pegs.

Chippendale camel back sofa

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I made the frame and the upholstery was completed by Richard Haines.

Restored portrait

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This is an old oil on linen portrait I picked up at an auction for a buck. It was in deplorable condition and so dirty one had to look carefully to even see a face. A large gash bisected the upper left part of the face and many small areas had loose or flaking paint.

I carefully repaired the painting and remounted it onto canvas as the linen was badly deteriorated.
After numerous cleanings I sent it to my brother Bert, an accomplished artist who retouched all the damaged areas and the repaired gash.

The painting is signed 'T Barfoot'. It may have come out of England or it may have been done by an itinerant artist.

Walnut cabinet

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Measuring 22H X 21W with a single drawer behind the two doors.

Upholstered wing chair

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This is my new wing chair. The legs are in the Chippendale style in cherry. The overall height is 47.5 inches. The fabric is 'Historic Deerfield flamestitch'.

The joints in the frame are either mortise and tenon or dovetails. I've never been a fan of dowels, even in upholstered furniture.

Sideboard

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Cherry, finished in shellac. The height has been reduced by 2.5 inches to accomodate a smaller dining room. Normally such pieces are approximately 39 inches tall.

Fireplace mantel

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This fireplace is in an upstairs room. The design is similar to the other mantel on this blog but it has been scaled down to fit the smaller firebox of a gas fireplace.

A painted canvas floorcloth livens up the floor.

New blacksmith shop

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Here is my recently completed blacksmith shop, behind the main shop.

The trim includes eave returns and frieze boards along the gable and side walls.

A water table board was included for authenticity. The windows each have 9 divided lights and were entirely made in the woodshop.

It may not have a large footprint but it does have 9 foot ceilings allowing me to swing the blacksmith's hammer.

During the cooler months of the year I'll be trying my hand at making hardware such as hinges and thumb latches .

Woodworking Shop

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This is the wood working shop where the furniture is made. I built this in 1989, patterning it after a Massachusetts saltbox.

The main floor is heated and the second floor is used for wood storage.