Walnut + Brass Nightstand With Integrated Wireless Charger

The project started with a very basic looking shelf that I did not really like and I turned it into a nice looking piece of furniture with an integrated wireless charger.

In theory you barely need any tools to build a similar nightstand. You could just buy the wood cut to size from the hardware store and then you only really need some woodglue, sandpaper and paint. If you want to add wireless charging, there are many different options. If you want to place a wireless charger hidden under the surface, make sure to buy one that is powerfull enough to go through the wood. Like this wireless charger which supposedly even works through a 27mm (~1") thick piece of wood.

I did not build the nightstand from scratch, but instead started with an already finished shelf which I sanded down and modified by adding some drawers.

Since I currently do not have access to a workshop, I bought the walnut pieces pre-cut to size. However, I do have access to a small CNC-Router so I decided to use it to create some brass inlays both as accents and to mark the position of the wireless charger.

Once I finished the inlays, I sanded and oiled the walnut pieces, further increasing the contrast between the brass inlays and the wood.

When I created the inlays, I also created a recess for the wireless charger itself. While it would be able to charge though the full thickness of the walnut, I prefered to hide it by recessing it into the wood which should also increase the efficiency of charging.

With all the individual pieces finished, it was time for the final assembly. For a sturdy connection without visible fasteners, I used dowels and woodglue to attach the walnut pieces to the main sturcture of the nighstand.