Form, Function, and Furniture
A Portfolio of Custom Commissions
Explore the processes of the work we do in our Edmond workshop, Where traditional joinery meets modern utility. Each piece is designed in collaboration with our clients and handcrafted to serve as functional centerpieces for their homes.
The Phyfe Inspired Tables
These have always been some of my favorite tables to build. I feel as though these types of pieces really show off our abilities as a custom furniture shop.
There’s a little bit of everything involved in them, they’re like the furniture equivalent of a symphony. The hand-cut joinery, the fluted skirts, the shaped legs, the turned pedestals and detail accents really make these tables show-stoppers.
The Turned Pedestals
These are probably my favorite pieces to make. Being behind the lathe turning large pedestal is both relaxing and stress-inducing. The moments finding the shape of a piece are a little like riding a roller coaster, moments of white-knuckles followed by the joy of seeing it come together. When I turned my first large piece back in 2000, it slipped off the lathe and fractured my arm, I’ve been in love ever since…
An newly completed oak pedestal on the lathe
A detailed mahogany foot for a large cabinet piece
An newly completed oak pedestal on the lathe
An newly completed Walnut pedestal on the lathe
An newly completed mahogany pedestal on the lathe
A cherry column piece for a one-off Phyfe styled table
Pedestal Bases: All Shapes and Sizes
Here you can see the joy I was referring too, of seeing a base come together. I will forever love round tables with pedestal bases, there’s something wonderfully symmetrical about them.
The one of a king acorn pedestal getting it's final sanding and preparation for finishing
A huge custom pedestal after final sanding waiting on finishing
One of out Olivia pedestal just after its final hand sanding
A beautiful solid Walnut pedestal getting ready for final sanding and inspection
A solid Mahogany pedestal after its final coat of catalyzed lacquer
One of our scalloped bases in the prosses of final shaping and sanding
A gorgeous little solid Walnut tulip table waiting on final sanding
one of my hand-carved tri-leg bases waiting to go in the booth for finishing
Final Shaping, Assembly and Sanding
This is where all the hard work leads to a lot more hard work. Most people probably don’t realize just how much time we spend sanding, but it’s a lot!
I’ll put this way: It doesn’t matter how many showers I take, there’s still dust on me somewhere…
The incredible cloud coffee table getting its dry fit, and about to be final sanded
Some custom circle faced credenza doors about to start their long sanding process
An incredible little custom table base getting it's final shaping and sanding
One of out wave face credenzas after its final shaping and rough sanding, about to go through its long final sanding process
my hand-carved acorn base during it's shaping and sanding phase
A custom Walnut platform bed getting its first test fitting to make sure everything is just right
A set of White oak hutches getting their doors installed
Your truly installing the drawers on a wonderful little White Oak desk
The Finishing Booth: Putting the Icing on the Cake!
The only thing better than seeing a piece all together, is seeing it shine with it’s final finish on. I don’t have children, so seeing furniture come out of the booth is probably the closest I’ll get.
A huge Walnut, Burl and white oak patterned top after getting its second coat of catalyzed lacquer
The cloud coffee table after its first coat of matte lacquer
A set of beautifully unique dining chair awaiting their finishing
A Solid Walnut tabletop after its second coat of catalyzed lacquer
A hand-carved plywood bench going the finish steps
One of my original designed Tippi tables after being sealed and sanded, waiting to start getting its coats of finish
A large white oak bookcase after ebonizing and its first coat of matte finish
A white oak tabletop after its final coat of finish
Oh, the Vanity…
Google said I didn’t have enough pictures of myself on the site, so I decided to spare you all and hide them here.
This picture is actually kind of a joke, the block ended up being too heave to actually cut on the bandsaw.
Me shaping the historic bench that was displayed at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Me laying out the historic bench that was displayed at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Me hand-cutting dovetails for a large dresser piece
I truly hope you enjoyed this little peak behind the curtain of what goes on at our shop. I fell in love with furniture making when I was 19, and getting to do it everyday is a dream come true. Thank you for taking the time to allow me into your life!
William Graeber