Custom Furniture Projects Dominate 2022
The old adage “ when you do something you love you never have to work a day in your life”. That really does sum up 2022 for me. God has been gracious this year to provide a variety of custom furniture projects to keep the shop busy on a regular basis.
While each and every project is important to me, the list below are 11 custom furniture projects of various types and builds that I completed and delivered this year. One of the dreams I had this year was to build more tables, I think you will see that I had the opportunity.
So, in no special order or favoritism, here goes.
Round Walnut Pedestal Table
I started the year with a custom round table to catch the vision of a good friend.
This was a 60” , 1 ½” thick black walnut table and the first round table I have ever built. The customer request was to place it on a really nice pedestal. I filled that need by turning to Osborn Wood Products. You will find this company in a number of my builds this year. Included with this build was another special request from the client. They has some Curly Maple slabs that were harvested at the tree farm owned by the clients father. If you look closely at this picture you will see the console table and the lazy Susan made from this wood. Of course I can never turn down a cute model.
Custom Maple Table and Shelves
Another build that was unique was a request I had from a mother and daughter that relocated to Nashville. They purchased a home and wanted a special table. They found a table online and asked if I thought I could replicate it.
This maple table not only challenged my tools, but it also challenged my imagination. Good thing I have a wife that is an artist and can help me figure out curves. We invented a template to create the curve on the table top and another to create the curved shape in the legs. Yet another project that had another piece added to compliment it. I added 2, 48” x 10” floating shelves on the end wall.
Red Oak Wood
Another client that relocated from Michigan contacted me with a very special request. She cut down a red oak tree on her property some 18 years ago in Michigan, had it slabbed and brought it with her to Nashville where it sat in her garage for quite some time.
While she had it slabbed, it was still very rough and needed it to be milled. She picked out a black steel pedestal from a Flowyline design furniture to compliment the red oak. With the balance of the wood, I created a bench to sit in her hallway and a mantle for her fireplace
Walnut Farm Table
A client who was no longer satisfied with their table that was set in front of a corner built-in banquette. We also determined that it was a little too small for the family.
I built this small farm house table that fit the area and added about 6 more inches from the original table to give them that added space they needed. Built with black walnut and custom-built legs this table dropped right into the space.
Let’s wonder away from tables for a bit and talk about one of my favorite builds.
Mid Century Modern Sideboard
I had a client that found a midcentury modern sideboard in a store but wanted one built to a specific size. This one allowed me to use a new technique with my domino tool in order to construct the cabinet with 45 degree angles to join the sides to the top and bottom.
Another project built with quality legs from Osborne Wood Company Created with Maple hardwood and maple plywood, this is one of my favorite builds.
Custom Two-Sided Desk with Hand-Made Scallops
Sometimes builds take time to start from the initial communication to the start of the actual building. My client contacted me in late 2021 about building a desk to use in her crafting hobby/business. After a few emails communication dried up. It happens, but fortunately that is not the end of the story.
You see, she had some life changes, she got married and soon found to be expecting her first child. But, early in the year we reconnected with some new parameters.
The desk needed to be accessible from 2 sides, with 4 drawers on each side. Scallops all around the bottom and some very nice trim around the drawer fronts and sides. If the legs look familiar its because they are from Osborne Wood Company. The trim is also from Osbornes.
Custom Commercial Build
Another opportunity came along by way of a unique meeting of a client. Mid summer I was approached by a company to use my shop for a photo shoot for a Madison Mill dowel company. During that shoot I met another brother in Christ that was the photographer.
About a month later he contacted me to build 2 mobile work benches for a local carpet retail store. The catch was they needed to be 8 ‘ long, 38” wide with a drop leaf on each end that would allow the bench to increase to 12’ long when opened. Oh yeah, they needed 4 drawers on each side, that meant I build 16 drawers.
10″ Outdoor Cedar Table
Let’s step outside for a minute.
A client contacted me about building a table top for them. Yep, just the top. They moved into a house that had an outside dining area that was covered by and arbor and flowers. The base was fine but the original top was built with plywood. So I turned to my favorite outside material cedar. Oh wait, the table had to be 10’ long. Darn, I can only buy 8’ boards. Ok so imagination time again. What to do, what to do. I got it, build the table in two sections then join the sections with a breadboard between them.
Old Beam Side Table
Another unique project came as a request from a local interior designer. Her client wanted a console table, it needed to be a specific size to fit in a particular space in the house and oh yeah, they wanted it built out of an old beam. Fortunately for me I actually had 2 old barn beams in my wood rack ( another story for another time) They had quite a beautiful gray patina on them but the client didn’t want the gray. I sanded them and found a beautiful reddish old pine underneath.
To connect the legs I created large dove tails with a router and chisels and then secured them using long screws. I used ash pegs to fill the screw holes to give them a nice accent.
Cabinets Made to Fit
The reason I build custom is because clients have specific spaces in their homes that need custom pieces to fit. This client needed 2 cabinets for storage in her bedroom that would sit in front of windows that she didn’t what to cover and I could not cover here furnace/AC vents
She also wanted doors that needed to be a little more fancy than traditional shaker doors.
The Perfect Cabinet for Grandma’s China
My latest client has been looking for a china cabinet that fit her vision and would be the place to display her grandmothers china that has been sitting in boxes for quite a number of years. It literally took her less than an hour after we delivered it to fill it and send me pictures. Her comment “you brought my vision to life” …. This is why I do what I do!
This is only a portion of the custom projects that I took on this year to bring a clients vision to life. I am presently working on a number of projects for a client that involves working with elm from a tree they cut down in their front yard, had slabbed and kiln dried. Check out my Instagram account for those pictures and other projects I worked on this year.
What do you need built this year?
A special thanks to all my clients that have trusted me with your furniture builds. I’m ever grateful for you trusting me with your project.
Are you considering building something for your home this year? I’d love to connect with you on social media. Check out my Instagram, YouTube and Facebook channels to see the latest projects in the shop. If you have a project to discuss, you can contact me directly here and I’ll get back to you in 24-48 hours. If you have photos of your ideas, please add them to the form. It’s always helpful to have visuals!
