Thank you Crate&Barrel for including our Staccato Dinnerware design on the list of your top collections !! Incredible that it's been in production for more than twenty years !

    DESIGNED BY KATHLEEN WILLS IN 1992 . MADE IN JAPAN

B E D F O R D   D I N I N G   T A B L E

Our newest (and largest ever) custom dining table just arrived at the home of its new owners in Rye, New York – twelve by four feet of antique cherry and steel !!

This table is the latest addition to our growing collection of handmade custom furniture. It was designed for a new residence to work with the elemental interior; dark wide-plank floors, Pennsylvania stone walls, and (extremely!) tall french doors with broad views onto Long Island Sound. The table was designed in our studio on the Old Mission Peninsula and fabricated locally of antique cherry planks with a riveted steel frame.

Other sizes and wood species are available. For more information, comments, questions, or just to say hello, please get in touch –– we'd love to hear from you!

email: kathleen@kathleenwills.com

PHOTOS BY THOMAS KACHADURIAN

DETROIT: URBAN ADVENTURE + EXPLORATION

The prospect of spending three days scouting Detroit on a mission to discover and meet some of the urban pioneers of the elusive design community I'd heard about sounded like an adventure - yet I was skeptical. Like most, the stories I'd read were the dire headlines touting crime and bankruptcy. Instead, what I discovered was a surprising, incredibly diverse and slightly underground community of optimistic and dedicated designers, manufacturers, and cottage industries. Could it be the Brooklyn of thirty years ago?

SIGNAL RETURN LETTERPRESS

'Made in Detroit' is a matter of intense pride. The historical epicenter of American manufacturing seems to attract a certain type: tenacious, undaunted, skilled, and courageous. These are the people behind many of the places and businesses we sought out and listed below. There are many yet to discover... a second trip awaits. As for a similarity to Brooklyn, just give it time.

Detroit Mercantile
Signal / Return Letterpress
Germack Coffee Roasters
The Inn on Ferry Street
Detroit Cargo
Detroit Denim
Salt & Cedar Letterpress
Smith Shop - Metal Work 
DeVries & Co. - Market
Charles Lang Freer House
Boston-Edison Neighborhood
The Fischer Building
Belle Isle
Eastern Market
Campus Martius

POSTER BY SIGNAL RETURN LETTERPRESS

IN THE MIDST OF RESTORATION

WOLVERINE BOOTS | THE DETROIT MERCHANTILE

DEVRIES & CO. @ EASTERN MARKET

THE INN ON FERRY STREET:  A BED AND BREAKFAST COMPRISED OF SIX HISTORIC BUILDINGS

BELLE ISLE WILDLIFE

CANADA AS SEEN ACROSS THE REMARKABLY CLEAN DETROIT RIVER - THE BARGE IS CARRYING...SALT?

PATH TO BELLE ISLE LIGHTHOUSE

BOSTON EDISON NEIGHBORHOOD: A FEW EXAMPLES OF INCREDIBLE HOMES

ALL PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN WILLS.
FOR PERMISSION TO USE THEM, PLEASE CONTACT US BY EMAIL: KATHLEEN@KATHLEENWILLS.COM

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!

OUR NEW FURNITURE COLLECTION FOR LAND OF NOD

A new furniture collection that we recently designed was just launched by LAND OF NOD. It is always a celebration each time one new product goes into production, not to mention a whole slew of them!

Land of Nod is a children's furnishings company that I've worked with since they were in their infancy (sorry) ten years ago and have loved every minute!! They are sincere, communicative, and creative people who work with illustrators and designers to bring about new products. Also nice from where we sit is that they are based in Chicago, a mere hop from one side of Lake Michigan to the other. Windsurfing to meetings, however, requires scheduling a bit more time.

This collection is available through the Land of Nod in white, grey and midnight blue. But there's more! A new custom version made of steel, plywood and bolts is in the making and will be available directly through Kathleen Wills Design. Give us a ring if you're interested and would like to see a photo!