If you're a woodworker who loves to create home furnishings that are both beautiful and sensible, then you'll truly value this collection of functional furniture projects. Benches, Chairs & Beds: Practical Projects from Shaker to Contemporary features 18 handsome designs for you to build, each with a distinct purpose-or two. Among the many useful projects, you'll find a handy bench that doubles as a storage chest, a step stool that converts to a comfy kitchen seat, and a fold-down bed that features a drop-leaf desk.

BENCHES 1Split-Mortise Bench 3by Greg WoodTimber-framed joinery in a 100-year-old Minnesota smokehouse provided inspiration for this sturdy bench. The rest of the styling can be reproduced with a band saw and a drum sander.New England Settle 9By Chris InmanEqually fitting next to the fireplace or in the entryway, this colonial bench will warm your home with its old-world charm.Frame-and Panel Entry Bench 17By Jim JacobsonHere's a place to sit while you pull on your boots, plus a spot to store your gloves- a perfect bench for any busy foyer.Portable Folding Bench for Two 25By John EnglishIt's Tuesday night at the Little League field, and you're in for a doubleheader. But at least you won't have to sit on the damp grass, because you've brought along this super bench.Hoop-Back Garden Bench 31By Chris MarshallGraceful curves give this bench a timeless style, while rugged construction ensures that it will last forever in your garden.English Garden Bench 43by Chris InmanWith its whie-oak timber and mortise -and-tenon joinery, this beautiful classic bench will grace your backyard for decades.CHAIRS 51Rush-Covered Stool 53By David LarsonHere's a distinctive accent piece for your home's entryway-plus, an opportunity for you to learn the age-old skill of seat weaving.Hoosier Step Stool 61By Ralph BagnallA reproduction of a 1920s midwestern classic, this harworking kitchen stool offers both a step-up and a sit-down.Intarsia-Backed High Chair 67by bruce KiefferThis project creates a safe spot for youngsters during mealtimes, while introducing you to the ancient art ot intarsia.A Brief history of the Adirondack Chair 79By Rob JohnstoneLearn the origins of this enduring American archetype.Adirondack Chair Revisited 81by Dana and Michael Van PeltHere's a charming hardwood version of an American classic, recreated after the style of Greene and Greene.Portable Outdoor Chair 87by Rick WhiteWith this handy folding chair in your car, you'll be as comfortable as you are at home while spending time in the great outdoors.Canadian Ladder-Back Chair 93By Stephen ShepherdThis rustic gem is similar to examples found in old Quebec and Vurginia in the early nineteenth century. You can make it with hand tools, as the frontiersmen did, or use machine tools instead.Cherry Dining Chair 101By Chris InmanBuild one or make a set of eight- but try your hand at chair making with this basic side chair. You'll likely find the process a whole lot easier than you've been led to believe.BEDS 109Space-Saving Fold-Down Bed 111by Rick WhitePerfect for a guest bedroom or a student apartment, this clever foldaway bed becomes a desk by day.Trundle Bed 119by Rick WhiteYou'll always be ready for company with this stylish two-in-one bed, which features an extralong, full-size mattress on the upper bunk and twin-size one on the trundle.Bed for Readers 127by Rick WhiteThis queen-size bed features an inclined backrest, three large storage compartments, and three drawers for your bedside collectibles-perfect if you like to ready yourself to sleep.Maple and Padauk Bed Frame 137by Chris InmanGettng a look of sophistication can be very simple, as this bed demonstrates: Its distinctive lines are achieved using only basic joinery and one primary tool, the router.Pencil Post Bed 147by LiLi JacksonWe spend more than a third of our lives sleeping, so why not make the time you spend in bed more opulent? Set the stage with this simple but elegant bed design.