Good morning, I am penning this blog post about how your home can become your Castle through thoughtful interior design. It’s about you collecting things you enjoy that reflect who you are. When I am in a design meeting with a client, I am always looking around their home to see what they are collecting and what their style is, and what they seem to like in terms of materials. As I talk to them, I get a sense of their personality, which tells me whether they’re artistic or more simple in their tastes. I also get information about how they feel about their current home, so I know how to address any problems they might have with the space. I, in turn, look to see what storage solution they are seeking or use for the desired piece of furniture they would like me to create. I often see furniture from stores as really lifeless in my eyes. I can’t explain it, but there seems to be no energy to the piece. Yes, as a future maker, I am a little biased. Furniture isn’t just about function; it also has an artistic side.

Take, for instance, a monotonous, unarchitectured table next to a chair versus a table that is rather two-toned or has marquetry. Your eye is attracted to the latter. You get the sense to really examine it, touch it, and explore the marquetry. Then there is the life it gives off to the room it sits in. It has you start a conversation about its creation and the artist who made it. That, in turn, is giving you a sense of pride of ownership in that piece. This is how furniture is supposed to be: not just something that functions, but something that brings life to your home. In the end, that is what we want our home to be, an extension of us, so when we invite our friends into it, they understand us and see us outside of our working world. So next time you are looking for a table or a piece of wood furniture that you want to make a statement, always consider commissioning a piece; it brings a sense of humanity into your world and helps support art and culture. If you’re interested in commissioning me, email me for more information: a.woodworks@hotmail.com