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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Reception Desk Dimensions: Counter Heights, Depth and Accessibility
Typical dimensions for custom reception and front desks in offices, hotels and clinics: transaction counter height, work surface height, depth, knee space and accessible counters.
What Drives the Cost of Custom Commercial Millwork
The factors that move the price of custom millwork for restaurants, offices and hotels: scope, wood species, joinery, finish, curves, hardware, site conditions and schedule.
How a Custom Millwork Project Works: From Drawings to Install
A step-by-step look at how a custom millwork project moves through our shop, from the first conversation and site measurement to fabrication and installation.
White Oak vs. Walnut vs. Cherry: Choosing Wood for Commercial Millwork
How white oak, walnut and cherry compare for restaurants, offices and homes: hardness, moisture resistance, color and how each wood ages.
