Why handcrafted?
Handcrafted, custom furniture and cabinetry is specifically
designed and built, by hand, for you and no one else. It can’t
be bought off the floor of a furniture showroom or out of a catalog.
It’s one-of-a-kind and must meet your requirements, look and
feel the way you want, and generally make you proud to own.
I build one project at a time, slowly and with a constant eye for
detail. I build to your specifications with prime American hardwoods
and top-grade, veneered plywood with matched grain patterns. I join
wood the old-fashioned way with mortise and tenons, dovetails, dado
and rabbet joints to ensure fit, strength and durability. I stain
and finish your project by hand, with custom colors and varnishes,
to a look and feel that says quality.
Large manufacturers and small woodworking shops like
mine use power tools. But that’s where the similarity ends. They
fabricate for the mass market, in standard and traditional styles,
using, at best, lower-grade hardwoods with sprayed-on finishes or,
at worst, particle board covered with thin veneer. They employ semi-skilled,
low-paid workers, who essentially do piece work on an assembly-line
process.
Why custom?
Most people come to me after
they’ve been shopping for a while and can’t find anything
that fits their needs or that they truly like. They’re often
referred by existing customers. Usually they have a budget figure
in mind as a result of shopping around. Normally it’s too low
for custom woodworking.
Simply put, most ready-made furniture and cabinetry passes through
middlemen before you buy it. A small percentage of the price you pay
is for materials and labor. Markup is a major portion of your cost.
In short you’re not getting very good value for your money.
Purchasing genuine, handcrafted antique furniture or commissioning
me to do custom work is smarter. Why? Because you’re getting
full value. You’re paying only for top-grade materials and expert
design and craftsmanship, not for middlemen who add no real value
to the piece.
