The design of this credenza was inspired by the Mayan temples of Chichen Itza in what is now Mexico. The central gold leaf band emulates the steps that climb the sloping facade of the pyramid. The fiddleback makore veneer creates a waterfall effect that flows from one panel to the next. The pulls are solid brass. The base and top border are ebonized maple. The top itself is birdseye maple.
Bow Front Entertainment Center
This entertainment center has a unique 30' bow front radius. The lower band of lacewood louvers allows air flow to the large returns located under the unit. The large middle doors with handmade pulls pocket to allow access to the TV and AV equipment. The open display compartments are ebonized cherry.
Pickled Cypress Hutch
This large pickled cypress hutch provides ample lighted display and storage areas above a base cabinet with doors and drawers. The lights are concealed behind valences and have dimmers. The upper doors are hand made with leaded glass panes.
Kidney Bean Desk and Credenza
This kidney bean shaped executive desk does not have conventional corners or corresponding parallel planes. However, it is symmetrical in it's layout and function. The large, vertical and coved mahogany planks render a sculpted curved facade with open bookcases on each end. The desk has a standard compliment of drawers. The credenza end panels are also coved mahogany planks. The credenza has drawers and general storage areas behind doors.
Long Buffet
This long buffet is packed with features that make it a superb server. The curly maple top has an inset of St. Laurent Marble where hot items can be placed. There is a bow front drawer above a pair of mappa burl doors on each end. The middle section provides three touch latch doors with leaded glass panels that reveal a lighted display area. The donut stack pilasters provide visual breaks along the facade and are accented with hand carved feet.
Shell Table
Whenever we are asked to engineer unusual functions or integrate unique objects or materials into a piece the result is referred to as a "specialty item". In the case of this shell table our client had been given an extensive collection of shells from a friend and neighbor."The shell collection itself is not that valuable but the neighbor and the memories are." Therefore, we set out to design a table that would showcase the shells while still providing a functional coffee table. Each individual shell rests upon a black lacquer faceted pedestal arranged in a balanced geometric pattern. The radiused book and butt walnut burl aprons wrap around each side and join the carved and gold leafed legs. An inset glass top lies flush with the aprons and is removed via a concealed "lifting block".
Hammered Gold Spice
This dining table incorporates a variety of exotic veneers and hardwoods such as radiused zebra wood aprons with rosewood beading, sketch and patterned curly maple top, and mahogany legs with ebonized boots. Each corner block is hammered for texture and gold leafed.
Obrien Desk and Credenza
Crotch mahogany veneers, mahogany solids and mappa burl accents come together to create this unique office look. The customer requested that we engineer a number of concealed compartments throughout the desk. Observe the bowed crotch panel, the bowed drawer front and the decorative 3-dimensional appliques.
Antique Bookshelves Revisited
These pieces were designed and engineered from an old photograph of a fine antique bookcase. These two bookcases employ inlaid solid brass elements and borders. The fronts show a columnar leg post that translate its three quarter round shape into the marble stone top. Note how the brass matches the radius of column and stone.
Contemporary Screen
This whimsical five panel plastic laminate screen was designed to convey movement. The small red discs move as the window drops and rotates across the panels. The concave shape at the bottom catches the disc and repeats the cycle.
Cascading Cabinets
This cascading progression of white lacquer cabinets affords a variety of storage depths while creating movement with its pulls and rolling corner cabinet tops. The round knobs are black and the knob mounting areas are gold leafed.
Dutch Pullout Table
This heavy masculine table literally grows on you. The dutch pull out feature extends the table eighteen inches on each end giving three more feet of stable dining surface. The top is composed of a sequenced book and butt pattern of mappa burl veneers surrounding a center rectangle of curly maple. The solid maple aprons and feet are hand carved to add character and detail.
Houston Century Buffet
This buffet was designed by Woodleaf Studios to compliment the client's existing dining room furniture from Century. The buffet incorporates lion head ring pulls, black lacquer engaged pilasters with gold leaf capital, and base elements. The primary door and drawer panels are banded with ebonized bead. The unusually deep niche allowed for an elevated upper tier at the rear for additional serving surface.
Richardson Credenza
This elegant server is made with mahogany solids and sequenced olive ash burl veneers. One unique feature is that there is no visible hardware. The doors operate via a "touch latch" while the drawers , which project slightly beyond the doors, open via a finger pull groove that runs along the bottom edge. The donut stack columns are accented with ebonized rings and capped with an olive ash burl capital. The Richardson Credenza is one of the many pieces that Woodleaf Studios has built and donated to a fundraising auction. This particular piece was donated to the Visual Art Exchange(VAE), a non profit that supports emerging artists.
Lectern and Table
High gloss black lacquer surfaces are accented with gold leafed capital and base elements. The lectern's facade and body is lightly ebonized cherry.
Steiner Ball and Claw Table
This table was designed by Michael Steiner. Like the Steiner Urn table it was built and then donated by Woodleaf Studios to Interact for a fundraiser. The table has a cherry top banded with olive as a burl. Brass claws clench black lacquer spheres. There are also gold leaf accents.
Fanfare Dresser
Art Deco inspired six door dresser. Three dimensional solid wood appliques. Maple and mahogany applied over carpathian elm burl drawer fronts with black lacquer pulls.
Simply Biedermeier
This medium sized mahogany, Biedermeier inspired, entertainment center packs a lot of bell and whistle features that make it an engineering wonder. The custom hinge pediment clad bonnet cocks open to reveal a large concealed storage space while still allowing objects to be displayed on the top of the piece. The black engaged pilasters are affixed to side panels that slide forward to reveal additional concealed storage. The large crotch mahogany doors pocket open to show TV an AV storage. The lower base panel is actually a large drawer.
Steiner Urn Table
Michael Steiner, ASID, designed this glass top table for a Woodleaf Studios sponsored design competition. Woodleaf Studios then built and donated this winning design to a fundraiser for Interact(a shelter for battered women and children).
The main urn body is birdseye maple with hand carved spiraling trunks finished with silver leaf and lacquer. The dangling black tassles add to the whimsical feel and create an unusual texture for this piece.
Painted Cascade
Matthew collaborated with fellow artist and friend, Fred Stewart, AIA, in designing this large entertainment center. Fred painted the four panel door to depict a performer taking a bow. The upper doors pocket to reveal the TV compartment. The arched bonnet and base are veneered with balanced carpathian elm burl. The decorative squashed cubes are veneered with ebony. The bookcase and display areas are painted black and flanked by sloping mahogany wedges.