I recently finished a built-in home office desk made from one of my favorite woods: Cherry. Look at that color!

While I was building it, I had ample time to contemplate the things that set custom-made furniture apart from pre-made pieces. One thing that makes this piece special is the care that I used when I was choosing each piece of wood.

Cherrywood has a LOT of variation, as you can see even in these unfinished boards.

The big left-hand board is fairly bland, while the one right next to it has an arrow-like pattern of ribboning. (This is another reason I love cherry... it can have a lot of depth and interest in the grain.)

As I added the first coats of poly, you could really see the difference.

When I built the drawers, I chose pieces that made a continuous wrap-around pattern, so they're as pretty on the inside as they are on the outside.

The sides of the desk also wrap around to match the header.

I got an especially pretty piece for the top. It's hard to get photos of wood grain, so you'll just have to use your imagination when I say that it had complex patterns that threw back gleams of light.

The desk really transformed the wall, which went from small and bland...

... to big and bold!

The cherrywood will darken over time and become redder as well, so this desk will just get better with age.

If your home office could use a little pizzazz, we can do that for you. And we'll pay attention to all the little details, too.

... ESPECIALLY if you already love white rooms.

But before I show it off, allow me a quick comment. In the past decade or so we've seen a lot of people paint their furniture, especially those who prefer airy, contemporary rooms in a neutral palette. And don't get me wrong... I love painted furniture and some of my favorite projects have been painted plain white.

But dark, rich brown wood has its place in light-colored rooms. It makes a beautiful foil against the white walls, and it can have complex grains which bring texture and interest to what would otherwise be a bland space.

Walnut is one of my favorite dark woods. It's got a chocolatey purple undertone and a grain pattern which, while subtle compared to oak, can often include arched patterns that add an Art Deco touch.

​Case in point: our latest project.

A custom built-in AV cabinet in a bright, contemporary living room.

Or do you like it better without doors?

It's really hard to capture the beauty of this wood in a photograph, because grain patterns move with the light. They glimmer and shimmer.

​But here's my best attempt:

There's a satiny ribbon effect that really catches the eye.

By the way, the shelves are adjustable in height to allow you to store larger items like stereo equipment or a hidden TV. I love the versatility of this piece. It could be a pantry, a clothes closet, a display case... you name it.

And it's eight feet tall and four feet wide, so it's much more substantial in real life.

If you've got a modern room that needs a little architectural interest, give us a call. We'll help you design a piece that changes your space... and lets you store all your stuff out of sight... so you can live a clutter-free, stress-free life.

Remember these offset library shelves with the integrated brass lights and the flip-top windowseat?

Well, I got the chance to stop by and take a few photos with all the books in them, and they look fantastic. Move over, House Beautiful!

The shelves now house a themed book collection containing biographies of every American President to date. And of course, a comfortable chair with a reading light so you can peruse them at your leisure.

On the other side, the homeowner has added cushions to the windowseat:

(And a very nice light fixture overhead.)

I'm always gratified to see how my customers style my furniture once I leave. People in Asheville have such good taste.

If you're ready to transform a room to something you might see in a magazine, give us a call. We'll help you take your home to the next level.

This was a small job with a big impact: open shelving for a chef who was updating her kitchen. Let's start with the glamour photo so you can see what we made for our customer.

We actually built these a few months ago, but we've been waiting to get a photo of the finished kitchen.

Check out the "before" photo. Wow, those cabinets sure are orange!

Our client was already remodeling when she called us. She had installed a new tile backsplash and was about to paint her kitchen cabinets.

She also wanted to expand the kitchen peninsula to include an end unit that would hold small appliances like her stand mixer. Since she couldn't find what she needed online, she had us build the custom piece which you can see above.

Soon after we installed the cabinet, she replaced the countertop with a larger slab that extended over the new shelves.

As you can see, the kitchen also lacked open storage for spices and ingredients, which is important when you need to quickly grab a pinch of something to spice up a recipe.

We worked together to design a wall unit that was just deep enough to hold a row of Mason jars, but not so deep that it would get in the way when people walked through the room.

It was still summer time when we built these, so we took advantage of the sunny weather and worked outside.

Faith recorded a video of me making the final touches to the cabinet finish. This is the difference between custom made furniture and the stuff you get from a factory: I personally go over every surface to make sure the finish is perfectly smooth and all of the joints are seamless.

Even in a closeup photo, you can't see any seams at the joints. It's one solid unit.

If you need a special storage unit and you just can't find what you need online, we can design and build a piece that's just right for your home.