Black Friday...

Did you get caught up in the Midnight frenzy of Black Friday ?  The  excitement created for the special sales event reminded me of the days I worked for Baker Furniture, and helped out with their annual furniture sale.  Baker Furniture has been a manufacturer of high end furniture for over 100 years, and their annual clearance sale was legendary. Here was your chance to but exceptional pieces of furniture at a great price. 

The sale was held at the Baker Furniture headquarters and giant warehouse on Monroe Ave. in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Furniture of all descriptions were offered at deep discounts. Some pieces were new, and still in the carton,over runs, obsolete pieces, canceled orders and showroom  returns made up  the produce mix. Like black Friday sales, it was about great prices, limited quantities, and competitive hunting.

a few people would arrive several days before, and camp out in the parking lot to assure themselves a first spot in line, while another small group would fly into Grand Rapids for the event. Other creative shoppers would arrive as a group wearing color coordinated shirts or silly hats to be able to spot each other as they divided the territory in the 100, 000 sq. ft warehouse. Maps would be handed out showing locations of the various groups of furniture. Upholstery, bedrooms, dining rooms, etc. and they were ready to buy!

The Baker sale was a big event. Local TV  and newspaper crews would cover the first morning opening ceremony when the crowd would stampede through the doors for that special something. Occasional fights broke out over a special sofa, or dining table, but for the most part it was a festive event and most everyone had a good time. There are many parallels between the Baker sale and Black Friday.  The simple truth is that people still like to find a bargin, and the excitement of the hunt is a thrill many of us enjoy. Happy hunting,  shopping!

DOG TRIX

I thought it was time to get  out of the furniture main stream of tables with four legs and a top, and come up with a more whimsical piece. So here's a simple table that can add a little interest to your room.

If you love dogs or better yet, a dog you don't have to feed or take out in all types of weather, you might consider this one. Made of Walnut and finished with a hand rubbed oil finish for a completely natural look.
(could be finished with spots if required)
The dog holds his position at 24" H. The top measures 11/4" diameter.  Made in a limited edition.       C.

What a waste.......

What a waste basket. Who says a waste basket needs to be ugly, or hidden away ?  Many high profile furniture designers have included waste baskets in their design portfolios, so I thought, why not me too?  I designed this  arts and crafts styled piece after some research of  furnishings of the great lodges  built during the first quarter of the 20th century. I think it has such rustic charm, and beauty. Just because it started out as a waste basket doesn't mean that it's destined to that role. This can also be a charming piece to hold magazines and newspapers children's  toys, or maybe even a planter. Each panel is made of quartered white oak and swede leather lace. It measures 11 1/4" x 11 1/4" x 14" H. A nice accent piece to complement your arts and crafts furniture in your home, cottage or lodge. This waste basket is a perfect companion to the fall front desk I wrote about last month.

I'm back...

Hi Everyone,

As many of you may know, my email was hacked last week, and taken over by hackers who had changed my password.
My blog was shut down, and everything stopped. I couldn't access anything except facebook. It was extremely frustrating. Finally, last night after 9 days, I got everything back, including blogger, flickr, email, etc. I hope I never have to go through anything like that again. I began to set up new accounts to start over, so now I need to be contacting a number of people and straighten this situation out.
Thanks for checking out my blog. There will be new posts coming again soon.

Designed for today...

I have had this design in mind for some time, and finally made it happen. I really love arts and crafts styled furniture. I wanted to design a small desk in true Arts and crafts style, that would not take up much space, and still be attractive. Lap top computers are a common item found in most homes and apartments today, so my goal was to design a piece of furniture specifically for computer use. The small footprint makes it ideal for apartments, and is small enough to easily move around from room to room as your living space changes.
The Arts and Crafts fall front desk is not a new idea. My research has found a number of fall front desks made by all of the great Arts and Crafts manufacturers of their time. The earlier designs just were bigger, and designed as writing desks, you know, getting out the old paper and pen, so I revised the idea to be in step with todays lifestyle and way of communicating. Now you can have a great look of a true arts and crafts piece of furniture, that functions perfectly in todays environment. The fall front desk measures 26"w. x 19'd. x 50"h. It is made of quartered oak solids and veneers, and finished with an authentic fumed oak and shellac finish, just as they did it over 100 years ago. Once I had the desk, I knew it had to have a chair to match, so now you will no longer have to clear off the dining table to check your facebook, complete your homework, skype that special someone, or balance your checkbook. Here's a special place where you can do it all.

Have a seat....

Another current project that I'm excited about. I worked with interior designer Carol Wixom to develop seating  for a large foyer. Fashioned in the style of an English Regency window seat, this custom made bench was designed to fit a specific space.  The bench measures 102" L. x 22" W.

The frame is made of Michigan Cherry and features a warm, lightly distressed finish. Scrolled arms are accented with delicate floral  carved rosettes.The sweeping posts flow into saber shaped legs offering a graceful seat.

I really like Carol's fabric choice.  The two bolsters in a complementary  print accent the seat cushion, and add an element of sophistication  to a timeless style.

The finished piece makes a grand statement in the entrance of a country club banquet hall.

Have you ever.....

 

Have you ever worked with exotic woods and veneers? I am currently building two lamp tables of a wood called zebrawood. A relatively small number of woodworkers even know that it exists.

The trees producing this unique wood comes from West Africa, and can reach heights of 150 feet. I have also read that the bark of the tree can be as thick as 12 inches. I can only imagine the work it must take to bring it out of the jungles.

The timbers of this tree are used extensively for veneers because of its striking effect. The dark brown to black stripes on a pale golden yellow heartwood offers a very unique look to a piece of fine furniture. Zebra wood is often used as an accent wood on borders, inlays or marquetry on high end pieces. My tables will simply promote the beautiful colors and straight grained pattern of the veneer.There is no further need to embellish the tables with moldings or hardware. Simple clean lines and a clear finish make this a truly unique, exotic piece of furniture, perfect in a contemporary setting.

Zebrawood is only one of the exotic veneers we offer. There are even more species that we want to share with you. If you are interested in creating a very special piece, that you simply won't find anywhere else, contact us.

 

Little gems

Small ottomans like these are great little gems for apartments and homes. They can add a bright spot of color to any room, and are easy to move anywhere they are needed.

These low ottomans are perfect to be used as a foot rest, a low seat, or a place to stack your magazines and books next to that favorite chair. Cats love them too, at least mine do. Just the right spot to take a nap.

We offer a variety of sizes and styles to fit your needs. Make it formal, with traditional wood finishes and pattern prints, or whimsical with painted colors of the rainbow and bold prints. These pieces are individually made to last. All of our ottomans are made with hardwood frames and dacron wrapped foam cushions.

You can individualize your ottomans. Perhaps a his and hers. Send us a note to share your interest and needs. We can make them for you.

CATS AND HORSES

Do you have a cat? I do. Two of them. I do my design work at home, so the cats are always around, and curious of my activities. They love to jump up on my drawing table, and sit in my chair. When they want to play, they bat my pencils, paper clips or anything else not tied down to the floor. If you have a cat, you know exactly what I mean.

My cats got me remembering the cats we used to have in the factories where I have worked. In those days it seemed that every factory had a few cats to deal with the mouse problem. Boots, Mr. Jinx and Dutch were just a few of the many that I can remember. Thinking of those cats reminded me of the stories the old timers would tell. I had worked for fifteen years at Baker Furniture in Holland (MI) and there were many great stories.

Think of how strange it would be to have a factory cat now days. But they got me thinking about the draft horses that used to work at Baker furniture. They were long gone by the time I got there, but their stables were still standing when the company left town in 2004. A team of horses were used to move huge piles of lumber from the train to the drying yards, and to the kilns. They were also hitched to a series of pulleys that operated the elevator of the three story building. That was all before my time, but I think it's interesting to reflect on the effort it took to build fine furniture in those days. It took more than just the craftsmen to keep things going. Cats and horses were important too.

Imagine riding in a two-horse powered elevator.

Coming full circle

This past week I received a call from a unique store here in Holland that sells a variety of products made in Michigan. The store is called The Shaker Messenger, and has been owned and managed by Diana Van Kolken for a number of years. I had a two door cabinet that I had designed and built on display in the store, and Diana called to say that it had just been sold. The buyer didn't have a way to get it home so Diana asked if I would deliver it. This is one of the best rewards of building custom furniture.

The woman was waiting on her front porch as we pulled up. She was so grateful that we delivered it.

She said she had considered buying it for some time, and had finally made up her mind that she had to have it. She showed us exactly where it had to go in her living room. It was a perfect fit in the space and complemented her decor and color scheme.

It's a rare experience today when you get to meet the person who appreciates your work enough to purchase it, and then to see it prominently displayed in their home. This woman was so happy that she gave me a hug! It doesn't get any better than that.

Reclaim it !

Reclaimed wood used in interiors and furniture has created quite a stir in today's casual shelter designs. Judging by all of the articles about the subject it is continuing  to grow. There are many sources out there today, some good, some great, and some not so great.

Here's a photo of one of my custom tables designed for a local cottage owner. The simple saw buck design is made of reclaimed pine boards.  I've had requests to build more in a variety of colors. The tables are made here in Holland, Michigan.Contact me for any of your custom furniture needs: cdheyboer@gmail.com.

I recently visited the International Custom Furniture Fair in New York and found this great scrapwood wallpaper. I think it looks amazing and is perfect in completing a reclaimed interior. Designed by Piet Hein Eek, the various designs are made in Holland (the country). For more info, contact www.scrapwoodwallpaper.com.

Take it outside

Photo of my latest custom furniture project.  This table is 61" in diameter, and made of red Cedar. It comfortably seats eight people. Finished with an ultra durable outdoor paint, this piece will be in use for many great summer gatherings.

All we build is custom furniture for your specific needs. Our projects are for residential and commercial use.  Get exactly what you want, from high end cabinetry, to casual dining tables. Comfortable upholstered pieces can also be yours. Email us  to discuss that special piece you have been missing.