modern walnut daybed

modern walnut daybed

We've been working on the walnut daybed on and off for the past couple of weeks.  Just like our tables, the legs and structure have been cut clean and straight, leaving the back (typically the table top) natural, twisted, and wonderfully just like God made it (previously in the form of a tree).

I can't make trees (although I can plant them), but I think I made a beautiful first attempt at a daybed.

This modern walnut daybed has been built to a standard size.  We make and sell the wood parts, the rest (including the mattress and fabric) will be left to the designer.  Note the standard mattress that will fit is readily available at any Sams, Costco, etc.  One more note;  I don't know of an American manufacturer of these mattresses.  I'm thinking there probably are a few left.  Maybe in Mississippi or ??  If you are a manufacturer of standard daybed size mattresses, please let me know.

We'll have this modern walnut daybed oiled and finished next week, and hopefully have some pics as well.

modern walnut daybed

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life (and these wood slabs) really is like a box of chocolates

So much time whirls by (counting by years) between the time that we cut the tree/log into flitch sawn lumber, and when we get it back from the kiln, and we never really know what's "inside the chocolate covered cherry" until we finally get it planed down.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the movie Forest Gump (actually, I think it's time to add it to my Netflix queue).  So many interesting life scenes and analysis.  But this morning, we placed a unusually thick, dining table sized oak slab on the planer.  I was remembering where the tree came from and just how long it's been since we began working on this eventual dining table - well, it's been years, at least three.  And, before the carbide teeth of the planer get to it, I still don't have a clue just what we've got there.  Will it have dark blue metal stain like many of the urban oaks trees?  Will there be know holes?  Did it get wet and rot a bit (this can be either catastropic or amazingly glorious)?  Did it warp too much to be able to level it back and still have some thickness?  What condition will the edges be in??? What color and texture will the grain be once it has been oiled and finished.  Since we never used stain, the answer to this question is particularly interesting and important.

Well, for this particular slab, we will be finding out in a few minutes.  I'm heading outside when I complete this sentence, to see what's under the "chocolate cover".

June issue of monoLOG just needs proofing

The june issue of our monthly newsletter, the monoLOG will be published in the morning.  Lots of excitment around here with introductions of a new team member, a discussion of "organic architecture and furniture", as well as the introduction of Nicole, a skinny bench.  If you aren't receiving our monthly newsletter, you can sign up right here.

planing walnut slabs this morning

Along with a truckload of beautiful organic oak slabs, these walnut slabs arrived yesterday.  They've been air drying for just over two years and just came out of the kiln last week.  I'm looking forward to getting them all planed this week and seeing just what we have.

southern cicada close up and personal

The Southern Cicada

For the past couple of months, there's been an eery buzz ringing in many Southerners' ears.  The eery sound od the cicada, added to the summer nature sounds of the frogs, grasshoppers at times is almost deafening.

I don't really understand the lifecycle of these extra large insects, but I can recognize their call from blocks away.  They must be good protein, because my dogs gobble them up after they die off and fall out of the trees around here.  They drive Linda nuts, but I enjoy their unique addition to the neighborhood as stop by and visit every few years (seems like more often than seen!)

Southern cicada

oak timber slabs just arrived

Oak Timber Slabs

For anyone that likes wood as much as we do, it's beginning to feel a little like Christmas around here.  After years of planning, sawmilling, stacking, air drying, these beauties just completed their final cure in the kiln and just arrived back at the studio.

Can't wait to get 'em in the studio and start planing a few down to see just what we have inside the beautiful wrappings and bows.  Now all I need is some mistle toe and cider.  -- Yikes - did I say that?

Most of these are way oversized and won't fit in our inside planer.  So, just like the earlier processes, this next step is going to take some time.  We will have to plane them outside, where the width limitation is a whopping 60".  And typically only come complete (the planing process) of three or four a day.

Stay tuned for all the action.  I'll try to get some pics as the progress.

oak timber slabs

Three way collaboration

Yesterday I took this pic of this super cool catalog stand that we are building for our American made, very "green" friends over at Shaw Living.  This piece will be comfortably housed in Shaw's beautiful Atlanta showroom for the upcoming market next month.  And, it's a great example of a super smooth collaboration effort that seems to have worked flawlessly between Shaw's showroom designer Kevin C, a healthy dose of nature's natural rotting efforts and mua'.

Kevin dropped by  a few weeks ago for a tour of the studio and to pick out some slabs for the project.  I kept showing him walnut and cherry, and seemed to be drawn to these beautifully organic, somewhat "spoiled" oak slabs. 

And, now that it's all coming together, I have to say his instincts were spot on. This organic, three way collaboration worked, and now every time I see another of these "organic slabs" I'm looking for the perfect place for it.  I'll be sure to take more pics when the piece is completed.

a collaboration with a few of god's little "artists"

Just like what must have been a mistake by first  vintners - with sour grapes, some of the most wonderful advances must have been derived from pure flukes and "mistakes".  Here's a simple example, that's quite close to home.

We are a small shop.  Just like most, we have a lot to do with not enough time or folks to do it.  By completing every step of the furniture making process in house, starting with the log (with the exception of kiln drying) is more than a little time consuming.  And, it seems like the saw milling operation is the one that gets pushed back.  The result has been some beautiful, massive logs (in our parking log) have been all ready for milling for a few years.  But, just as untreated wood outdoors is supposed to do, it has been rotting and decaying.  And has been a thorn in my side many mornings as I drive past, seeing the decay, but without the time or man power to get back to it.

(I just took this pic this morning of some of the freshly revealed "collaborators" that have been hard at work here at RWF).

We recently, received another truckload of freshly kiln dried lumber.  Much of it had received the same (in)attention.  And, it is becoming some of our most saught after lumber.  It is quite amazing.  The added colors of the formation of the early rot process is nothing short of amazing.  And every once in a while a few or god's artists -worms - "collaborate" on the project as you see here.

On the other hand, there is a fine line between beautiful early rot, and total loss of structural integrity.

If you or your client is looking for a truely one of a kind piece for your home, we have a fresh shipment of locally sourced naturally "aged" oak slabs to choose from.

Next, I'll post a pic of a piece that's presently in the works that's made from one of these slabs.

Steve Jobs - "it just works" WWDC SF

If you weren't able to get out to SF for another WWDC event lead by (seemingly) master of all things cool, tech, business etc, the stream is now available.  And if you are an avid Apple/Steve Jobs fan as I am, it's more than worth the effort.  Even though Steve's been on health leave with all kinds of problems (including a liver transplant), looks like he (seemingly barely) and Apple computer continue to be ticking along.  I've always felt that Steve's computer interface was a work of art, and this art just keeps getting better.  So many great new features, but I think the new auto-backup (forgot the name) might be my fave. 

If you work with computers, you have experienced losing files and wondering just why you couldn't hit the command S keys!  Looks like never again.  It's using the technology, or at least the principle of Apple's Time Machine auto back up hard drive and software.

The "cloud's" been discussed for years.  Looks like Steve wanted to make sure he got it right, and it looks like he did.  He's got this massive futuristic looking data center somewhere in North Carolina just full of massive servers.  Really unbelievable.

Just the way the "cloud" will automatically sync all info on all of your devices is quite amazing.  Make a change on any of them, and the data gets pushed to the cloud, and then immediately pushed back down to each of your devices.  Totally transparently. 

So many more cool things with Lion and Ios5, but I've got to get back to work with this rinky dink old Macbook with osx 10.6.7

Hang in there Steve!  You are just getting better!

mattie's last frisbee

Friday my most loyal companion Mattie Wade had a little cyst smaller than a golf ball on her neck.  This morning it was more the size of a softball.  I hate losing a companion, but I'm so glad to be able to make the decision to allow her to be free from pain.  Seems like we deserve the same respect and options. 

This pic was taken this morning during her last walk in our neighborhood. 

It's embarrising just how attached we get to a goofy little dog.

yikes, my mac ain't back

I'm way behind on posts here, but here's the "skinny".  My Mac's been sitting at an Apple repair facility in Memphis for over a week - and I need it back!  Was hoping for today, but it's now looking like Monday.  I've had access to Linda's Macbook Air and her Ipad, but they don't have my suite of graphic design applications, plus, plus. 

Lots going on around here. The museum benches are looking great and will be completed next week.  Big marketing schedule changes.  The Let's Talk Tables Tour will not make it to Dallas and LA next month.  We will be making an announcement about it soon, but we've added the venues of the Atlanta Home Furnishings Market as well as the Las Vegas Furniture Markets in July.

We are working on the June issue of our newsletter, the MonoLOG, where you'll find an all new design, a strengthening green marketing partnership, the new show schedule, and more.

Centiva in Las Vegas

It was great to see Centiva, a wonderful green hometown company so well respresented in Las Vegas.  They have been making beautiful high end vinyl flooring in environmentally green ways for years.  Mayor Irons has suggested a couple of times that I meet these guys - particularly Thomas Trissl.  Well, he wasn't in Las Vegas this week but his company was so well represented in a beautiful, large booth.  Really funny to have to go to Las Vegas to meet these great guys.  But I look forward to seeing Leigh Wright, their senior designer as well as John Bonney when they get back to town. 

janus et cie in las vegas

JANUS et Cie in Las Vegas

I enjoy this California girl's cool modern outdoor vibe.  It was fun meeting Janice and hearing about and seeing her latest contemporary creations.  Janice, I look forward to seeing you again in High Point in the Fall!

my best travel tip yet - samsung rest area @ dfw

Samsung rest area at DFW

Our three leg table tour ran so smoothly, without a single hitch . . .  That is until I arrived back at DFW.  DFW is notorious for layover problems, primarily due to bad weather.  I'm a loyal American Airlines customer, have been since the late 80's and have flown thru DFW for years.  I've had layover's there, but with this 10 hour layover I just found this amazing little tip.

Samsung has a fairly private, very quiet, very comfy little lounge area with approx a dozen big, comfy leather recliners, each facing a crisp Samsung flat screen tv.  All you need to use it is ear phones.  Amazing that so many flights were delayed, thousands of folks were sleeping on the floor and in the little chairs all around, and this beautiful, clean, safe little piece of heaven had seating to spare.  This is one I hadn't heard about.  I don't think I'll forget it on the next layover in Dallas.

The Modern, super cool Aria Resort & Casino

 

Just before the housing bust, several quite amazing hotels were built in Las Vegas.  The Cosmopilitan seems to be getting most of the glory these days, but this super cool, super modern Aria is impressive.  The Aria Resort and Casino is just beautiful.  Great modern aesthetic.  Totally different than what you'd expect to see in Las Vegas.  And, with full disclosure in mind here;  I didn't stay here.  I opted to stay right across the street at Bill's Gambling Hall.  Which was a big savings from the $300 per night starting price tag of the Aria.  But with just completed remodeled rooms, for a starving artist watching his budget (who was traveling without Linda to Impress with just how cool I am - she know's better) was a great value.

The 2011 HD Expo Las Vegas

The HD Expo in Las Vegas is the primary venue for the Hospitality industry in the US.  They also have a smaller "Boutique" show in Miami that I haven't yet attended, but understand it's quite unique.  It's interesting to see several of the vendors that cross the street from the retail markets over into the very different hospitality market.  Great seeing local Alabamans (the very green Centiva) as well as friends from the High Point Markets (and possibly even family) Currey & Company showing quite well there.

The Textile Building NYC

Textiles have had such a tough time in the US, it's wonderful to see the Textile Building on 5th Ave still doing great business.  This pic was taken from the nice little coffee shop from across the street - a perfect spot to dry off and warm up before a meeting.

Interiors From Spain

It was great seeing lots of American designers during Design Week, but Design Week and ICFF are clearly international venues.  The most significant presence from a country was by far from Spain.  They leased massive floor space, and supplied many of Spain's best modern designer's with room for each of their showings.  Quite impressive.  It was also interesting that they seemingly had the same large presence with big sleek, modern booth at the HDexpo in Las Vegas.  What the heck is Spain up to?  I don't know, but their modern furnishings are quite impressive.

the pod hotel nyc

This (above) is a quick little tour of the entrance and lobby of this funky little Pod Hotel.

It was great fun to stay in this super cool little hotel in NYC during Design Week.  As I'm sure you know, NYC is one of the most expensive spots to stay - well at least in this country.  Typically, unless I'm willing to up my budget by a couple of hundred percent, the hotel (in NY) is not so great.

Well, in this case the compromise was the size of the room.  That's it!  And since I'm not a room lounger when I travel, this was the perfect compromise.  Location - amazing.  Service - couldn't be better.  Cool factor - over the top.  Shower - one of the best hotel shower's I've - well showered in.  With a handle for temp control, I felt right at home.  Great design, and it even had body sprays -- now I know how my car feels.  Clean factor - great. Can you see that the Reservations desk (above) is shimmering transluscent green??  And, one of my most important criteria - Quiet - Never heard a peep out of neighbors. 

Ok, so for the compromise.  It was the smallest room I've ever stayed in.  Really tiny.  Had a small, new flat screen built into the wall, and barely enough room for a built in desk and chair.  Perfectly clean.  Felt brand new.  I've already tried to book this place for ICFF 2012, but their computer isn't taking reservations yet. 

ICFF & Design Week NY

Design Week, and in particular ICFF was the most exciting venue I've experienced, well, certainly since the housing bust in 2007.  So many great designs, designers, excitement and enthusiasm in the air. 

And all this, in the setting of one of the best, most exciting cities in the world, made for a remarkable week.  Will follow with some details.