The North Bennet Street School in Boston’s North End, one of the oldest crafts training programs in the country, has announced that Boston’s Gallery NAGA will host the exhibition, “For North Bennet Street: A Benefit Exhibition of Studio Furniture,” featuring handmade furniture from “some of the most prominent studio furniture makers in the United States.”  The exhibition runs from March 5 though March 27, 2010.

“In an unprecedented gesture of financial support by a commercial gallery and its artists, half the purchase price of every exhibition piece sold will be donated to support the school’s crafts training programs….

The exhibition’s 27 objects — seating, tables, chests, cabinets and wall 
pieces — reflect current thinking about the very idea of “furniture” both as functional object and as art form. Some makers have drawn their inspiration from traditional styles and techniques; others bring a modern and, at times, whimsical viewpoint to their work.

A reverence for wood is apparent in the show, as one might expect. But there are the unexpected materials, too – plaster, graphite, polymer resin, limestone, steel and leather.”

Richard Oedel, North Bennet Street School alumnus and CustomMade artisan

Last year, I went to an open house at North Bennet Street School and found the interactions with the students to be fascinating!  We have a few North Bennet Street School graduates on CustomMade, including Richard Oedel of Fort Point Cabinetmakers.  By sheer coincidence, Richard also lives across the street from me (which proves you never know what kind of craftspeople are right in your neighborhood).

In order for well-handcrafted items of all kinds to stay alive, we must support efforts such as this one!  We also must strive to provide an active marketplace for these handcrafted items.

If you have the time and the means, you should go to Gallery NAGA and see some of the amazing pieces there!

Until next week!

-Mike

Guest contributor Randy Maxey explains why finding a special piece of furniture can be difficult in a typical furniture store and how using CustomMade.com can help you find what you’re looking for.

“If you’ve spent a lot of time looking for that special piece of furniture or accessory, chances are you’ve walked away disappointed and empty-handed. Furniture stores usually stock the most popular items with a hefty markup. This means that most of these items are factory-made, often with little consideration for quality. The lack of variety and quality in a typical furniture store works against you when you’re searching for that special piece.

City Shaker Hall Table

Let’s take the example of a couple looking for a special table for their entryway or foyer.  At the stores, their choices are fairly limited. But at CustomMade.com, they can browse the galleries of fine craftsman from the comfort of their own home.  For example, at CustomMade.com, they can enter the words, “hall table,” in the search box at the top of the screen.  They’ll get a gallery of photos from dozens of craftsmen, like the Shaker table shown here from Accolade Furniture.

Still can’t find what you’re looking for? A number of craftsmen at CustomMade.com will be happy to work with you to design something special that suits your tastes and space.  Now, I’m not going to kid you: you may pay more than you would for a factory-made table, but the design will be yours and will last for generations. What more could you ask for?”

For more examples of Shaker style furniture by our artisans, or to search for a Shaker hall table, browse CustomMade’s galleries.

“When people hear the word exotic they first think expensive, but that is not always the case.  There are some that are absolutely gorgeous and reasonably priced.” Guest contributor Michael Huber of Chesapeake Cabinet and Woodworks strives to introduce customers to the variety and beauty of exotic woods.

Bubinga

“When I sit down with a potential client my first question is: have you thought of what type of wood you want to center the project around? I usually hear cherry, oak, or maybe maple.  These are the three most commonly known woods.  At that point I’ll suggest: how about some woods like bubinga, zebrano, shedua, or maybe sapele? I want to let them know we can build a very unique piece with some incredible wood.  Africa is home to these woods, some of the most beautiful in the world.

Zebrano

Deciding on the wood may take some time and effort.  At this point in my career I have pretty much every exotic sample imaginable, but if necessary I will make samples of the finished wood so the client can see what the wood truly looks like once a clear coat is applied. Once a customer decides on the wood, then the project begins to take shape.

Sapele

In dealing with exotics each wood requires a different expertise.  To make furniture from these woods you need to know how they machine and what glues and finishes are compatible.  My advice to anyone getting custom woodworking done is to make sure the woodworkers really know their wood.  You can judge their expertise by having them describe the impact different types of woods would have on both the look and construction of the project and then recommend a type of wood for the project.”

Browse CustomMade’s galleries to see works in Bubinga, Zebrano, Shedua, and Sapele

What is the relationship of the artisan to nature? What is the artisan’s responsibility to nature? Guest blogger John P. Rose of Custom Furniture Creations discusses the philosophy that guides his craft:

Figured 3-D Cherry

The main philosophy of Custom Furniture Creations is to create unique furniture that blends the beauty of nature with hand-craftsmanship.  As a result, we have developed a special fondness for allowing nature to show itself in all of its grandeur.

Walnut with Sap Wood

Trees are a renewable resource that nature has given us to clean our air, anchor our soils, provide food and shelter for forest animals, and in its final stage to provide us with wood to build our homes and furniture.  However, some trees are special; something in their growth has made them uniquely pleasing to our eyes.  It becomes the responsibility of a skilled artisan to allow nature to “show us its stuff.”

Factories that produce furniture reject non-standard wood as scrap to create thousands of identical tables or dressers.  Only a skilled artisan has the love of nature and the ability to coach the grandeur and uniqueness out of wood, much like a sports coach or a mentor strives to bring out the potential within a person.

3-D Walnut and Cherry

The artisan merely becomes the facilitator for the wood, selecting special grains, colors, and textures from the wood that will complement the design of the furniture and leave a pleasing impression upon the human eye.  The result is often a work of art much more valuable than the sum of the labor and materials that went into the carefully sculpted wood creation.  Would anyone deny that the value of a Picasso is much greater than the cost of the paints and the labor that went into it?

Contrasting Woods

About Custom Furniture Creations

John P. Rose of Custom Furniture Creations in Ohio responsibly harvests, saws, and dries his own wood, which goes into the very special works of art that nature has provided for us. http://www.customfurniturecreations.com/

What does “eco-friendly” mean when you are commissioning custom furniture?  Guest blogger Douglas Bialor, owner of The Hat Factory Furniture Co., discusses what being green meant in the past and what it means today.

Custom Vanity with Basin

“We’ve tried to be green even before it was called ‘being green.’ Back then, if we had a choice between two glues or finishes for a project and one was less toxic, well, we just went with that one.  Who wants to work all day exposed to nasty carcinogens and fumes when you don’t have to?

Recently, we’ve begun to actively educate our clients on the benefits of going green.  We’ve developed green solutions that bring together our exceptional design and craftsmanship with the benefits of eco-friendly construction materials, techniques, and finishes.  Clarifying what it means to be eco-friendly when commissioning custom furniture and cabinets is a key component of this education.  In practice, there are two separate but related issues to consider: sustainability and health.

Sustainability means selecting materials harvested and/or manufactured in an environmentally responsible way. This means using lumber from forests managed according to Forest Stewardship Council guidelines and panels made with recycled content and renewable materials such as natural grasses and bamboo.

Creating a healthy environment in our workplace and our clients’ homes and offices involves using materials that limit the release of harmful fumes and emissions.  Low VOC finishes and formaldehyde-free adhesives play a key role here.

The Hat Factory Furniture Co., located in Peekskill, NY, is one of the premiere cabinetmakers serving clients in Westchester and New York City.  We are committed to providing our clients with exceptional, eco-friendly, custom furniture and cabinetry.”

You need a display cabinet for your prized art-work?  Or you want the same desk that your brother inherited?  An elegant bed or a one of a kind music stand?  It’s possible to have furniture built to meet your specific needs.

Guest blogger and Fine Woodworking contributing editor Chris Becksvoort of C. H. Becksvoort Designs walks us through the process.

It is not inexpensive, and can take some time, but the finished product – furniture built to meet your exact needs – is well worth the effort. It involves a bit of searching and questioning, good communication and faith.

First, you’ll want to seek out a furniture maker whose designs and style you share.  Do you prefer Arts & Crafts, California modern, Queen Anne, Shaker, or something more whimsical?  Explore CustomMade.com, search the internet and visit craft shows and exhibits.

Molding attached with dovetailed keys

Meeting someone face to face at a craft show or in their studio has obvious advantages.  It allows you to see and touch and really check the workmanship.  But often the person you decide on may be farther away.  With e-mail and good communication that shouldn’t be a problem.  Even at a distance you can check your craftsman’s web site and ask for references. See if there is any of his or her work in your area and if it is possible to view it.

Either way, look at the pieces and/or photos and ask questions.  Does this person use plywood and veneer or solid wood?  Are the dovetails hand-cut or routed?  Do drawers slide smoothly?  Does the craftsman build the piece or do employees?  Are sharp edges sanded, bottoms smooth and backs presentable?  Is quality hardware used?  Is wood movement taken into account and allowed for?  Are personal touches like carved monograms or secret compartments offered?

Monogram and anniversary date

Once you’ve selected and are comfortable with an artist, the business details need to be worked out.  Most woodworkers will give free estimates, but charge for drawings.  The charge is usually waived if you decide to commission the piece.  Remember that changes are easy on paper, but once a drawing is approved, and work starts, changes will affect the price. A down payment of about 50% is pretty standard, to cover the cost of materials before building commences.  Ask about the expected completion time, and any crating, shipping or delivery charges.

With good references and good communication you’ll end up with a work of art to enjoy each time you use it.  More often than not, it is also the start of a long and mutually beneficial relationship with your very own furniture maker.

Chris Becksvoort

www.chbecksvoort.com

About Chris Becksvoort

Chris Becksvoort has over 40 years of experience in wood technology, joinery, design and restoration. Each piece is individually built by Chris Becksvoort in his shop in New Gloucester, Maine, using sustainably harvested cherry and the finest hardware. Featuring hand-cut dovetails, carved monograms and secret compartments, to make each piece a “one of a kind”. He has been a contributing editor for Fine Woodworking magazine for over 20 years, and has been honored to do restoration work for the last active Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake, ME.

A recent BusinessWeek article discusses the history and rebirth of the Norwalk Custom Order Furniture Factory, a 107 year old Custom Sofa and Custom Chair manufacturer. At CustomMade.com, we are excited to hear that the custom furniture factory has stayed open for business and wish them all the best.

The BusinessWeek article states: “This time last year, more than 300 people worked on the floor, producing hundreds of pieces of furniture a day. Now the headcount is 59.” In these uncertain times, there are many heartbreaking stories of large furniture shops downsizing. This leaves skilled individuals –such as those in this article some with decades of fine furnituremaking experience– without work.

CustomMade.com was created and is maintained with an eye towards helping smaller Custom furniture shops throughout the United States and Canada. Our 400+ members have access to a global market of consumers of custom furniture, custom cabinets, custom kitchens, and many other custom products. We are doing everything we can to promote custom furniture because we firmly believe that buying custom is the only way to buy.

Fine furnituremaking is one of the oldest trades in the world, but never before has a company brought together furniture makers (and other woodworkers) of all sizes and talents under one global–and internet based–marketplace. We believe that building this marketplace will only help the struggling industry and those who are recently unemployed or are having a hard time finding work.

To the furniture consumers out there: It is time to replace your mass-produced furniture with hand-made, custom made, furniture. Support your local economy and some great people who are looking for work.