Mirrors in Multiples

Designing the process can be as challenging as designing the object. The way something looks is only the first half of a design problem. How to make it and how...

Spice It Up With Rhythm

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...

Two Looks

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...

How to Make Banding Inlay

A mark of true craftsmanship, bandings are much more than just decoration. Stop for a moment and take a good look at a piece of furniture that you admire—say, a...

Depth Adds Life to Design

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...

Mix and Match

When done carefully, mixing wood species in a single project piece can be beautiful. When I first started woodworking I loved mixing different woods together. The more contrast – and...

Essential Dividers

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...

Local Hidden Treasure

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...

‘Good Eye’

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...

A Chairmaker’s Design Lessons

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...

Train Your Eye

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...