Armoire

I am slowly working on creating a new blog and website.  Until that is up, though, I will continue to try to post here.

I recently had a project I did about a year ago, photographed professionally.

I was asked to design and build an armoire that also opened out into a murphy bed.

We wanted this cabinet to look very old, refined, and elegant and yet present a very deep character.

THE WOOD
The wood that was chosen was Oregon white oak.  It is never chosen for cabinetwork because it has so much variability.  It is the preferred wood, though, of Burlington Northern Railroad for its rail car beds. This wood proved to be one of the most difficult I have ever worked with but also the most exciting.

Then there was the opportunity to work in fine detail.
                                       

 

This piece of furniture is suffused with character.

THE FINISH

Where most stains are finely ground pigments smeared on the surface of the wood to color it, the finish that I used is a chemical compound that has a chemical reaction with the oak fibers. Bichromate of potash, also known as potassium bichromate, is both carcenogenic and toxic. It is a glow in the dark bright orange water that is brushed on the surface of the oak and in a matter of about five minutes develops this beautiful color that seems to be intrinsic to the wood. You can stand there and watch the change happen as if you were watching a black and white photograph develop in a darkroom chemical bath. After it dries it then gets a clear coat over it to protect it.

THE HARDWARE
The hardware is also very special.  The hinges are barrel hinges five feet long. the finish is a distressed iron. These I got through a company that imports them from Europe.

The pulls are two art nouveau door knobs and a chest handle.

I want to build more cool furniture like this.

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Again,  please note that if you are interested in seeing more of my work you will have to go to  Houzz.com
until I have my new website up.

Thank you for your interest.     Mark

OH NO !

OH  NO!

In an effort to fix something that wasn't broken.  Google has twiddled with Blogger and lost many of my pictures.

If you want to see pictures of my work, please try

My site on Houzz.com

I'm trying to determine if I can salvage this.  Please be patient.

Thanks
Mark 

My Muse

I have finished my door.

Patrick Gracewood,  the artist,  ROCKS!

A New Door

Art Nouveau is increasingly the source of my inspiration. Art Nouveau forms are organic and derived from nature. I am not so interested in filling space with organic forms as in using them sparingly to focus their power.
I am incorporating them into a door that I am building for my own home.

I have commissioned the artist Patrick Gracewood to collaborate with me in creating this door. Patrick is a sculptor who creates a wide range of beautiful work in various media, and a good friend.  He is painting a portrait of my wife to be installed in the upper panel.  The painting will be in the style of the Czech Art Nouveau painter Alphonse Mucha.

 This is Patrick's preliminary work:

 

Pretty fabulous.

Here are some details from construction.