The legs of this writing desk are a traditional cabriole style, adding a special bit of fun to the project. They begin with beautiful 4″x4″ walnut blocks with a pattern transferred on two adjacent faces. The first face is bandsawn along the pattern line and the waste section is saved. The scraps are nailed back into place, allowing the second side to be shaped.

After two cuts, a graceful ‘S’ shape emerges as the basic cabriole contour. This process creates a dramatic change between the original, bulky blocks and the new, more elegant form.

(more…)

The Maui Hills accent piece is complete. Check the gallery for more images and specs. Also, keep in mind that everything we build can be adapted to other projects. We’d like to stress our ability to customize.

I saw this piece as coarse and a bit rough around the edges. I purposefully left in some cracks and knots. Hickory has a rugged nature and the animalistic look for the handles magnifies that effect.

The line suggested long and slender, so an Oryx horn came to mind.  Instead of a ring around its diameter, I opted to spiral along the tapered and curving length. The mahogany will be ebonized with a jet black finish which will give an interesting contrast to the calico hickory.

(more…)

The original intent was to color the hills to look plant-like, as a landscape, using a variety of colors for texture. There are two reasons why I chose not to add this coloring: I didn’t want to directly mimic the look and feel of Maui— that undeniable medicine is not going to be replaced by any bookcase. Also, the sculpting really stood out against the solid color, almost in silhouette. It would be lost amid the flora.

The maturation of the grassy green became vibrant and naturally warm; It just fit. Clean and simple. Next, the cabinet will be finished with a final clear coat and the front panes will be set in. The soft texture of water glass seemed an appropriate choice for a piece inspired by the islands.

(more…)

When making a writing desk, there many options for using the special veneers. Straight joined sections seemed too boring for this desk, which has carved details on the edges and legs. After toying around with a few options, I decided on a reverse diamond pattern to keep a high amount of interest without cutting the pieces too small and losing the grain’s figure.

(more…)

Haley’s cabinet is now complete! We’ve added the gallery section to the site, so all future pieces will be updated there, with extra images and specifications.

I wanted to get a very vibrant green, to recreate the feeling of flying over Maui. I picked the most brilliant green grass during the spring time and had the colors matched at the paint shop. In an effort to be a bit more environmentally friendly, I’m using a water-based paint.

Since most woodworker’s pieces are some shade of brown, it’s exciting to expand the usual range of color. This green is the first of my cabinets to receive the color treatment, but there will be more in the future as the colors provide a wider range of interests.

(more…)