Craftsmanship

Quality means doing it right when no one is looking
Henry Ford

Every piece is built to order by me, one at a time, taking as much time as necessary to ensure perfection. Creating your heirloom is my labor of love. I use the best materials, hardware, and finishes available. Centuries proven joinery techniques such as mortise and tenon, pegged mortise and tenon, frame and panels, and dovetails are utilized to ensure a lifetime of trouble-free use.

The machines in my shop act as the apprentices, turning rough sawn wood into dimensioned pieces. I then do the joinery work by hand – including hand cutting dovetails. Cutting dovetails by hand with a saw, chisel, and mallet creates a strong joint that is better to look at.

Wood

I have the utmost respect for the material. I use primarily American hardwoods such as cherry, maple, oak, walnut, and ash. I also have access to many exotic and figured woods locally and would love to incorporate them into an heirloom for you. All the woods I use are sustainably harvested. I use only the highest grade of hardwood. Knots and sapwood are cut out. I look for wide boards with similar color and matched grain rather than gluing up several smaller boards.

I take great care in selecting the wood for the piece to ensure that juxtaposed pieces match harmoniously. The grain flows continuously from one drawer front to the next. Panels are book matched out of the same board. Boards with the straightest grain are selected for rails and styles. Good really is in the details. Extra time spent selecting and laying out the materials is very apparent in the final product.

Finish

I spend a considerable amount of time on surface preparation. I make sure that the piece is smooth to touch with the edges eased. I ensure that all evidence of milling marks is removed. I help you select a finish that is appropriate for the piece and your desired level of maintenance. I can stain your piece to match existing piece if you wish. My preference is to use a finish that showcases the beauty of the wood. Finishes range from hand-rubbed oil to sprayed lacquers, polyurethane, and varnish.

Doors and Drawers

My drawers and doors are easy to open and close and have consistent reveals around their edges. I take seasonal wood movement into account when sizing the doors and drawers to their openings. You will notice a slightly larger gap in the winter and a smaller reveal in the summer when the wood swells.

Backs

The back of my furniture is as beautiful as the front. I often use frame and panel panels for the back of case pieces. The frame and panel gives the case required rigidity and does so beautifully.

Design

It must be useful,
It must work dependably,
It must be beautiful,
It must last,
It must be the best of its kind.
Alfred Dunhill

Custom furniture begins with an idea. That idea may come from a piece you already own, from a picture in a book or magazine, a picture on this website, or from a piece of furniture at a friend's house or furniture store.

I am both artist and craftsman. My job as an artist is to design a piece that meets your functional and aesthetic requirements. I work with you and help you develop your idea into a design, often going through a few drafts before reaching the final product. Each piece is as unique as its owner, and each design process is also unique.

My designs have evolved from emulating others I admire to finding my own modern style. I prefer to design first and build, or figure out how to build, second. This approach keeps designs fresh and challenges the craftsman within me. My own aesthetic is similar to that of the Shakers – an aesthetic where simplicity is grace, where form follows function, where nothing needs to be added and nothing can be taken away.

Meeting the functional requirements is one thing. Creating a piece that harmonizes with your space is another. My job is to do both. A piece can be made to match or complement pieces in your existing collection. It can be made to precisely fit a space. My furniture is scaled to the surroundings and has pleasing proportions.

details

Ordering

The final design will be presented to you along with a detailed price quotation. I require a 50% deposit when you place the order. Once construction of your project begins, the deposit becomes non-refundable.  The balance, and sales tax if delivered in Texas, will be due prior to delivery. Once I receive the accepted quotation and deposit, I will calculate the current backlog and give you a projected delivery date. Sometimes the schedule may vary because of availability of materials, weather, or other factors beyond my control. I will keep you apprised of the progress. If you have a specific delivery date requirement, please let me know so I can make every effort to meet it.

Shipping and Delivery

I deliver within Central Texas.

If you are outside of Central Texas, please contact me for a shipping or delivery quote.

Final payment is expected at delivery.

Guarantee

Proper care will ensure a lifetime of use from your custom furniture. Should your furniture fail because of workmanship or material failure during the life of the original owner, I will repair or replace it.

There are some exclusions to the guarantee, such as fabric. I will notify you, in writing, of any part of your purchase that is not covered by this guarantee.

Proper care instructions for your furniture will be provided at delivery.