Those who work in our shop share a passion for beautiful wood.  We understand that successful design is the union of aesthetic intention with the characteristics of this natural material.

Each species yields lumber of a different hardness, density, texture, and color. Each tree within a species develops its own patterns of rings, burls, curls, and crotches.  The direction in which the lumber is sawn from the log reveals spectacular, individual characteristics.  For the custom cabinetmaker, a technical understanding of each wood’s character is only the beginning.

A cabinetmaker’s experience leads him to speak more often of a wood’s "personality."  Koa and Bubinga are exotic, not just because they are imported, which is all "exotic" technically means, but also because they excite our imaginations.  Black Walnut and Rosewood connote a rich formality, as distinctive as Cherry’s overtones of enduring warmth.  Reclaimed Heart Pine veritably exudes a worldly antiquity, commensurate with the age of the timbers from which it is re-sawn.

These characterizations reflect our intimate experience with a wood in its most appropriate applications.  Oak has long been preferred for drawer parts because it is hard enough to resist ware… thus its connotations of smart efficiency and steadfast durability.  Mahogany’s workability with hand tools made it the favorite of 18th century makers, so it virtually speaks, "tradition."

The entire time we are developing a design, we are considering the personality of the wood to be used. We are consulting our extensive sources of supply, checking on the availability of the figure and color we demand, and scouring new sources for new varieties.

We continuously search for woods that bring out the best in our designs, while constantly exploring designs that make the most of beautiful wood. There are few natural materials with which people have so intimate and personal a relationship as we have with wood.

Along with our love of wood, we enjoy incorporating other materials in our work. We look for opportunities to collaborate with other artisans whose mastery of different media can lead us to new ideas.  Whether we are working with a black smith to design special hardware, a glassmaker on stained glass panels, or a stonemason facing a fireplace surround, we revel in their creative efforts, and the look and feel of their materials.