A TV Wall That Hides: White Oak Built-in with Sliding Doors
How we built a white oak media wall with arched shelves and slatted sliding doors that hide either the TV or the arches, on Häfele hardware with a white Rubio Monocoat finish.
Designing a 14-Foot Sapele Library Wall with a Hidden Mini-Split
How we designed and built a 14-foot sapele bookcase and cabinet wall with push-to-open doors, a slim border on every door and a mini-split hidden behind a Blum SERVO-DRIVE door.
Wood vs. Plastic Kids Furniture: Why Solid Wood Is Worth It
Plastic kids furniture is cheap and everywhere, but solid wood lasts longer, looks better in your home and can be handed down. Here is how they compare.
How Custom HPL Millwork Is Priced for Commercial Projects
What drives the price of high-pressure laminate (HPL) casework, counters and wall panels in commercial millwork: laminate grade and design, substrate, edges, seams, cutouts and installation.
Furniture for Two Michelin-Starred Sacramento Restaurants: The Kitchen and Localis
How we built white oak furniture for The Kitchen and Claro walnut tables, a serving bar and host stand for Localis, two Sacramento restaurants with a star in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide California.
How to Care for a Solid Wood Dining Table
Simple care for solid wood dining tables: daily cleaning, spills and heat, humidity and sunlight, and how to maintain oil and film finishes so the table lasts for generations.
Wood Slat Walls and Paneling for Commercial Interiors
How wood slat walls, screens and wall paneling work in restaurants, offices and homes: spacing, species, acoustics, lighting and installation details.
Restaurant Host Stand Design: Size, Height and Features
How to plan a custom restaurant host stand: typical height and footprint, storage, power for tablets and POS, materials and how to make it fit your dining room.
Bar Stool Height Guide: Matching Stools to Bars and Counters
How to choose bar stool and counter stool heights: standard bar and counter heights, seat-to-top clearance, footrest height and how much space to leave per stool.
Restaurant Booth Dimensions: Sizes for 2, 4 and 6 People
Typical restaurant booth dimensions: booth length for 2, 4 and 6 guests, seat height and depth, back height, table size and the space a booth takes on the floor plan.
How to Choose a Custom Millwork Shop: Questions to Ask
The questions to ask before hiring a custom millwork or furniture shop for a restaurant, office or home: portfolio, in-house capabilities, process, schedule and communication.
Millwork vs. Casework vs. Finish Carpentry: What's the Difference?
Plain-language definitions of architectural millwork, commercial casework, finish carpentry and custom furniture, and which kind of shop to call for each.
Restaurant Seating Capacity: How Many Seats Fit in Your Dining Room
Rules of thumb for planning restaurant seating: square feet per seat by restaurant type, aisle widths, table sizes and how banquettes affect capacity.
Banquettes vs. Booths vs. Chairs: Choosing Restaurant Seating
How banquettes, booths and freestanding chairs compare for restaurants and cafés: capacity, flexibility, comfort, cost and how to mix them in one room.
Quartersawn vs. Rift Sawn vs. Plain Sawn White Oak
What quartersawn, rift sawn and plain sawn white oak look like, how they differ in stability and cost, and where each works best in furniture and millwork.
Restaurant Build-Out: When to Order Custom Furniture and Millwork
When to bring a millwork shop into a restaurant or café build-out, what to have ready, and how to keep custom furniture and millwork from delaying your opening.
Hardwax Oil vs. Polyurethane: Choosing a Finish for Wood Furniture and Millwork
How hardwax oil and polyurethane finishes compare on durability, feel, repair and maintenance, and which one fits tables, bar tops, banquettes and built-ins.
Dining Table Size Guide: How Big a Table for 4, 6, 8 or 10 People
How to size a dining table for your room and the number of people you want to seat, with typical dimensions for rectangular, round and oval tables and the clearances you need.
Coffee Shop Counter Design: Heights, Layout and Materials
How to plan a coffee shop or café counter: counter and pickup heights, depth, layout around the espresso machine, pastry cases, accessibility and durable materials.
Wood Bar Tops for Restaurants and Bars: Species, Finishes and Care
How to choose a wood bar top for a restaurant or bar: the best species, thickness and overhang, edge profiles, finishes that hold up to spills, and how to care for it.