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 right under my nose. The Spring [...]
‘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 with this; it seemed a bit like [...]
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 time the fire crew [...]
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 and upon arriving, you [...]
Following the Steps to a Great Design
The design journey isn't a straight line. However, there are some concrete steps you can take to achieving a great design.
Honing in on Proportions
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 [...]
Using Grain Pattern to Choose Lumber
The end grain holds the secret to what stock to use where. The single-most important factor in the appearance of any woodworking project is the selection of the material. This isn’t what species [...]
Rustication in Woodworking Design
Rustication adds a sense of nature to refined designs. One of my favorite places is a neighborhood Italian market called DeVitis. Every time I step through the door, I stop and let the smells of [...]
Fine-Tuning Furniture Designs
Minor adjustments typically beat a hatchet job. I knew a guy who didn’t shave or cut his hair for 12 months at a time. On day 365 he looked like the wild man from Borneo. On day 366 (or day …
Make the Most of Figured Maple
The right orientation adds shimmer and pop to your work. by George R. Walker pages 18-20 The barn loft was hot and dusty – and especially so after digging through piles of [...]
Understanding Lines & Edges
Control the eye for better design. Nice Lines. We say those words to describe a well-designed boat, sports car, chair or saw handle. It expresses our pleasure when all the parts of a design seem [...]
Build Without Plans
Move beyond a measured drawing and let your imagination reign. My 6-year-old nephew, Ryan, loves to eat cheese puffs and play with Legos. For his birthday, I bought him a set of the colorful [...]