CUSTOM FURNITURE // BEHIND THE SCENES

I'm often asked about the making of custom furniture, and thought it might be fun to take you behind the scenes for a look at what is involved!

The process usually begins with a client looking for a unique piece of furniture - something that can't be found in a store.  This can be as simple as a desire for a particular size and material, or as complex as a 14-foot dining table with a steel base and a top of wide plank antique white oak. Perhaps a cabinet with enough drawers to fit a collection of 100 vintage cashmere sweaters?  No, really...I did this!!!

An initial meeting is the beginning of a collaborative process that brings the vision into being. In the first conversation, I work to understand the client's ideas and wishes, the project's space and perimeters. Then it's to the drawing board to work on initial concept sketches and together with the client, review and refine the chosen direction until we collectively feel that the piece is 'perfect'.

Finally, using a computer-aided drafting (CAD) program called 'Archicad', we produce dimensioned drawings that include plans, sections and elevations. Once complete, the final drawings are handed over to master craftsmen who then order materials and begin construction. By this stage, every detail has been carefully considered: dimensions, wood species, joinery techniques, and finish.

This labor intensive process of creating one-of-a-kind furniture takes a good deal of time yet is an incredibly gratifying aspect of our product and interior design practice - seeing a vision come to life through creating locally made custom furniture that will last for generations.

I hope you enjoy the photos and that they entice you to make a studio and workshop visit one day soon!

THE WORKSHOP

A MULTITUDE OF BAR CLAMPS – READY FOR ACTION!

JIM HARD AT WORK

WOOD SPECIES SAMPLES

THE PRESCOTT 12-DRAWER CABINET - READY FOR DELIVERY

CUSTOM FURNITURE // STEPHANIE DINING TABLE

Jim (he's the one seated below) and I have worked together for more than a decade to design and produce one-of-a-kind furniture of the highest level of craftsmanship. We're especially pleased to present our recently completed Stephanie Dining Table.

Built in northern Michigan from solid walnut and finished with a rich espresso stain, it can comfortably seat eight (ten in a pinch). It is available in custom sizes and wood species such as character white oak, cherry, reclaimed, river-recovered pine, or a painted finish.

Let us know what you think!

THE BEST APARTMENT IN BUDAPEST!

After days of sifting through hotels and VRBO listings in search of the 'right' place to stay (I must admit, it's something I obsess about), it was time to make a decision. Unfamiliar with the city and its neighborhoods, this was becoming difficult. It's not that there were no good options for accommodations in Budapest - on the contrary. What was difficult was choosing just one! Then, there it was, the apartment! ... complete with white linen slipcovers, Ingo Maurer lighting and an amazing location. Something about it made me do a double-take. It was almost as though there was someone who knew me too well created this apartment to tempt me.

The dining area opens onto a high-ceilinged living room with French doors. On the right is the master bedroom (below). Notice the slipcovers of the same washable linen as those on the dining room chairs. And the flat-felled seams!

Best of all: the red refrigerator. When I saw this photo (below) I emailed the owners in wild excitement hoping the apartment was still available. This fridge is a work of art. It may sound ridiculous, but if the owners chose something like this, it signified that everything else in the apartment would be equally amazing. My hunch turned out to be true. Weeks later when we opened the refrigerator, we found a bottle of champagne and a bowl of Balaton cherries.

Even my son thought it was cool (below). And he doesn't think anything is cool.

It's up to you to decide if the stencil of the old lady cooking in the background is charming or bizarre. My vote is charming.

At the end of the day, the most amazing thing about this apartment was the subtle and beautiful way it related to its location and neighborhood. The owners, Sandro and Claudia Negri, are Swiss, which perhaps explains their meticulous attention to detail! After long hours of exploring the city, there was nothing better than relaxing on this balcony for an apero to observe life in the street below.

NEXT WEEK: more about the Egyetem Tér neighborhood.

[If you're interested in staying here, contact Sandro and Claudia at s.c.negri@bluewin.ch].

Happy 2012

OUR HAPPY + HEALTHY NEW YEAR 2012 WISH CARD AND PREVIEW OF PHOTOS TO COME