Florence Goes Green
I've been noticing this billboard on the way to work each morning. It's wonderful to see our city leaning toward/interested in their green efforts.
My optimistic side is pumped. So cool for the city to be thinking this direction. Just like probably all cities, Florence has sinned. Their awareness of the direction and the color to strive for is beautiful.
• Only two miles from Historic Downtown Florence.
• Proven to be pouring toxics into Cypress Creek.
• Destroying our most precious/most beautiful natural resource.
Florence Goes Green.
Jeez! Florence has a ways to go. I applaud every single effort. Baby steps will get us there. Lets all support every effort - certainly including this upcoming Cleanup effort.
Florence Goes Green
heavy organic oak desk
We got started on this oak desk today. After cutting the 9'+ 2 1/2" thick oak slab into the three sections, we just set it up to take a peak - for the first time it's out of my mind and into this universe as most of us know it.
I LOVe the way it's looking. Obviously the slabs need to be cleaned up more than a bit. There's lots of sanding to do. But the primary concern here is for the designer (Sheena) and her customer to decide if it's too organic for their modern setting, if it's too deep, and if we need to cut one side or (hopefully not both) sides square.
I was sick last time I was asked to cut the natural edges off a beautiful old massive slab. Ok, it was Rob Turner in Winter Park that had a vision of what he wanted in Phil Kean's amazing show home. And the end result, was more than amazing. Maybe breathtaking is more appropriate.
That was one custom piece for one custom home. And it really worked. But, generally, I still enjoy designing modern "organic" furniture - modern furniture with natural organic lines. I've been thinking about just what is the difference between organic modern and organic rustic design. It's really amazing how balance, sheen and symmetry all play a part. I'll be posting more details soon.
heavy organic oak desk
Received Squarespace6 beta last night
The New York based website development platform Squarespace has been instrumental in allowing me to efficiently add photo's, galleries, and blog posts with the ease of a click of the mouse (well trackpad).
I've been reading about thier (Squarespace') success. Venture capital cash flooded in a couple of years ago, they hired top notch programmers to build whatever they dreamed of.
Received Squarespace6 beta last night
Walking the Tupelo Furniture Market Tomorrow
Walking the Tupelo Furniture Market Tomorrow
Linda and I will be making the two hour drive tomorrow morning to walk the Tupelo Furniture Market. Although it's not exactly our market, we usually leave the show having learned a few things. I'm hoping to see continued (even if small) growth in American Manufacturing. We'll be stopping in to say hi to our friends with ShawLiving. And if you will be at the Market in the morning, I'd love to meet for a coffee or brief table talk. Just text or email me if you'll be in Tupelo tomorrow morning!
256.394.9868
robinwadefurniture(at)mac.com
Walking the Tupelo Furniture Market Tomorrow
Two Grammys to the Civil Wars!
Two Grammys to the Civil Wars!
There's gotta be something in the water around here. Another BIG instant success that we are going to claim as ours. Instant success I'm talking about is apparent. From what I hear it's after a lifetime of hard work. I have to admit that I haven't yet met (Nashville's?) Joy Williams or our local John Paul White. And now that they are famous, probably won't get a chance to. But that doesn't mean I'm not proud, and not gonna claim - Both of em.
Sooo cool that the shoals music traditions are continuing.
Two Grammys to the Civil Wars!
Alabama clearly represented at the New American Home party last night
Alabama clearly represented at the New American Home party last night
2012 New American Coffee Table
2012 New American Coffee Table
The smallest of our three featured pieces at the 2012 New American Home seemed right at Home at this week's annual NAHB show.
Made of sustainably harvested Alabama oak, this coffee table was custom designed for this amazing space. As you can see, the oak was beautifully partically spalted by nature - I havet't learned this technique - yet.
If you are on the fence about visiting this show, seeing this home is absolutely worth the trip. These guys got it right. Can't wait to get back over to the ShowHome again this afternoon. This time, I'll be taking more pics and plenty of notes.
2012 New American Coffee Table
2012 New American Desk
2012 New American Desk
During the tours of the 2012 New American Home in Winter Park yesterday, this modern walnut desk was getting some ooooh's and aaaaah's and lots of pics. Seemed to fit right in witht he super cool new age mid century modern design of the home.
Hope to be posting more pics this week.
2012 New American Desk
2012 New American Home
2012 New American Home
What a treat to finally view Phil Kean's New American Home in Winter Park yesterday. The BIG NAHB show is in full session here in Orlando.
Here are my first pics of the dining table we supplied. I think it's found the perfect home.
Will be uploading more pics soon.
2012 New American Home
I have never liked much about las vegas, but I'm beginning to love las vegas
I have never liked much about las vegas, but I'm beginning to love las vegas
For me, disliking las vegas has been quite, well, "organic" for me. It is a too bright example of some of man's worst creations. Obviously nothing real about it. It's driving force is greed. Attracting hurds of the masses in hopes of possibly hitting the jackpot. Then there are tourists everywhere you bump. Then there's the poor beautiful gals that arrive here to work their trade - not even thinking about waiting until dark.
Ok, back to my new found love of Las Vegas. Now that exhibited here for the my second market, and worked past my clear biases, It is, without now my favorite market city. It's really quite clear, and has almost everything to do with comfort and convenience;
Gotta get past the obvious first step, a pretty big negative though, the flight. It takes way too long (in a perfect world) to get here from Florence Alabama. I drive to Huntsville (East, the wrong way) take my all time favorite airline - American with a layover in Dallas, then finally to McCarran airport. Once I've landed, it's almost all downhill from here.
• Five minute shuttle to my Las Vegas home away from home "Bill's Gamblin' Hall" right in the middle of the strip. If there's a closer airport to a city I've ever flown into, I can't remember it.
• So many great hotels to choose from. Lot's of competition. And you can pay almost any price you want. (this subject deserves a few blog posts on it's own).
• From here, most of the many plusses of exhibiting/visiting the Las Vegas Market have to do with the over the top "customer service" provided by the Market itself as well as the wonderful facility.
• What a beautiful marketplace the World Market Center is. Built just before and possibly into the most recent crash, this three building (originally slated for 8?) structure is amazing. Compared with almost any or market, and particularly High Point (I love High Point, but not the convenience part) there's no comparison. Great conference rooms. The three buildings are right beside each other. They are new, and beautiful, and modern. Simply a pleasure to move around in.
• Now back to the customer service. The elevator operators, security personnel, information desk workers, even the bus transportation workers, are for the most part quite, well, "southern". Maybe they aren't quite up there with High Point, which I think are the friendliest people in the world, these guys might be running close behind.
• from the show hotels, each morning, there's always a bus waiting to take us 5 to 10 minute ride to the Market Center. And most of the time, it's one of the nicest, newest, cleanest busses there could be.
• As we get off the bus, we are greeted by smiles handing out water. Reminding us of the dry climate and certainly not wanting their guests to end up with parched lips.
• As we walk into the courtyard of the Market Center, there's beautiful white, modern outdoor decor throughout. Beautiful models handing out more water. More folks handing out breakfast sandwiches and coffee, as wells as apple, bananas and fruit.
• Some really nice presentations in all areas of our biz. Showroom design, social media, and always some old timer designer/guru's sharing their tricks of the trade. And during many of these there will be a meal served.
• After the show, it takes a bit longer to get back to my hotel. Instead of 10 minutes, maybe 20, just because of the route, dropping off at 3 or 4 other hotels along the way.
• So now I'm back at my little Las Vegas home away from home Bill's Gamblin' Hall. Where, as always I seem to be the only one doing no gambling. Well, that's not the only thing I seem to be the only one not doing. And, since I'm not, I'll be sure to blog about all this - what everyone else is doing in Vegas - in a future blog. Don't worry, no pics here.
I have never liked much about las vegas, but I'm beginning to love las vegas
Great traffic at Las Vegas Market
Great traffic at Las Vegas Market
So nice to see all the crowds of mostly positive happy buyers swarming the beautiful, modern Las Vegas Market. Although it's obviously slowed down a good bit today, looks like most vendors have been quite busy.
I'm enjoying the Vegas market more and more. It's quickly becoming my favorite market venue.
Great traffic at Las Vegas Market
Inside Chihuly in Las Vegas
Inside Chihuly in Las Vegas
This is the first morning of the Las Vegas Market that hasn't begun with massive traffic. Hopefully I can get caught up with a few blog posts before the crowds return to this exceptional market. I love walking through the Chihuly showroom. Wanted to take a video of the walk through, but security put an immediate halt to that idea.
Here I took mostly "inside the vase" pics - just with my iphone.
Inside Chihuly in Las Vegas
I don't think this slab's dry yet
I don't think this slab's dry yet
Just took this quick shot in our parking lot that's been converted to a lumber yard. We cut this slab earlier in the fall, but never got a chance to move it undercover. This mushroom seems to really like the environment around here, but I'm not sure if the slab does.
I don't think this slab's dry yet
The city is finally rethinking our killer low-head dam
The city is finally rethinking our killer low-head dam
I don't know exactly, but it's been around 30 year's since the city, without authorization, built this killing machine of a low-head dam on Cypress Creek. I say approximately 30 year's because it was back in the late '70s - through the early 80's that we held the Great Cypress Creek Raft Race each summer.
We had hundreds of rafter's joining the fun. Mostly locals, but also lots of folks and distant family/friends from all over the country. Then the city built the dam without the proper approvals.
Originally when I first heard rumors of rafter's that were "held under" after falling out of their raft on the lower side of the dam - I didn't really believe them. The next year after the race began, Dad and I ran down to the dam to see for ourselves. Although we saw lots. Lots of beer falling out of coolers - remember it was a dry county then. Lots of partiers on a single raft (seems like First National Bank had over a hundred on one raft-well their accountant promised it was one raft) and lots of other things that was quite interesting to a young college kid. But we didn't see anyone being pulled under.
But we did have contestants every year get hurt. Usually had an ambulance taking someone to the emergency room, but fortunately nothing really serious.
Due to continued reports of the dams "almost killing" our raft race contestants, we finally, after so many years of great fun, had to close the doors to the Great Cypress Creek Raft Race.
But through the years, this illegal low-head dam has become and continued to be a killer. And, now 30 years after the city built it, they are beginning to take a look at how to make it safer.
I personally think they should blow it up, and allow the creek to run free again. Well, at least keep the idea on the table. Really quite amazing that our city council has been able to agree (without their famous two to two tie) on anything.
Cypress Creek is/was one of the best, most beautiful assets we have. Lets work to get it back. The way it was when we were kids. Obviously we have another issue to address here.
The city is finally rethinking our killer low-head dam
The Phil Campbell table
The Phil Campbell table
Very much like the recovery efforts so far in Phil Campbell, kinda like our favorite past time down here, the table making process has begun, but as always has been SLOW.
Here are a couple of pics of the table at this stage of the process. The slabs are right where we left them after milling them into natural edge lumber back in September. They need to air dry until the internal moisture content gets pretty close to 30%, before they'll be ready for the kiln. I did cut them a bit thinner than usual - but they've still got quite a ways to go.
Although this looks like a lot of lumber, possibly similar to the state that Phil Campbell's presently in, the middle of these slabs (the log) was quite rotten. I'm confident that it's going to make an amazingly beautiful piece of functional art - but at this point, it could go one of several directions. Stay tuned.
The Phil Campbell table
Phil Campbell to be showcased on Oprah Tuesday
Phil Campbell to be showcased on Oprah Tuesday
It looks like it's really gonna happen. The OWN network sent a film crew, reporters, producers down here in September and filmed lots of interviews. They said it would be aired after the first of the year. And now, it's looking like it might be true. Our dear friends right down the road in Phil Campbell are needing all the help they can get. Although they received immediate coverage from the major networks right after the April tornadoes, it seems that they have been in limbo lately. Their recovery has been too slow.
And, I think what drew Oprah's interest is very much what drew my own. This odd circumstance of all these folks from around the country and world that are named Phil Campbell - working together to help their namesake town. Thank God for Phil Campbell! And, thank God for Oprah.
Phil Campbell to be showcased on Oprah Tuesday
Red Tails - good movie - Great story for Alabama
Red Tails - good movie - Great story for Alabama
Linda and I enjoyed a leisurely afternoon yesterday, beating the cold windy day with a movie. What a great story of the brave Alabama airmen. But, it just wet my appetite to know more. More about just how this test group of airmen ended up in Tuskegee Alabama.
And the fight scenes were quite amazing.
Alabama gets so much bad press - much of it deserved. I'm the first to point out the idiots in this state. But I'm certainly on the lookout for wonderful, positive stories where Alabama's do the right thing, and sometimes make a difference.
If you haven't seen it yet, this one's more than worth the $7 bucks.
Red Tails - good movie - Great story for Alabama
Google doodle's a message
Google doodle's a message
I haven't before noticed a Google doodle that was so clearly in their self interest. But then again, they aren't saying much - or are they?
Google doodle's a message
love this german take on led
love this german take on led
As I was driving through atlanta's version 2.0 of the american rat race (400), I had a few seconds of peace, enjoying the beautifully simple design of this Audi's parking lights.
love this german take on led
in our workshop today
In our workshop today
Several beautiful "SuperNatural" oak candidates back in the shop today. If they look similar to some we made recently - they should. These three pieces are made also made from the Barton Hall project from 2007.
This second pic is the right half of a slab that had a natural split all the way through this slab. Nature seemed to have wanted the split, and that's the way we are going to leave it - in the form of a dining table top.
I'll try to take more pics as these pieces progress.