Jodee from Inspire Woodcraft built and designed the project.
This project repurposes the corner shelf idea into a compact dry bar with a compact wine fridge serving as the visual and functional centerpiece, a cork-covered front, and a sunburst-style top built from shop materials.
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Design
The design centers on making a corner shelf that reads like a small dry bar, balancing visual curves with practical storage for bottles and corks. The unit incorporates a rounded face and tapered top to create a warm, inviting profile that fits into a kitchen corner.
A compact wine fridge is integrated as the focal point so the piece functions as both storage and display. Corks are used as a textured cladding on the front, giving the bar a unique tactile element while hiding joinery edges.
Proportions and grain direction were considered to maintain a cohesive look despite the many small parts and curves. Templates and mirrored layouts help the repeated elements align and maintain symmetry around the fridge opening.
Lumber Prep
Most carcass work used 3/4″ birch plywood for stability and a clean face for edge treatment. A radius template was made early on—cut with a jigsaw and refined on a belt sander—to ensure every curved piece matched the intended profile.
Shelf pieces were traced from a single pattern so that each shelf matched in shape and bevel orientation. The builder pre-sanded critical surfaces before assembly since access would be limited afterward.
Edge banding was ripped from pine and applied to the front face; a fast-setting adhesive method was tested to save time on small trim pieces. The quick approach worked for this project, but it was noted that conventional glue remains the safer long-term choice for many builders.
Joinery
Shelves are seated into dados routed into the uprights, creating a hidden support that keeps the profile clean and strong. The dado jig used here was tuned to the plywood thickness so the shelves sit flush and resist racking.
A half-inch backer panel is held on simple cleats, serving as the base for the cork backing and simplifying assembly. Fasteners like staples were used to secure the backer quickly before more permanent glue-ups were performed.
Small sacrificial or temporary components were employed to maintain layout accuracy while the carcass was dry-fit and adjusted. This approach reduces the risk of misalignment once glue is applied and the unit is closed up.
Clamping and Assembly
Because of the curved faces and bevels, glue-up relied on a mix of staples, finish nails, and glue to lock pieces in place rather than large, conventional clamping setups. The builder used 15-gauge finish nails to pin the top once glue and weights had done the initial bonding work.
Cleats and small blocks helped keep shelves and the backer registered during assembly, ensuring that the cork field and dados remained square to each other. These temporary aids are easy to remove or trim after the glue cures.
Assistance during finishing stages sped the workflow and allowed the builder to move on to cutting and fitting detailed elements like corks and the top tapering pieces. Coordinating small tasks like staining and sanding between helpers can keep a multi-step project moving efficiently.
Shaping and Surface Work
Shaping relied on a mix of jigsaw rough cuts, belt sanding for the radius, and meticulous hand sanding to remove machine marks. A custom tapering jig enabled double tapers on the top pieces to create a sunburst grain effect rather than simple straight tapers.
A simple sled was built to halve corks safely and repeatably, and each cork was hand-sanded to remove saw marks before gluing. Corks were attached with a fast-curing adhesive so rows could be aligned and set quickly without long clamps.
The top was assembled from ripped boards, with attention paid to grain flow and the tapered layout to make the top read like a single, intentional surface. Small filler rows of cork were used at the front edge to hide cut ends and act as a subtle bumper detail.
Finishing
The builder used stain on selected components and applied finish in thin, even coats to seal the wood while preserving texture and grain. Light sanding between coats smoothed transitions without flattening the shaped edges.
Final attachment of the top used glue backed up by finish nails to hold pieces while the adhesive set, then hand sanding blended seam lines and removed nail points. The cork face and top edges were sanded flush so the whole piece reads as a single, cohesive unit.
Plans for the installation include a matching backsplash and accent signage to visually tie the corner together, showing how a single piece can anchor a small bar area and be expanded with coordinated details. Those additions will continue the rounded profile and maintain the same visual language started in the main unit.
Conclusion
This corner shelf dry bar demonstrates how careful templates, smart joinery, and a willingness to experiment with jigs and small fixtures can yield a high-impact piece from common materials.
The project balances utility with personality and shows how a compact appliance can be integrated into a custom built piece to elevate a small space.
Support Jodee by visiting his online store here: https://inspirewoodcraft.com/collections/all.