Matcha Stand Specifications & Constraints

My project is a Matcha Stand that I am making out of wood. I’ve been thinking a lot about what success looks like for me, and how I am going to get there. One of the most important things I want is for the design to feel intentional. I want each object on the stand to have a purpose and a place. That sense of calm and order, similar to the energy of a traditional tea ceremony, is what I hope to channel.

Specifications/Goals

1. Aesthetic

Aesthetically, I’m aiming for something warm, grounded, and serene. Dark wood tones, soft textures, and a quiet color palette should come together to create an inviting atmosphere. 

2. Clean Look With No Effort

The stand should feel like it belongs in a peaceful moment like something I’d want to wake up to on a slow morning. It should make the process of making matcha even more soothing and special. I also want it to be truly functional. Everything should be easy to reach and stored in a way that makes sense. There’s no room for clutter here, just simplicity and ease of use.

3. Go Off Sketchup Model

After looking at my sketches I do plan on going for this design above, I modeled this design I am going for on Sketchup. At first I was thinking about going for an easier design, but I want to challenge myself and decided on this design. I think this is pointing me in the right direction when starting to work on this project in the shop. I think if my project ended up looking just like my model, I would be very happy.

4. Stain

I do plan on staining my wood. When looking through the BTU scraps, I found wood that works good for me but the color is too light for my liking. The light color would also go against my aesthetic and what I have imagined like what I made on Sketchup. So I will be using a stain to make this wood darker, more like my Sketchup model.

5. Have More Experience With Woodworking

My goal is to get more comfortable and gain more knowledge about woodworking.

Challenges

1. Experience With Woodworking

One of the biggest challenges is simply that I don’t have a lot of experience with woodworking. I’ve been watching videos and asking questions, but it’s still hard to feel confident when using the tools and machines. However, like I said my goal is to get more experience and knowledge about woodworking so I will definitely get there!

2. Measuring & Cutting Size

Measuring and cutting everything to the same size will be especially tricky, and I will be constantly double-checking to avoid mistakes.

3.  Joinery

I originally wanted to try new joinery methods, but when thinking about it more, I am not sure I will be skilled enough to do this. So after thought, I will be trying to just glue everything and hope for the best I guess haha. I do think I will use little screws in some places that I think really need it. However, after this is done I think I will try this project again and maybe incorporate better joinery into that new design.

4. Materials

Sourcing materials has been another constraint. I was checking the wood shop’s scrap pile, which was helpful, but it’s hard to find wood that’s aligned with my vision. But I found one piece that I think will work, I just hope it is enough to so this whole project. I do have a back up plan if it is not though!

5. Stain

Since I am planning on using these scraps, if I need more wood than what I have right now there is no guarantee that the other wood I collect will be the same color as this first piece of scrap I picked up. If it is not, there is also no guarantee it turns out to be the exact or close to the same color after I stain all of this wood. \

I am super excited about this project and I hope it turns out the way I am envisioning it!