scritch

Oh, yes. The suggestion to provide Google Sketchup design files to your readers is excellent. Although I use Autocad at my job as a draftsman, I am using Sketchup more and more for furniture design, as it is much easier to create and explore three-dimensional designs. One fantastic attribute of Sketchup is the "X-ray" viewing option, which makes the pieces of a design translucent, allowing for easy inspection for conflicts in joinery.

Add my voice for Southwest/New Mexican/Mexican/Spanish design! This mish-mash of Spanish, Mexican, Mission, early US SW settler and other styles has many very attractive design attributes. The actual joinery can be quite simple, allowing beginners to build pieces they will be proud of right off the bat, but construction and finish can range from extremely simple and rustic to very finely-crafted and finished. Also, in addition to well-executed joinery there is a huge opportunity for hand-carving of details.

One very important aspect of this type of furniture design is that because it has been largely executed by "indigenous" craftsman, there has been a wide variety of design elements emanating from the region. Sometimes it seems that the more traditional periods' designs are too locked in stone for amateurs to attempt, being intimidated by the fine examples displayed in FWW. The Southwest style could provide a new outlet for creativity.