Entry table design

[bleedinblue]

Hola folks, I'm still here 

I was contacted by a co-worker this morning who is looking for an entry table with specific dimensions inspired by the table in this (first) photo.  Except for a few crafty items I owe the wife, I have no projects in the pipeline so I will probably give it a go.

Nothing complicated here, except I'm not sure what is going on with the drawers. Anyone know of a similar project that has been documented somewhere that I can see the construction?  

I have to decide wood species...naturally she bought a stained pine dining table that will be near the entry and she wants the tables to play nice together.  The dining table does look nice for what it is, but my stained pine days are behind me.  I'm going to send her pics of my walnut/maple/cherry furniture and hope she goes for it.

[wtnhighlander]

My guess is that there is a pair of narrow rails hidden behind the drawer fronts, that provide the function of an apron, and the visible apron pieces attach to them. Similar to how the typical Shaker side table is made for the drawer, but with false fronts that hide the actual rails. With the lower rail mortised into the legs, and the upper rail dovetailed, they provide almost tge same strength and rigitity as a single wide apron, especially if the false apron fronts are them glued to the rails.

[Chestnut]

Ignore the ugly furniture, i was young and dumb.

I've done a few projects that would accomplish what you are looking for. If you create a box around where the drawer goes you can have the false drawer front line up with the apron. In the picture below I used the bottom board (may be hard to see) to bridge the gap.

I used a full inset drawer but you could easily set the bottom brace back enough for the false front or just use a couple braces to bridge the gap. A second picture that shows with drawers. The piece i'd set back is the board directly below the drawer. Then you'd install a false front that would cover up said board.

I'd have a brace top and bottom. This will create a beam of sorts. Here is another picture of similar. Though this example used overlay drawers.

[SawDustB]

There's also a good chance that there's just a piece missing from the apron where the drawer is. I have a coffee table built like that (bought as unfinished furniture that I stained/varnished before getting into building). It holds up ok, but it is weaker than the construction the other guys showed - I'd go with those methods.

[bleedinblue]

The more I think about it, the more I don't think the drawer design is important to her.  She did buy a dining table made out of framing lumber after all 

I'll double check with her and see if that's the case.  If so, I'll just frame the drawer assembly more traditionally.

Thanks for that long post Drew.