Armoire or Wardrobe? Either way, they are here!
Wardrobes and Armoires are in right now and you should have one!
The Wardrobe is something that I have doodled for years now. I always thought it would be one of the best showcases for the wood. I have to admit, the storage and use was an afterthought. That was quickly resolved once I jotted down my design from my head to paper. The idea of having everything I use in one cabinet gave me a feeling of joy. Don’t just take my word for it, in Em Henderson’s most recent Blog post “Why You Should Be Using Armoires In Every Room” she says:
It’s one of those pieces that are often overlooked, but let’s all agree to stop that right now and consider the armoire.
Even though we didn’t make the list, It shows that there is a great use for these pieces in your home. And I think ours is the best!
After designing our wardrobe I knew I wanted it to be one of a kind. Even though this would inherently raise the cost, I felt it was important to let the wood tell a story. In our launch of the “SEBA” Wardrobe line we introduced a reclaimed wood option. The previous summer we had taken down a large barn that was built in 1780 and was falling apart. It was an endeavor and an adventure. At the time I had no idea what I would use the wood for but knew I wanted it to be special. Reclaimed wood is extremely difficult to work with. It is dirty (dulls the knives), contains big cracks and voids/rot, weathered differently (N,S,E,W Building Sides). But there is absolutely no denying the beauty and character that comes from this lumber. I will say this, I have enough reclaimed material to make more wardrobes but Im not going into barn demo! Call it a limited series if you will. Even though we built the outside of the wardrobe in reclaimed wood, everything on the inside is new. The drawer boxes are new dovetailed white oak solid 5/8”bottoms to resist sagging. The runners are all top of the line Blum soft-close (sorry purists).
The thought of buying a custom piece like this can seem expensive. I like to think of it as an investment. It is something that you will use for the foreseeable future. It will help you stay looking good and organized. Provides something beautiful to look at on a daily basis. And when you move, you can take it with you. I also love the idea of handing this piece down from generation to generation.
Pricing for our wardrobes starts at $6500 and up. We can use any material that you see in our other furniture in addition to the reclaimed. We also offer other sizes and configurations. If you are interested in having us make a Wardrobe or would like more information please feel free to contact us.
Cheers!
Marc
Custom barn in Westport, MA
We built some unique furniture and custom kitchen for this one of a kind Barn
Location : Westport, MA
Date: Winter of 2018
Last year we had the opportunity to work on conceptualizing this project with our client. They wanted a summer retreat that felt like it was built with the original barn. We kept that in mind while designing the furniture for this custom barn.
The scope of work:
Two live edge queen sized cherry beds with full trundles stored underneath
Custom cherry kitchen with beaded doors and drawers
36” High cherry kitchen table with reclaimed base made from a beam of the barn
4 round cherry counter height round stools with 3 legs
Built in cherry refrigerator cabinet
Custom cherry shuffleboard table with cast iron base
The Wood:
While we were designing this barn on site with the client we were taking in the surroundings. Studying the beams, floor board, paneling etc… We wanted to take a mental image of all other materials in play. We then paired this space with the correct lot of trees that we could or have milled to match our ideal finished look. We decided to use this cherry that we milled from Russell MA. It has some insect damage which we could fill with epoxy. We think this tied into the reclaimed feeling of the barn while still feeling luxe but not out of place. This is why our sawmill and kiln are so important to our design when it comes to customizing your space. It takes the blinders off, and allows us to truly design with your space in mind.
The Design-Build Process:
Once we identify the wood we are going to use, we begin the real work. This involves designing, cutting, shaping, sanding, more sanding, and finally finish/install. Each piece is really up to the artists eye, and we have very long conversations about what board should go where when it comes to a build. By doing this we are ensuring each board belongs where its placed. These trees take a very long time to grow and its important to take our time with them. Our end goal is a cohesive look that captures the clients vision.
Living with our furniture in your space:
The idea that everything has been carefully sourced and worked into your space is as special as it sounds. We like to believe that our furniture is more of a feeling than it is something pretty to look at. Something that inspires you to be creative or think about things in a different way. Every day you wake up and are in the presence of beautiful furniture and woodwork is a good day!
A Relaxing Oasis in Boston, MA
Imagine waking up and feeling refreshed. Working and feeling inspired. When I look at these images I am reminded, nature is the true designer. Something so peaceful about the mix of materials, light and nature.
When I began working on this walnut slab, I envisioned it as a communal table in a restaurant. Piecing it back together with its other half when a large party wanted to sit together. How wrong I was... This piece wasn't meant for that. It was meant to bring a sense of purpose to this room. To say "I once was broken, but now I am whole. This is where I belong".
My Pith series has been my most unexpected success story in the shop. By taking these often discarded boards, and putting them back together we have found a new purpose. The "Pith", refers to the center of the tree and represent the 1st year of growth. It is a soft, spongy material and generally this board will split right down the middle because of this. But there is another meaning to this word, "The essence of something".
Crafting these pieces takes time, thought, and planning. It all starts at the mill. We take careful measurements when beginning our cuts because your 1st cut dictates how your last cut ends. These cuts are often planned to remove the pith from all other boards. Making them more stable and less likely to crack during the drying and building process. As I mentioned earlier, once these boards have dried they are likely to crack along the pith. We reinforce the cracked boards together again using a variety of techniques (Mortise and Tenon, Bowties, Epoxy, etc...). Here you can see our process and inlaying bowties (other names include butterflies, Dutchmans keys, etc...):
It is our hope that we can continue to salvage these boards to create truly one of a kind heirloom pieces for years to come. Thank you for reading and please feel free to comment or share below!