The Fine Furniture Difference

Wood

Only the highest grade of hardwood available is used for best color and grain. All the knots and sapwood are cut out. We look for wide, thick boards with well-matched grain and color. We avoid using narrow strips of wood laminated together in the place of wider boards.

Joinery

Mortise and tenon joinery is a strong, mechanical connection that allows for the expansion and contraction of wood that occur with seasonal changes in temperature and humidity. Wood pegs, trimmed flush with surface, pin most mortise and tenon joints - ensuring the joint remains strong even in the unlikely event of glue failure. Frame and panel construction accommodates seasonal expansion and contraction. Drawers should show the same quality material and workmanship as the rest of the piece, with dovetails at all four corners of the drawer. The drawer bottoms should be solid hardwood enclosed on three sides in a grove to allow for seasonal expansion and contraction. Every surface of the drawer should be sanded smooth and finished.

Craftsmanship

Doors and drawers should open and close with relative ease and rest flush with the face frame when closed. Inset drawers and doors should have an even reveal around their entire perimeter. Full-extension slides underneath each drawer allow the drawer to extend fully without falling or tipping. The backs of furniture should be solid wood of the same grade as the front and sides. We avoid thin plywood or particle board backs that are often held in place only with nails.

Finishing

The finish should be smooth, all evidence of machine marks removed by proper surface preparation. No dark stains are used to hide uneven color and quality. Oil and wax finishes do not afford protection from heat, stains, or water. Our waterborne finishes enhance the natural beauty of the wood, provide long-lasting protection from water, alcohol, stains, heat and cold. The waterborne finishes have the added benefits of being environmentally friendly with ultra-low VOCs and being extremely low in maintenance.