Schoolproject: Theme furniture (2007)

First project of the 2nd year of school.

Finished scale model with a room example drawing at the background.
(The pirate figures aren't made nor part of the  design ; I just thought they were fun to add to the picture.)

This time we got the assignment to design a piece of furniture following a specific theme. It was our own choice what that theme was going to be. Whether it was a table for the regional soccer team or a high standard kitchen for a 3 Michelin star restaurant.

I chose a pirate theme for the Efteling Hotel.
(additional information: The Efteling is the premier theme park in Holland)
Recently this park had opened a new ride called "De Vliegende Hollander" (The Flying Dutchman).
For that reason I thought it would be fun to make a specific themed hotel room.

The piece of furniture I wanted to make was a nightstand. A haunted nightstand to be precise.

3D drawing of the nightstand at shore (Rhinoceros 3D)

For a more haunted vibe I wrote a short goodbye letter from Captain James Wolfshire:

            23-11-2007

Argh! Matey!  If ye read this, it’s probably the last piece I wrote.
 The life of a Pirate doesn’t always go as well as it should be. One day the ocean is yours and ye set sail to better places. Ye fight and plunder and it is al yours! Ye start drinkin' with ye mates and sing some songs. Ev’ry thing seems fine. But then! The ocean once calm, now feasty like a fixen! Ev’ry man fightin’ for his pity life. Tryin’ to not go down with the ship. While I’m ‘ere in me captaincabbin I already ‘ear the wind blow. And blow she will. This could be the last time this ship set sail.
We’re goin to be sharkfood matey!

                                                                                  Last words of Capt’n James Wolfshire

___________________________________________

The nightstand is made of pieces from the ship. It's a trunk on it's side, making it look a bit like a mini fridge.

Inside there are 2 drawers and a shelf to put things on.
The handles are skull 'n bones.

On the outside there's part of the ships mast including it's ripped sail and ropes.
The Front side represents the haunted part and it too has a skull with bones. But this time it contains led lights inside the skull, making its eyes shine an eerie green glow.

3D drawing from the nightstand incl. the eerie glow. (Rhinoceros 3D)

This piece of furniture was also a scale model version only. None the less I did make a working LED connection, making the eyes shine green when the stand was closed (the opposite way as a fridge, which lights when opened).
For an even better feel it should give a crackling laughter every time someone opens it.

Inside of the trunk. The wires in the lid connect to a small
piece of metal at the inside, making the eyes glow.

At this picture the glowing eyes are well visible.
Due to size there is only 1 LED used.

The scale model is build from MDF finished off with veneer. The corner pieces/hinge are made from thin wood (popsicle sticks) The skull and bones are made from clay. The old sail and flag are obviously made from fabric.