Last month Matthew and I traveled to France to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. While we were abroad we visited some museums and chateaus for artistic inspiration. It turns out Matthew took more pictures of the furniture than he did of the Eiffel Tower and the like! The craftsmen and artists of yesteryear did amazing things. Matthew always likes a challenge, so if you fancy a bed like the ones in which French nobles slept or a jewelry chest with a false bottom in which to hide your valuables, then Woodleaf Studios is the one to call!
Woodleaf Studios Gives Back
Matthew Smith and Woodleaf Studios periodically donate a piece of furniture to a local fundraiser. This is the third year that the Cancer Society is the recipient of a Woodleaf Studios creation for their fundraiser, The Raleigh Roundup. The cabinet seen here will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Incidentally, the Woodleaf Studios donation is often the biggest money maker for the live auction portion of the fundraiser. Money raised by the Raleigh Roundup is used by the South Atlantic Division of the Cancer Society. Much of the proceeds go to local universities for cancer research.
This contemporary piece was designed to be used in a master bath or workout room for storage of towels and toiletry items. Features of the cabinet include mahogany construction, brushed stainless steel dowels, rods and pulls, cast aluminum legs, Nero fossil tiles, concealed European hinges, and Blum soft motion door dampeners.
Erickson Biedermeier
Biedermeier design, for Matthew, is simple yet elegant geometric styling. This large entertainment center features a traditional drop down desk surface with the upper panel pocketing back into the cabinet. The columns and ball knob pulls are black lacquer. The three lower drawers operate with full extension and provide ample storage.
Rolling Banquette Tables
In the world of truly custom furniture each job has its own unique requirements. In this case the two dining tables, with one edge rounded along each of their lengths, are designed to correspond with curved banquettes. The tables, with their geometric patterned tops of quarter sawn cherry, can join together to create one large table (joining hardware is concealed) or be separated to function independently.
Ebony Wedge Buffet
The title "Ebony Wedge Buffet" says it all. This server speaks with it's contemporary styling and plain geometric shapes. The ebony wedges rest on each end of the birdseye maple base and support it's glass top. It is a clean design with no visible hardware. The doors open by touch latch and the drawers open via a groove on the side. The glass top allows you to put things on it right out of the oven. Bon appetit!
The Making of a Dream Humidor
Last year Matthew had the opportunity, for the first time, to design and fabricate a large built-in humidor for a client. Below are some detail shots of the project. Take notice of the rubber gasket used to properly seal the cabinet. The humidifying equipment sits within a stainless steel overflow tray/tub to capture any short term leak or accidental spill when adding water, etc. See the "The Wine and Cigar Aficionado Office" in exhibit grade built-ins for the finished photo.
East Indies Entertainment Center
This East Indies inspired built-in, with it's louvered doors and warm mahogany finish, anchors this master bedroom suite. The central gas log fireplace is flanked by two large cabinets with pocketing doors that house a TV and other general storage. The louver doors allow increased ventilation and create the East Indies feel. The large rope braid turnings add dimension and character.
Alexander Lobby
Matthew's design for this lobby establishes a professional looking interior with beautiful reverse diamond wainscot panels punctuated with engaged floor to ceiling pilasters. The engaged columns are capped with beautiful book and butt olive ash burl capitals.
Historic Oakwood Library
This studio library environment is full of rich architectural details. The room is beautifully balanced as the walls and ceilings are covered with mahogany paneling and moldings. The library features pocketing doors, arched passageways, a built in credenza, and fluted pilasters.
Ribbon Stripe Mahogany Den
A beautiful blue print matched ribbon stripe mahogany veneer adorns the walls, cabinetry and valences of this contemporary den. The wall panels and wooden architectural elements are separated with 1/4" reveals. No fasteners are exposed leaving the curious to wonder how the wall panels are attached. The TV mounted within the wall has a simple wooden frame and removable panel.
Mayan Credenza
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.