woodworking

• Todd Exter

  

  Todd Exter is one more of the finite but large number of tremendously competent and creative cabinetmakers living and working in Vermont. He is primarily self-taught, and in light of that his technical skill is especially impressive; his use of grain and his mortise-and-tenon work is artful and subtle, just as it should be. Working in a variety of woods, mostly local maples, Exter has made a niche for himself by integrating traditional Craftsman forms with contemporary style and the smooth, clean uninterrupted lines of the Vermont Shaker tradition.

• Custom Tile Frames

  David Eklund makes custom tile frames in a number of different styles. Each frame is made from a single piece of oak, cherry or walnut to maintain the consistency in grain and color, and David can make a frame to any size to accomodate different types (or numbers) of tiles or friezes. Frames on his website are shown with tiles from a number of tile makers, including Ravenstone, Mulberry Street Studios, Motawi, Grueby (via Bungalow Bill),  Handcraft Tile and others. Picture and mirror frames are also available.

• John Struble

  The Japanese influence has been tremendously important to the evolution of the Craftsman aesthetic, and is a central part of some of the West Coast craftsman styles. It’s hard to imagine Greene & Greene furniture, for example, stripped of the cloud lifts, bat forms and various other Asian imagery and decoration that the brothers integrated into so many aspects of their work.

  John Struble, a woodworker based in Philadelphia, has been integrating design elements he has seen on his trips to China and Japan into his own work for over 20 years. His case pieces – step and other types of tansu (chest) – integrate traditionally North American materials like curly and birdeye maple into very traditionally Japanese and Korean forms, with a surprisingly contemporary result. Struble shows his work every year at the Philadelphia Furniture and Furnishings Show.

• Craftsman Doghouse

  You know you’re obsessive when even your doghouse has to be consistent with the design of your home. I don’t have a dog, but this would look pretty good on my back porch…
  

• David Winters

  
  David Winters’ new site showcases his gorgeous bowls – made from burl and various woods – unique kitchen items, and his beautiful Arts & Crafts mirrors and sculpture.
  

• built-in cabinetry & interior architecture

  
  Creative and technically adept cabinetmakers used to be the norm, and they still exist, albeit in small numbers compared the the number of new homes being built every year. Unfortunately, we see this craft becoming more and more the sole purview of kitchen design firms and very high-end contractors who specialize only in kitchen and bath work. Most homes are not made by the same sorts of craftspeople who built our old bungalows; they’re assembled from pieces made in factories all over the world. There are, however, a number of fine woodworkers specializing in casework and other forms of built-in furniture for all parts of the home and various other types of interior architecture working across the North America today, and I’ve spent a little bit of time reading up on a few who have their work up on the web to peruse.

  This list is, of course, very incomplete and totally subjective; please feel free to append other listings in the comments, below.

• Timothy Clark

  
  Timothy Clark is a cabinetmaker & chairwright working in Vermont. Most of his work is pretty strongly Shaker-inspired, and there is a bit of subtle Craftsman influence in the lines and detail of some of his work, specifically the case pieces. Clark works in a wide range of woods, from cherry, poplar and pine to the various spectacularly-grained maples of his home state.
  

• Two Tours

  When I lived in Berkeley, there was a big storm one night. The next day I noticed that a huge branch had fallen off one of my favorite oak trees in a place called Live Oak Park. City workers were cutting up the beautiful piece of wood, which was at least 5 feet in diameter at the widest point, into cross sections using a chainsaw. It seemed a waste of such a great piece of wood. I asked them if I could have a few sections, they said sure, so I loaded a few chunks into my truck.

• catalog & mail-order hardware

  There are a number of fantastic paper resources out there for anyone renovating their craftsman home. One of the most complete resources is the Van Dykes Restorers free catalog, which sells everything from Victorian gingerbread to oak and brass registers and every kind of stripping and finishing product known to humankind. They also carry kits for building a wide variety of furniture items.

  At the top of the list as far as quality goes is Rejuvenation Hardware, which sells all sorts of fixtures and hardware (especially lighting!) out of their shop in Portland. They also do a thriving mail-order business.

  The folks of the Craftsman Homes Connection, who seem to do most of their business online now, have a very attractive and jam-packed catalog, with an emphasis on decorative hardware and accessories.

• Guild.com: 21st-Century Arts & Crafts

  Building on the Arts & Craft movement of an earlier time, Guild.com is a treasure trove of current artists working in metalwork, ceramics, printmaking, painting, fiber, glass, wood, lighting, furniture and tableware.

  The Arts & Crafts masters of yesteryear would have enthusiastically approved of The Guild’s Philosophy: In a nutshell, we believe that when you live with art that you love, and it’s made by a gifted artist with skill and care, it adds something rich and sweet to your life, every day.