Handmade Furniture
People who appreciate fine woodworking have a connotation for "handmade" and "handcrafted" that adds value to furniture, but most would have trouble articulating the specifics. We've had trouble ourselves.
But, in an article, Defining the Field, Edward Cooke, Jr. did not have trouble.
He was writing to define "studio" furniture, a specific term not widely used, but he has nailed what we mean when we say "handmade." With respects, I quote:
Studio furniture is defined by the scale of its production, the background of its makers (and their personal, original approach to design, materials, and technique), the workmanship invested in the furniture, and by the way it is sold.
This furniture is made in small batches, or one piece at a time, in a studio or shop by skilled artist/craftsmen.
These artist/craftsmen may be graduates of degree programs, more often are self-taught, but always continue to learn and explore. They have an abiding reverence for their material, a thorough technical knowledge of wood and woodworking, and a formal or informal art education. They pursue their own design, style, motifs, and methods.
Studio furniture is not distributed through ordinary retail outlets. Pieces are sold through art and craft galleries or shows, commissioned by patrons, or purchased from the maker.
- scale of production
- original approach to design, materials, and techniques
- workmanship invested
- way it is sold
Our handmade rocking chairs, dining chairs, dining tables, and barstools are made in our studio/shop in small batches by artist/craftsmen, using techniques requiring the utmost in skill and care.
We improve our skill, our methods, and our service to patrons as matters of pride and principle. We have a reverence for wood as an artistic medium and as an engineering material--and for the forests and the people that provide it.
Our designs, details, and means of construction are original. We are committed to the highest standards of our craft.
We sell our furniture directly to patrons from our studio/shop using this website as our means. We have shipped to people in every state, most Canadian provinces, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America. We welcome your inquiry or order.