Sometimes life gives you the opportunity to create something really special. Getting to work hand-in-hand with a piece of furniture’s new owner during the creation process is one of the most rewarding things about the work I do here at Southern Joinery. Recently I got two such opportunities and the results are fantastic. These two beds required months of planning and crafting to fulfill two of my customer’s dreams.
Both are queen size platform beds with built in floating nightstands and clean, sleek lines.
The first I crafted from Sapele, an African wood species known for its wide variety of figured grain patterns. It has a distinct Danish Modern influence particularly visible in the legs of the bed. I built in a drawer for storage and an under shelf on each side. A power strip was installed at the back of the shelf for a convenient charging station.
The new owners were particularly pleased!
“We are in love with our custom bed created in collaboration with Ben
Harrison. In the past he has built custom craftsman style sofas and end
tables for us so when we decided to embark on creating a mid-century modern
queen size bed we of course thought of him!
We begin with four or five images of beds that had features we wanted to
incorporate into our design. Over a couple of months we reviewed drawings
and had brainstorming sessions with Ben on how to incorporate things like
cantilevered nightstands or hidden power bars. We decided on Sapele as the
wood because it closely matched 1960’s Teak Danish chair which would be
placed in the room.
This is not just a piece of furniture it is a piece of artwork created by a
true craftsman!”
The second bed, made from Walnut, was similar because of the fact that it was crafted in three major components; the platform, the headboard, and the protruding cantilevered night stands. This created an effect on both beds where the night stands seemingly float beside them.
Now that these two great projects are complete, it’s time to begin something a little different… details coming soon. Make sure to sign up for my email list so you never miss out on a new blog or sale!
These EmbraCing Tables are pleasingly simple to the eye but spectacularly functional for any modern home. Designed by Architect Tim Harrison, they showcase the dovetail joinery and natural wood grain of the Cherry and Black Walnut wood, while providing unparalleled functionality.
They are easily portable and can be intertwined when not in use, or used individually as end tables, a foot rest, or a step stool. The C shape makes it easy to pull one up to your couch or favorite chair for comfortable internet surfing or eating.
Interested in purchasing your own set of EmbraCing Tables? Want a few little tweaks here or there to make them yours? Contact me at (706)-766-9705 or through email at info@southernjoinery.com.
Photo by Paul O’Mara
Bob Harris, Rome GA artist and fellow woodworker, collaborated in designing this dresser for his bedroom in his newly renovated home. Bob’s inherent eye for beauty complements his meticulous attention to details, so I was enthusiastic about getting this project started. Bob came to me with a vision in mind that combined two pieces from my collection of contrasting styles that are not normally seen together in the same room.
He chose a Mission- style Ten Drawer Dresser and an Asian- style Chest. He took the two-panel sides and beveled edge profile of the top of the chest, along with the side-by-side drawers and arching bottom rail of the dresser. He specified similar proportions to the ten drawer dresser reconfigured as a seven drawer dresser with three top drawers and four deep divided drawers. The piece served two major functions—organizing personal items and providing a base for a television that was the correct height for viewing.
Bob requested American Cherry as the primary wood accented with Walnut burl pulls. The matched wood grain patterns flow across the drawers, enhancing the natural beauty of the cherry, while the design elements from the pulls and pegs create a stunning contrast to the overall red tones of the piece. Southern Joinery’s signature silky smooth Tung Oil finish, mortise and tenon construction, and easy gliding drawers remain distinguishing features of each piece.
Photo by Paul O’Mara
The historic turn-around tree was a memorable white oak that was centered in the driveway of the Baron family’s home place. When age and disease caused it to topple, the family knew they wanted to save the lumber and create a custom piece of furniture to preserve their memories.
The wood was cut into 10″ x 12′ boards that were carefully air-dried outside my workshop. After a few years of thinking what would be appropriate, the Barons decided I would design and build them a ten foot table that could sit the extended family.
The limits of my shop equipment and space were challenged. The rough-cut lumber took considerable preparation before the table could be constructed. Because of the length of the table, I was just barely able to run the boards through my table saw and jointer.
I designed the table with a trestle base so the table could seat as many as they wanted without leg interference, a rail that could be knocked down for easy transport, and breadboard ends on the tabletop for a classic look.
The resulting trestle table highlighted the character of the wood, and provided a sturdy dining table that will be used for many generations to come.
I was approached by Mark Cochran, architect, interior designer and owner of Cevian Design Lab in Downtown Rome, GA, about collaborating on a few pieces for his newly renovated office space on Broad Street. With a passion for design, Mark knew he was looking for a Mid-Century Modern motif as he drew out the desired shapes and sizes of the tabletops for a conference table and desk.
Construction drawings in the Southern Joinery workshop.
The physical size of the pieces offered several new challenges to the techniques that I use in my shop.The conference table was 7′ x 12’4″ and the desk was 4’2″ x 14’3″; both pieces had to be constructed as two separate structures that would be abutted during the final assembly in the upstairs studio. During our consultation, black walnut was selected as the material of choice due to its beautiful natural color and grain.
Since I built the table as two halves, the separate bases of the table consists of a large and small right angle pedestal. The smaller pedestals join at the center of the piece. The conference table will easily seat ten people and is used daily by Mark and his team for a variety of uses.
The desk was constructed as eight different pieces all built separately and assembled in the office. The base for the desk consists of two bookcases and two file cabinets. The tabletop is two desktops and two intermediate tops. It is designed as two different workstations for Mark and his associate.
The resulting pieces add a distinctive and unique element to his Modern office. I had the opportunity to work with a highly renowned architect, and it was my privilege to bring his sketches to tangible, functional works of art. This was the most unusual, fun, and challenging project of my career!
This client approached me with a need for a place to hang coats in his newly remodeled home in downtown Atlanta. With his ultra-modern home, this mid-century modern styled armoire was very fitting and added an eye-catching piece of art to the large open living room (as well as a coat closet).
Have you ever been to “Christmas At Callanwolde“? Mark your calendars: November 30 – December 15, 2015.
Last week I delivered a custom bed to a fantastic customer with whom I had collaborated to meet her specific design requirements.
Unlike the timeless techniques used in our hand-crafted furniture, today’s digital devices demand that new standards and technologies be adopted to ensure the best possible experience.
Beginning a new piece of custom furniture is always exciting and can only start after construction drawings have been made. I use the design process to figure out how to build the piece.
As I launch the new web site and start my blog, I have reflected on what I like best about this business of building custom furniture. The first step of the process is collaborating with the customer and is certainly one of the things that I enjoy.
