Caleb Nyakaba made Daniel a warm, light-filled kitchen organizer that brought order and ease to his family’s new home. What's your wish? →
View material & custom-made details
These custom cedar cutlery trays with knife block were made by Caleb Nyakaba for a kitchen drawer setup that needed fitted wooden organizers rather than off-the-shelf inserts. The finished project is a useful example for anyone planning custom drawer dividers, especially if they want a light wood look, a built-in knife section, and sizing adjusted to real drawer dimensions.
- Request: The project called for several custom cutlery drawer inserts in a light cedar wood, sized slightly smaller than the measured drawer interiors so they would slide in more reliably.
- Final result: Caleb completed a set of handmade cedar cutlery trays, including one tray with an integrated knife block built into the insert rather than added as a separate removable piece.
- Design details: The trays were made in a simple functional style with compartment dividers for kitchen utensils, an oiled or waxed natural wood look, and a knife area designed with narrow slots between wooden elements to hold four knives inside the drawer.
- Fit and use: These organizers were intended for everyday kitchen storage, helping separate cutlery and utensils while keeping knives safely stored flat in the drawer; after delivery, the customer only needed minor sanding for final fit because the original clearance had been calculated a little tight.
- Process: The build included measurement adjustments, joinery work using tenon joints, a revised knife-block section after testing the layout, and finished-item photos before shipping, with the customer confirming they were satisfied with the overall result.
Every unique piece tells a story. What’s yours?
This design was custom-made exclusively for Daniel. Let it inspire you: customize this design to fit your vision or start with a completely new idea. You chat directly with our artisans, and we handle the secure process.
A request by Daniel from Scharans, Schweiz
Good day!
I’m glad that you have come to my attention.
We – our family – may soon move into a house and would like to have some cutlery drawers made for our kitchen.
I have made an approximate sketch (only the outside dimensions are accurate), which should show what the finished product might look like.
The type of wood is secondary. Rather light would be nice.
Can you make me an offer for this?
Kind regards from Switzerland
The Journey of Creating Custom Cedar Cutlery Trays With Knife Block
Negotiation & Planning
Hello Daniel, I have seen your drawing is ok but you have not given the exact height. Kindly can you specify the type of wood to be used e.g mahogany cypres, cedarwood..
I also request you to give me the color of your choice for finishing.
Dear Caleb
Thank you for your answer.
The height (outside) should be 55mm.
Also, you should still shorten the outside width and outside length by 2mm on each side so that the drawer inserts will fit in the drawer for sure. (I have indicated the exact outside dimensions on the sketches. So subtract a total of 4mm from that).
As wood and colour I could imagine a light cedar wood. A special colour is not necessary. Oiled or waxed would fit well.
Kind regards
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Hello, Daniel thank for your reply , sorry for delaying but now I have all information otherwise I am ready to start .
Yours Caleb nyakaba
All right.
Thanks for your offer.
That's a fair price.
I'm awarding you the contract.
You're good to go.
Best regards
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Thank you to accept my price ,
Now I'am waiting for the deposit to start the work .
Thank you.
OK.
For this I need the bank details for the transfer and the amount for the deposit.
How long do you think your work will take? (Automatic translation)
I could like to start 24/11/2021 to 03.12.2021 .
Crafting Process
How to make a Custom Cedar Cutlery Trays With Knife Block – work in progress
Hello Daniel, I have received your deposit , let me look for material's .
All right, I'll be happy to wait for your suggestion.
Apropos: Re: Reminder: Please approve the current status of your project by Caleb Nyakaba - Order-No: ON005940E - 31805
I received a notice to approve the current status:
I thought I had already done so and placed the order with you.
If not, please let me know how to approve the current status.
Kind regards
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Hello Daniel
Am inquiring to know if the messerblock is supposed to be in the inside part of the drawer or in the outside?
Again, what is the meaning of the yellow lines in this drawer? What are they meant to show in this drawer measurements?
I want to understand everything clearly for effective designing of the product.
Thank you.
Caleb Kereu.
Hello Caleb
The knife block goes in the drawer.
The yellow lines represent the knife block with the spacing for the four knives that go in there.
Thank you and best regards
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Actually I am in the process.
Super. Looking forward to the result. (Automatic translation)
Good evening Daniel,Iam using the tenon joint technique to attach pieces of wood together. And I have reduced the tray 2mm both sides the length and width ,but height is 5mm is it okay for you ?
Hello Caleb
Width and height are fine.
By the way, just watched your two videos for the first time (I couldn't open the link before).
I'm very impressed with how you work and I'm really looking forward to hearing and seeing from you again.
Sincerely
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Thank you Daniel for apprecieting my work.
I always focus on quality in serving client, and i will keep improving for more new designs of furniture work.
thank yours caleb
Good morning Cale
Wow! That looks really good!
I may not have explained it well enough for you with the knife block picture. The photo and drawing I attached should provide more clarity here. The knife block is supposed to be built into the drawer insert and not removable.
Can you do something with it?
Kind regards
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Hi Daniel,
I hereby send you a video of the drawer and hereby confirm that the work is at the final stages now polishing the vanish.
I also kindly want to raise an issue of a situation where I bought the second materials to start the drawer afresh due to the measerblock that was left out ,which am asking if you can compensate the money I paid for the second materials for this final work.
I look forward into sending it tomorrow God willing
Yours
Caleb Kereu
Dear Caleb
It looks great!
Of course I'll pay you for the material and the extra work you had with it.
I look forward to receiving mail from you!
Love
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Hi Daniel you can pay just only 2000k for material and labor.
Otherwise the tray it's almost ready for shipping.
Yours Caleb
That's okay. I will transfer the money as soon as I receive the request from Urban Change Lab.
Best regards
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Dear Daniel,
Sorry for the slight delay in responding. The work is now finished and therefore I hereby send you 2 photos of the finished drawers for your confirmation before I deliver them to Urban Change Lab.
In case you may need any further hand on the work, please let me know.
Yours
Caleb Kereu
Dear Caleb
This looks really nice and I am happy with the result of your work.
Feel free to give the drawer inserts to Urban Change Lab for shipping.
Thank you so much!
I will be happy to contact you if I need anything again.
Sincerely
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Hey Daniel
My name is Noel, I'm the local operations manager, UCL, Kenya. I'm currently handling the quality review of your cutlery tray. Whereas the quality and workmanship of the trays is good, I've noticed that some of the measurements used by Caleb are a bit different from what you had indicated in your drawings. I've uploaded photos of the cutlery trays with the contradicting measurements used. Kindly let us know if the difference is workable for you or whether Caleb will have to redo the trays. As for the messerblock, Caleb has agreed to redo it since he had earlier not understood the design. We're trying our best to ensure that you get good quality trays as soon as possible.
Looking forward to your response.
Regards
Noel
Dear Noel.
All drawer inserts except the one with the knife block should fit in the drawer without any problems.
I have a correction to make about the drawer with the knife block. Caleb probably misunderstood me there.
--> The outer dimension of the insert should be between 470 and 472 mm (The drawer inner dimension is 474 mm).
--> The knife block should be oriented according to the two pictures I uploaded (Knife block.jpg and Knife block_drawing.jpg).
--> The slits or distances between the wooden elements of the knife block should be about 3 mm in width.
--> The height of the elements of the actual knife block is 30 mm, as it should be evident from the two pictures.
--> The height of the crossbar is approx. 20 mm
--> The depth of the crossbar is approx. 40 mm
--> The outer edge and lower divider of the drawer insert are higher than the inner knife block.
I ask Caleb to revise this part again.
Kind regards
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Dear Daniel,
Thank you for the details you've presented on the size of the drawer. Your explanation is crucial for me to understand the actual dimensions that the drawer is supposed to be.
However, there is little clarification I still need to confirm the practical aspect of the drawer's measurements. The little confusion I need clarification is about the difference between the outer measurements of between 470 mm and 472mm and the inner measurements of 474mm.
My concern in this clarification is to understand on how the inner dimensions can be higher than the outer dimensions.
The thickness of the timbers I use is 1mm. To my understanding, the outer measurements should be higher than the inner measurements.
Am currently working on cutting the materials to start the work, but I need clarification if it's good for the inner measurements to be 474mm while the outer measurements is 470 or 472.
The clarification will help me proceed with the cutting of materials and subsequent completion of the drawers.
Thank you.
Caleb Kereu
Hello Caleb
Sorry for the misunderstanding. Maybe it is because of the translation?
The drawer in our kitchen has an inside dimension of 474 mm.
The drawer insert you have in the works is supposed to fit in this drawer, so it is supposed to be 2-4 mm smaller in dimensions.
A wood thickness of 1 mm seems very thin to me. Did you mean 1 cm or 10 mm? That would probably be more realistic.
Please use the picture with the knife block (The photo, not the drawing) as a guide for your work.
I'm sure it will make a nice piece!
Best regards
Daniel (Automatic translation)
HI, Daniel the thickness of 1 cm it is the same as 10 mm, and i upload photo of ablock and if there's adjustment , please adjust before the varnish.
yours kereu
Hello Caleb
It's just right now.
You can finish it like this.
Thanks a lot and best regards
Daniel (Automatic translation)
Daniel ,are you satisfied with the product ,or there's anything else?
Yes, thank you Caleb, I am satisfied.
I have no other comments.
You can prepare the product for shipping. (Automatic translation)
Hi Daniel I am so happy with you for all this time working with you, I wish you the best .
Best regard
Caleb nyakaba Kereu
Thank you for the cooperation and our family wishes you and your love a Merry Christmas.
We greet you warmly!
Daniel Hasler from Planta
Selina von Planta
with Conradin, Elias, Flurin and Elisabeth (Automatic translation)
Hello Daniel,
I hope you're enjoying the holidays. While shooting the trays, we noticed that they look stained and skewed. Kindly check the photos I've uploaded and let us know if you're okay with this level of craftsmanship.
Dear Prisca
Thank you for your comment. Yes, there are some pictures where certain unevenness and stains are evident.
As long as "crooked" doesn't mean "unstable" or that the drawer insert doesn't fit in the drawer, it's okay.
I can't see anything about crooked in the photos, though.
From the perspective of picture hl-7417840734.jpg, you can see the differences.
But at the end of the day, these are handmade products with simple tools and not perfect display pieces.
They are storage objects filled with cutlery that spend 99% of the day in the darkness of a drawer.
We can make a good difference with our commitment and thanks to yours, we have the right subdivision for our kitchen utensils.
All good then. You can ship the product.
Please don't take this as a negative review of Caleb.
Caleb is very friendly, but if there's anything you'd like to pass on to him, it's that he could be a little more ambitious and more precise.
Greetings to you all
Daniel (Automatic translation)
28 Dec 2021 6:41 pm: Daniel
Dear Prisca
Thank you for your comment. Yes, there are some pictures where certain unevenness and stains are evident.
As long as "crooked" doesn't mean "unstable" or that the drawer insert doesn't fit in the drawer, it's okay.
I can't see anything about crooked in the photos, though.
From the perspective of picture hl-7417840734.jpg, you can see the differences.
But at the end of the day, these are handmade products with simple tools and not perfect display pieces.
They are storage objects filled with cutlery that spend 99% of the day in the darkness of a drawer.
We can make a good difference with our commitment and thanks to yours, we have the right subdivision for our kitchen utensils.
All good then. You can ship the product.
Please don't take this as a negative review of Caleb.
Caleb is very friendly, but if there's anything you'd like to pass on to him, it's that he could be a little more ambitious and more precise.
Greetings to you all
Daniel
The Finished Unique Piece – Individually Handmade
Reference: ON005940E-31805
Cost structure of this project
| Price | |
|---|---|
| Cost of material |
93.5
|
| Cost of labour |
60.98
|
| Cost of packaging |
12.2
|
| Local Transport to photoshoot and parcel drop-off |
8.13
|
| Subtotal – payout to artisan |
174.81
|
| Customer acquisition costs (advertising etc.) |
17.48
|
| Handling fee Urban Change Lab |
17.48
|
| Total (excluding shipping & taxes) |
209.77
|
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- Personal: We support you at every step
- Fair: Direct local value creation in Kenya
Note on shipping & taxes
The cost breakdown above shows how the value of this individual project is composed.
Shipping costs and any applicable taxes (e.g. VAT) depend on the delivery country and the specific setup and are therefore not shown as fixed amounts here.
All additional costs are communicated transparently before placing a binding order.
If you have any questions, you will find our contact details further down this page.
