I have finally completed the Writing Desk. It took longer than I expected, as it usually does.
Highlights: I modified the original Christian Becksvoort design to make it slightly less Shaker and slightly more contemporary. The front, back and sides of the top have slight faired curves that I think kicks it up a notch in terms of overall appearance. I continued the curved theme by including a curve on the drawer front: not easy to see any of this in the photos, unfortunately. The black dot in the center of the drawer front is an ebony inlay: I included this design feature to match a similar design detail on the furnishings in the room where this will be housed. I made the top from two nice pieces of curly cherry that I was saving for just this project: it has lots of character, just the way I like it. Pinned mortise/tenon joints on the legs are regulation Shaker. The drawer frame is maple, and the scraps I scrounged for this ended up having a nice tiger stripe: a nice surprise each time you open the drawer, Drawer bottom is nearly clear eastern white pine. The goal was to build a desk that had a light look: not a fan of the traditional desks that have rows of drawers from top to floor on either end. I think this will fit well in the room it was designed for, and I look forward to the day when I can sit at this desk at write my last mortgage check!
Next project: a bed (shaker, of course). Stay tuned for more exciting developments!