This project was built and designed by Alex from Bevelish Creations. It’s a thoughtful and practical entryway bench created as a gift for his parents, blending modern design with comfort and functionality.
Featuring a unique tapered case and 3D-carved drawer fronts, this bench elevates a common household item into a personal and eye-catching piece. It’s a great example of how custom woodworking can solve real-life challenges—like easing knee pain—while delivering artistic value.
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Design with Purpose and Personality
The defining design feature of this bench is the tapered left panel, which connects the top and bottom surfaces at an angle using miter joints. Unlike a standard rectangular bench, the top panel begins wider on one end and narrows to match the bottom, creating a sleek, asymmetrical shape.
Instead of continuing the taper throughout, Alex incorporates vertical partitions on the right side to simplify assembly. This decision avoids the challenge of fitting multiple angled joints together while maintaining the clean, modern look of the bench.
Milling Lumber and Assembling Panels
The build starts with careful material prep, milling rough stock to ensure flat and square edges. While Alex uses a Domino joiner to help align the panels, he notes that it can be skipped if preferred, especially since it adds complexity when cutting tapers later.
Once glued and clamped flat, the panels are scraped clean, trimmed to final size, and prepped with miters and square edges as needed. The left panel receives miters at both ends, while the top and bottom panels each get one miter and one square edge.
Cutting the Tapered Panel
The taper on the left panel is cut first and used as a reference to finalize the width of the top and bottom panels. Using a track saw set at 90 degrees ensures a straight, consistent taper along the length of the panel.
This careful sequencing guarantees that the panels fit together tightly and that angles line up perfectly. Avoiding a third miter joint at the rear corner makes the process more manageable and leaves room for precise alignment elsewhere.
Routing Stop Dados and Preparing for Assembly
To hold the vertical partitions, stop dados are routed into both the top and bottom panels. Alex temporarily butts the panels together during layout, allowing all dados to be marked and cut at once for consistent spacing.
Because the top panel is wider than the bottom, the dados are offset slightly to keep the partitions square when assembled. A rabbet is also cut into the back edge to receive the back panel, adding stability and enclosure to the case.
Building and Assembling the Case
The case is glued up using miter joints reinforced with Dominos, along with dados for the internal dividers. Alex uses a temporary support to hold one end of the case during assembly, allowing the remaining partitions to be cut and fitted precisely after the structure is partially together.
Each partition is notched to nest around the stop dados, and additional dados are added later to accept a horizontal shelf. This internal structure helps support the drawers and adds strength to the overall build.
Drawer Slides and Hardware Choices
Instead of using visible side-mounted drawer slides, Alex opts for bottom-mounted slides to preserve the bench’s clean exterior. This method keeps the drawer sides free of hardware and supports a minimalist design.
Installation involves notching the drawer bottoms with a router and using a jig to align mounting holes. While the full technique isn’t shown in detail, Alex points to another creator’s video as a reference for those wanting a deeper dive into this method.
Creating the Legs and Stretchers
The legs are angled and tapered, narrowing toward the bottom for both stability and style. Each leg is cut at a compound angle and fitted with a matching stretcher using cross lap and bridle joints.
Leaving the legs and stretchers slightly oversized during glue-up allows for flush trimming with a hand saw later, resulting in tight, seamless joinery. These joints are both decorative and functional, reinforcing the modern, geometric character of the bench.
Adding the 3D Carved Drawer Fronts
The drawer fronts are carved from CNC-cut polymeric material with an abstract 3D pattern. This sculptural detail adds depth and movement to the front face, creating a striking contrast against the clean lines of the case.
Each front is intentionally oversized to allow for precise fitting after carving. Shallow finger grooves along the top back edge make for easy opening without adding traditional hardware.
Final Assembly and Details
Before installing the back panel, a dark walnut stain is applied to hide the pale color of the plywood back and prevent it from standing out. The front edges of the case are beveled for a softer look that complements the tapered shape.
With the drawers installed and the case fully assembled, the finished bench is sleek, supportive, and filled with personal meaning. Built as a Christmas gift, the project reflects Alex’s thoughtfulness as much as his skill.
Learn more about this project here: https://www.bevelishcreations.com/projects/entryway-bench/.