Author: Nicole Karr

Walnut Wall Bed

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Here is a sketch for the next job, a Walnut wall bed going into an addition on an old stone farmhouse in Churchville, Pennsylvania.

This piece is for designer Adele Danziger, a former RN who specializes in Universal Access Home Design, or making the home more accessible for people of various abilities, age, and physical abilities.

To the right of the bed there will be several adjustable shelves and underneath is a roll-out cart on fixed casters, with a pullout surface. The top rail of the bed flips up to become the foot that  it rests on when it is folded down from the wall. The end of the piece will be paneled by the doorway, to match the piece. This built-in will be sharing the room with walnut furniture by George Nakashima! We think that’s pretty special.

East Side Wall Bed and Office

This wallbed, bookcase, and desk are being delivered in Manhattan this morning. The client wanted a full-size fold down bed and an office that would go with her existing modern Cherry kitchen as well as her more traditional craftsman oak furniture.  The bookcase features adjustable shelves and three dovetailed drawers on soft closing slides. The arch pulls are by Lee Valley. The bookcase and desk are freestanding so that they may be moved if need arises. The trim mimics the trim on the kitchen cabinets.

The desk features decorative corbels, an expansive pencil drawer, and a legal file drawer. It also has a hidden shelf in the back. The Maple wood is stained a rich saddle leather tone that is between cherry and oak. All the surfaces were waxed before we carefully wrapped and loaded it all up for delivery today.

Truly Custom Cabinetry

There are plenty of companies out there saying that they offer “custom cabinetry”. This term is often a misnomer, and disingenuous. They may offer myriad options, charts for door style and finish, but the experience and product they are selling really is NOT custom. It is stock cabinetry, made in a factory.

When you work with the Springhouse Shop & Studio, the experience is completely tailored to your home and your tastes. We listen to your needs, and take a look at your existing woodworking and furniture to understand the aesthetic of the whole space. Every client is different, thus each project is unique, reflecting the individual(s) who commissioned the work.

We offer hand rendered design drawings, so that we can be on the same page, visually, when it comes to the look of your woodwork.

Each job begins with a trip to the lumber mill and/ or a call to the hardwood plywood supplier. We choose from several sawmills around the state to source beautiful Pennsylvania lumber. Specialists carry imported logs, when a client requests that. One small husband and wife operated sawmill outside of Philadelphia carries wood from what is referred to as “urban logging”. This means that the trees are often old growth specimens from the city and surrounds, most of which have come down due to storms. The lumber is special because of its age and provenance. Sustainability is important to us, and we feel good about utilizing local lumber. We use FSC-certified furniture grade veneer products. Columbia Forest has engineered PureBond plywood, containing only soy-based and formaldehyde-free adhesives. When plywood is used to construct cabinets in our woodshop, the backs are 1/2”, the sides are 3/4”, and the cases are dadoed and glued together. Our work is built to last.

Finishing is also custom. Clients can choose from food-grade hand-applied oils and waxes, durable catalyzed lacquers and varnishes, and paint of any color or sheen. The possibilities are truly endless. The consistent element is attention to detail and handcrafted quality.

These pictures are from an audiophile’s spectacular basement in West Chester, PA.

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Drawings for Murphy Bed with Home Office

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After a site visit in Manhattan to measure the space and discuss the project, these are the drawings for a guest bedroom Muphy bed with home office.

The client has asked that the desk  and bookcase be removable so that she can take them with her if she moves. This job will be a stained to harmonize with the existing woodworking, and the trim will be adapted to mimic the kitchen cabinets.

Whitewashed Four Post Bed

Earlier this month, Adam delivered and set up this custom queen sized whitewashed four post bed, just in time for the homeowner to host a family wedding (in Orange County, New York).

The client desired a simple looking bed with no canopy and substantial, chunky 3” posts with tapered legs. The tear drop shaped bolt-covers blend right in with the legs, which were constructed of figured Quilted Sycamore. The remainder of the bed is Maple, and a bit of wood grain shows through the finish.

West End Mudroom

Yesterday, Adam installed a large Ash mudroom built-in in Manhattan. The entrance to this two floor apartment will be far more useful to the family of four who call this beautiful space home.

With adjustable shoe storage, a long bench to sit on, cubbies with hooks, and upper cabinets, this piece will provide a place to stash just about everything.

In the Shop: Poster Bed

This New York client asked for a four post bed with chunky posts and no canopy or finials. Something austere, like Shaker furniture.

The custom Queen sized bed is constructed from Maple with Quilted Sycamore posts and a classically curved headboard. The finish will be a whitewash with some grain showing through and highlights of bare wood exposed.

In the Shop: Credenza

The custom French Walnut Credenza in the shop was inspired by this piece.

Filled with delightful swirling grain, the credenza’s stunning slab lumber was sourced from a single tree cut into flitches by specialists in imported and figured logs.

The three doors slide to reveal an adjustable shelf. It will make quite a statement in its Philadelphia home.

This piece has been described as a low console table, or a credenza.

According to Wikipedia, “Originally in Italian, the name meant belief. In the 16th century the act of credenza was the tasting of food and drinks by a servant for a lord or other important person (such as the pope or a cardinal) in order to test for poison. The name passed then to the room where the act took place, then to the furniture.”

Antiqued King Platform Bed with Storage

This king sized platform bed with six storage drawers turned out beautifully. The wood has been carefully antiqued and stained a dark chocolate tone. It features raised panels with beaded openings, a molding at the floor, and rounded corners with a cove detail that highlights the grain pattern in the Sassafras wood. All of the edges have been eased and softened to prevent bruised shins- some modern platform beds can be mildly dangerous with the exposed sharp corners. The client chose oil rubbed bronze 4” pulls which look perfect with the color of the bed. There are inserts for a couple of the drawers to provide smaller storage nooks in top of the deep storage spaces.

The client wrote, “Its stunning and perfect and we couldn’t be happier – beyond our expectations, truly. Thank you!!!” (E.B., Staten Island)