Kitchen Window Arches

I originally wanted raised panel arches for over the windows in the kitchen similar to some I had seen at Menards. That was three years ago. I drew them up full scale and gave them to the cabinetmaker who did our kitchen. He never got to them so I decided I would make them. I had done all the trim work in the kitchen, fluted some pieces, and added corner blocks with rosettes to trim between cabinets in the dining room.

After thinking on the arch design for a period of time, I decided that I would like to incorporate the fluting and rosettes into the design. I redesigned it on SketchUp and my husband and I decided the design might block too much light.

He suggested that I use a carved onlay (in place of the raised panel) and figure a way to mount it without a backing. I decided to make the bottom arched piece narrower than originally planned to go with the more delicate look. We ended up with this design.

I made the keystones for the arch in much the same way that I made the corner decorations for my bookcase. There was just one catch. Since the bottom portion was angled, it raised it off the router table sufficiently that my router bits were not long enough to reach it. Since I didn’t wish to buy either longer router bits or a collet extension, I decided to cut a smaller piece and route the design. I then cut it off and glued it to the larger piece.

These pieces made the two keystones.

The rosettes and keystones were connected to the fluted pieces using biscuits. I also added a pockethole screw at the top edge of the keystone (behind the crown molding) to reinforce it. (Since the fluted pieces were only ½” thick, there wasn’t sufficient area to use pocketholes without the possibility of breaking through the front if I didn’t get it positioned perfectly. . . and perfect I am NOT!)

Here’s how I attached the onlays. I made a jig with a dado inside to screw around the onlay and drilled four holes on the drill press.

I then unscrewed the jig and cut off the bottom lip, lined it up with the fluted piece, clamped it in place, and hand-drilled through the same holes. (My mind told me this would work, but I double-checked on a scrap first to make certain the holes lined up correctly.)

I used 1/8” dowels inserted first into the onlay and then into the framework.

Last, I biscuit-joined the arches to the fluted pieces. The arches were the hardest part for me to do, even with the excellent instruction from Les Hastings who makes it all look so easy. I ended up ripping out grain on the routed edge, breaking pieces, and gluing on replacement parts. But in the end, it turned out satisfactorily (for my low standards. It would probably help if I used better quality lumber but I’ve gotten accustomed to filling worms holes :~) ! )

I glued the stock crown molding to the arch before installing it. When we lifted it into the window opening above the rangehood and went to tilt it upright, we realized that it was not a possibility. We struggled trying to get it back out of the opening, but we couldn’t get it out. We were frustrated; it was after bedtime, so I said I’d sleep on it and figure out what I wanted to do in the morning. (I envisioned having to remove the entire rangehood, along with some of the conduit and wiring.)

While my husband was at Bible study the next morning, I un-installed the little cubbies on either side of the rangehood, removed the front screws holding the shelf in place, and swiveled the shelf down sufficiently to get the window arch vertical. (Since I had made and installed the contraption, at least I could still remember how to get it back apart!) PTL!

The photo below shows the rangehood area and trim with cubbies.

This is a close-up photo of one cubby with its door open.

Here’s the window arch over the range—finally in place!

Installing the second arch over the sink was much easier since there were no obstacles with which to contend.

Thanks for taking a look.

-- "But godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6