Recently Matthew and I celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary. I was pleasantly surprised when he brought home this teak table for our deck. I had been looking in stores trying to find something that would compliment our teak chairs with no luck. Matthew designed and built this table using leftover wood from a recent project. There were very few boards of any size available yet there were a number of narrow strips/drops that made for a nice "breathing top", a top that sheds rain water. The legs turn 90 degrees at each corner to create a sense of movement. The brass screws join the legs to the aprons and add a little decorative interest. Epoxy was used to join the mitered top and reinforce the joinery. The table is finished with teak oil. All in all it is a marvelous replacement for the old glass and white metal table that did not match our deck furniture.
Floating Dreams
This bed was designed and built for a couple that wanted a platform style bed with a clean and simple look that also provided storage underneath. They also specified Walnut. Woodleaf Studios suggested night stands to complete the ensemble and came up with the intriguing floating placement of the night stands.
The headboard is made of vertically grained solid walnut planks that are scalloped with a parabolic shape using a table saw. Then the scalloped edges were hand carved to create the tooled look.
The night stands have a waterfall wrap of walnut plywood with a solid walnut front edge. They are dowel located and bolted to the headboard. There is also a concealed metal strap under the front edge of the platform to provide stability.
There are four large drawers underneath the bed for ample storage.
The finishing consists of an NGR colonial maple base with a special walnut wiping stain topped with a catalyzed lacquer.
The bed comes apart into several pieces for ease of transport and installation.
Hopefully, the new bed will provide a plethora of “floating dreams”.
Den Remodel
Last year, we had a leak in our den wall that required us to tear out the old paneling and hang sheetrock. We took this situation as an opportunity to do something we had hoped to do for years: remodel the entire den. Matthew designed this entertainment center and bookshelves to be functional, appealing and cozy. The door panels are a basket weave of 1" x 1/16" mahogany strips which are backed by a fabric panel to allow sound from the speakers to pass through, as well as remote control reception to various electronic components and ventilation of the electronics. The cabinet tops are mahogany as well. There is easy access to all wiring in the storage room behind the wall. The four foot square coffee table, also designed by Matthew, is made of epay wood.
Walnut Breakfast Table
Our client asked us to create a breakfast table that emulated a table they already had in their home. Woodleaf Studios looked high and low for the right veneer to meet the client's desires. The veneer top is referred to as walnut butt which comes from the base of the tree and has a beautiful two toned quality. The hexagonal pedestal and tripod base are made of solid walnut. A series of alcohol and oil stains as well as paste wood fillers were topped off with a lacquer finish.
Woodleaf Studios attends Unity In Design Event
Matthew and Randy (our skilled craftsman who has been with Woodleaf for 22 years!) manned the Woodleaf Studios booth at the Unity in Design trade show February 20th in High Point. It was sponsored by Design Professionals of NC. Matthew and Randy met some new contacts and reacquainted themselves with previous clients and colleagues. They received positive feedback on the booth display which featured light weight panels wallpapered with Matthew's furniture drawings and eight images of recent projects. There were also sketch books and mock up samples at the booth for people to peruse through and put their hands on. Matthew informed the attendees that in addition to design and fabrication Woodleaf Studios now offers design consulting for furniture and built in applications.
Sunroom Addition Cabinets
Woodleaf Studios was asked to design and build cabinets for Charles and Lori's sunroom addition. The design needed to incorporate an HVAC return, lighting, electrical outlets, storage and adjustable shelves. As seen by the photographs the HVAC return is concealed but has louver doors to allow air flow. The cabinets are paint grade and made of birch plywood and maple solids with bead board panels in the back. This project is a permanent installation in which the cabinets are scribed to the wall.
Schultz Breakfast Table
When they expressed a desire for a Woodleaf Studio piece Matthew toured the Schultz’s home with them. They had not been sure what they wanted, but following the tour when Matthew recommended a breakfast table for their kitchen they were sold on the idea. They wanted it to be functional, practical and casual. Matthew decided on a country-flavored design, which they approved. The solid white oak 48” diameter table seats four to six . Decorative buttons conceal the screws that hold the base together. The planking of the top is deliberately accentuated to show the character of the individual boards. The finish is a golden oak stain with a semi-gloss lacquer. A handsome utilitarian piece!
Office Metamorphosis
Charles and Lori were dissatisfied with their home office. The mismatched office furniture was overflowing with electronic, computer and photographic equipment. They obviously needed more storage, counter and desktop space. Woodleaf Studios provided the solution, as you can see in the photos below. Matthew designed an attractive office, a more cohesive and organized space. The features include louvered doors that allow ventilation for electronic and printing equipment, a large platform that pulls out from under the desk space allowing easy access to wiring and individual cabinet pieces that can be rearranged or removed if the clients should relocate. Cherry solids and cherry plywood are finished in clear lacquer. The pulls are stainless steel. The resulting work space is contemporary, integrated and inviting.
Woodleaf Studios Piece Raises Money For Cancer Research
Friday November 13th was the annual Raleigh Roundup event at the NC State Fairgrounds. For the third year in a row Matthew and Woodleaf Studios donated a piece for the live auction. This year our donation sold for $1700.00. This money along with all the other funds raised will go to local American Cancer Society projects.
A Bedroom "Sweet" Story
When Matthew's mother Patricia was a young navy wife she decided to branch out a bit and use her creative talents by making some tiles. She painted and glazed nine tiles that were fired thanks to the use of a friend's kiln. Some 50 years later Patricia commissioned Matthew to incorporate the tiles into furniture for her North Carolina mountain house guest room. The tiles are individually showcased, each tile with a single bead wrap and a wider beveled frame. A pickling stain was applied to the white oak that compliments the light color of the tiles. The styling of the pieces is simple and clean so as to give the tiles the stage-the main event.
An Inspirational Trip to France
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.