Design Matters

Let function and proportion be your guide when designing a top. Growing up, I was never one for wearing hats – that was until fresh out of high school when I headed west to work on a cattle ranch [...]

An expert woodworker talks about what really gets him excited. One of my first trips to see firsthand the furniture of Charles and Henry Greene, two early 20th century architects from Pasadena, [...]

Subtle use of patterns and repeating motifs please the eye. I was waiting on a phone call so I didn’t think twice when my phone rang. Two words in and I hung up the call. Why do telemarketers [...]

Successful furniture designs draw viewers closer and reward them. Out of the corner of my eye it caught my attention, a fire-engine red 1966 Chevy Impala Super Sport. Memories flooded back to my [...]

Use moulding, carving and other details to add visual layers. Have you ever gazed at a great painting and, for a brief moment, found yourself pulled into it? Almost like magic, a few well-crafted [...]

Unlock your creativity with this humble tool. How comfortable would you be giving up your tape measure? If that puts you in a cold sweat, I can relate. Time was when I worked only from prints, [...]

You might drive by one every day, tucked away from the main road. I drove right by it for years, never suspecting there was a time capsule of American furniture right under my nose. The Spring [...]

Awaken your inner design sense with just a little practice. Talk about design often leads back to the idea of developing a good eye. For a long time I wrestled with this; it seemed a bit like [...]

The Windsor form survives trial by fire. The blaze started sometime after midnight. A weak spot in the chimney broke and glowing embers spilled out onto dry timbers. By the time the fire crew [...]

Good, better or best? Small details and design decisions make a difference. It’s every manufacturer’s dream to have “one size fit all.” Yet imagine a trip to the shoe store and upon arriving, you [...]

The design journey isn't a straight line. However, there are some concrete steps you can take to achieving a great design.

Small changes can make a big design difference – and help train your eye. How do you dial in the proportions on a furniture design? I used to pose that question a lot. Perhaps what makes this [...]