How to Build Island Furniture

Designs

• The term “island furniture” usually refers to tropical island furniture from places like Greece and the Caribbean. Get design ideas by looking at furniture from your preferred island cultures. Examine common visual motifs in the designs of these places. Caribbean furniture, for example, may incorporate images of local fruit like pineapples or coconuts. Use resources like books and the Internet to find images of furniture from your preferred island area and take ideas from these images. Colors are also very important in creating authentic island furniture. White, for instance, prevails throughout the Mediterranean, while Caribbean furniture usually contains darker colors.

Materials

• Getting the right look for island furniture requires using the right materials. Island furniture possesses a singular look no matter which island it comes from because islands have limited resources. This means that, traditionally, furniture makers on islands always use the same types of wood. Investigate wood availability in the islands you want to model your furniture after. Caribbean islands furniture, for instance, contains numerous wicker patterns made from Rattan and similar materials because of the high availability of palms and other easily woven plants in this region. Look for these materials at local lumberyards or online vendors, though keep in mind that governments often impose restrictions on the importation and exportation of natural resources like wood.

Tool and Planning

• Collect your tools and do as much planning as possible before you begin building island furniture. "Wood Magazine" offers a list of basic tools for any woodworking project, which include measuring tools (awl and compass), cutting tools (hacksaw and coping saw), shaping tools (smooth planer and rasps), joining tools (clamps, hammers and screwdrivers), portable power tools (drill and power saws) and safety equipment (gloves and goggles). Look through furniture building books and magazines like “This Hold House” and “Fine Woodworking” for ideas, or take a class at your local community college or vocational center to learn hands-on how to make furniture.

Building Furniture

• Building furniture starts with creating scale drawings on which you map out all the parts you need and the dimensions of each part. Purchase all your materials, arrange everything in your workspace, and get started. Try building parts separately and then putting them together. When building an island chair, for instance, build the seat, then build the legs or stand, then put the pieces together. When it comes to wicker furniture, expect dedicating many hours to the project. The time it takes to weave strands of wicker material together means you need to finish the project over a course of days or weeks, rather than hours.