What do you get when an accomplished woodworker and senior editor of Fine Woodworking magazine sets himself the challenge of designing and building one box a week for a solid year? You get 52 Boxes in 52 Weeks, a book dedicated to making relatively simple--yet gracefully elegant--boxes that woodworkers of all skill levels will be eager to build. Readers will begin by learning the fundamental box-making techniques that are applicable to almost every box in the book: how to match grain at corners how to cut miters how to make tops and bottoms how to finish a box with shellac, sometimes highlighted with milk paint ( a major trend in finishing right now). Following that, Kenney reveals some universal design principles that can be used as guidance as readers develop their own design aesthetic. And then, of course, the book transitions to the 52 boxes themselves.

In Build Better Boxes, Matt Kenney distills and shares what he's learned in 20 years of box making using step-by-step photos that walk you through the process of creating 10 beautiful designs from scratch. You'll begin with a few simple, but elegant painted boxes that introduce fundamental concepts like cutting miter joints and fitting a lid. Then you'll progress through several stunning projects that include tea cabinets and jewelry boxes-designs that show just how much you can do with a box. Along the way, you'll learn smart techniques for joinery like rabbets and dovetails, how to create box sides with grain that flows seamlessly around all four corners, to make your own veneers, and to apply finishes like milk paint and shellac. Throughout all of the projects, Kenney emphasizes good design and demonstrates several unique design elements that he's developed, like pulls wrapped in thread, fabric lined bottoms, and grouping individual boxes to create a single piece of furniture. Build Better Boxes, is more than a set of instructions for 10 boxes: In the course of building these designs, you will gain a thorough understanding of key woodworking and design concepts-like wood movement, grain selection, and proportions-that will help you design and make your own boxes.

Kumiko is a delicate and sophisticated art created by assembling small wooden pieces into beautiful patterns, and Matt Kenney's latest book offers step-by-step instructions for 10 patterns, with a level of detail that cannot be found in print elsewhere. Also included are cutting diagrams for several original decorative wall panels that make use of the patterns taught in the book. In The Art of Kumiko you'll learn Kenney's methods for making Kumiko, which combine the accuracy and efficiency of modern woodworking equipment with the precision of hand tools to create beautiful pieces. You'll also learn how to incorporate Kumiko in both furniture designs and as stand-alone framed panels that pay homage to this centuries-old craft.