How to Make a Mid-Century, Modern Accent Table

Start by cutting the top and the bottom pieces of the accent table, followed by the back, sides, and drawer support. Next, cut the back, bottom, and sides of the drawer. The inner drawer support sits inside the accent table, so cut a piece of wood that sits flush to the sides.

We will be using wooden tracks to keep the cost down. You may also use drawer slides if you prefer that option, but this means your drawer dimensions may be different than in the original design.

Using a router, make a rabbet cut on both sides of the face and the back of the drawer The two sides of the drawer will sit in the rabbet cuts.

Sand everything down before assembling. Then glue and assemble the drawer. I clamped it using this strap. After the box was dry, create the track slides in the drawer using the router table.

Be sure to sand all the wood sections and legs prior to assembling. This will save you time and frustration later on. To paint the legs, set the legs up on a seperate piece of wood and tape off the hardware. Apply several light coats of black-gloss spray paint, or whichever color you desire.

With all sides are glued and clamped, add a couple of nails on each of the ends. You can use screws if you don’t have a nail gun, but be sure to cover the screws heads with wood filler afterwards. After the inner-drawer support is inserted, use a speed square to make sure the it is parallel to the sides of the accent table. Then be sure to glue & nail that as well.

Use a piece of 1/4-inch plywood as a spacer to lift the drawers. Place the drawer in the opening on top of the spacers, then slide the tracks in the slots.

Take a piece of wood to emulate the door cover. Use this piece of wood to push the track back. The goal is to have the door flush with the opening when it is closed. Then, nail this piece into place. An alternative is to pre-drill and use screws.

To attach the drawer door, us some mending plates as spacers to help center. This will lift the door so it’s possible attach it to the drawer box. Now, use two screws to attach the inside of the drawer, and another two at the bottom.

Add glue around the perimeter of the top. Put the top in place, add a few nails, clamp and let sit. During this stage, you can add the legs, but be sure to remove them prior to painting. This is because if you make a mistake or need to change something, the time to do so is now.