Perhaps our largest project to date. This home is the hills of Oakland has great bones but was victim of a very 90's looking remodel done by the previous owners. We gutted just about everything. We really wanted to bring a more open feel to the floor plan and bring in some much needed light to the back corner of the kitchen. We replaced the vinyl windows with larger, wood frame windows and replaced the slider with a 10' wide folding door which was also 6" taller. Next we added a large Ipe deck, bringing an integrated feel from the inside to the outside. Aside from the hardwood flooring, all work was designed and built by myself and Dan. 

This mid-century home nestled in the Oakland Hills suffered a bad bathroom re-model in the late 1990’s. While it had good bones, it needed some serious rethinking. After gutting the entire space,we moved the floor plan around, installed all new lighting, radiant heating in the floors, installed all new wall and floor tile and added a 6 foot tall window to bring in more natural light. For cabinetry, I really wanted to run with the mid-century modern theme using, walnut throughout. I custom made a double sink floating vanity with a marble top, his and hers medicine cabinets with A/C outlets inside for toothbrush and/or razor charging, a pony wall for the tub and made solid walnut flush mount baseboards which look very unique and eliminate the need to ever dust the tops.

Design by Destination Eichler. Work performed by Verksted and Daniel Awand Build/Design.

Design by Destination Eichler. Work performed by Verksted and Daniel Awand Build/Design.

Despite having adequate square footage, the original 1940’s design of this bathroom felt terribly cramped. What we envisioned for all that space was a very clean, modern spa feel. We did away with the shower enclosure completely and created a curbless walk in shower space. To keep the space feeling open,  I built a walnut floating mantle for the sink area. In the shower area I made a removable bench out of solid teak.

In the kitchen, we removed the existing wall separating it from the living room. To stay with building code we were required to leave 18” of the existing wall. Instead of thinking of it as an eyesore we decided to make it look intentional by wrapping it in walnut. I then built a floating butcher block dining table with steel hairpin legs which connects the kitchen and dining room, which really opens the space for entertaining.

The original layout of the kitchen in this Alamo Square Park home felt pretty open. It was however, looking rather dated and was lacking adequate counter space for cooking. To remedy this, we replaced the old refrigerator with a new, counter-depth model and moved it’s location to the other side of the kitchen which had some extra space. In doing so, we freed up space next to the stove to add some cabinetry and much needed counter space. We made a custom panel for the refrigerator door which matches the cabinetry. Our client grew up on a farm in the mid-west but she really likes modern design. Taking this into consideration we made the cabinet doors in a shaker style, with glass doors on the uppers. We also used a farm house sink and Calcatta marble for the countertops.  

For this project, the biggest challenge we had was square footage or lack thereof. With such a small footprint, we felt it was essential to keep as many things off the floor as possible. This lets the eye see all the way to the bottom of the wall, making the footprint of the room look larger. I kept the sink area light and airy by building a floating shelf to carry the sink. To supplement the lack of storage, I built a tall, “coffin” style cabinet. We recessed the cabinet 6” into the wall, making a full 10” depth for storage of towels and such. Rather than build a large pony wall from the foot of the tub, I made a panel which has storage as well. Lastly, we decided a barn door was the best option for saving space, so keeping with the look, I faced a solid core door with walnut and installed a flush mount, full length mirror.

These were a special project for the grand re-opening of SF MOMA. Made with only 3 ingredients - solid American birch, maple and glue. No fasteners or metal of any kind. No plywood was used. Finished in Rubio Monocoat. 

The book bench is born from a one-inch solid piece of FSC-certified lumber, hand-picked for color and consistency of grain. The lumber is then planed down to just shy of ¾”, giving it a slightly more airy feel. Next the boards travel through the jointer, becoming straight and true before being adjoined side-by-side using mortise and tenon, which creates the top and legs of the bench. Screws and nails are forgone in this traditional method involving only wood and glue.

Once the boards are properly sized, they go through a rigorous smoothing process with the use of scrapers and fine grit sandpaper. We chose finger joints for the bench because they offer both strength and symmetrical beauty to the corners of the bench. Ours are done one at a time with a combination of a router and hand tools. During final assembly, 15 clamps hold everything perfectly in place while the glue sets. Finally, a special no-VOC, non-toxic, one-coat finish is rubbed on and buffed out by hand. The end result is a beautiful bench that is highly resistant to moisture and will last a lifetime.

Email for pricing.

The book stool is born from a one-inch solid piece of FSC-certified lumber, hand-picked for color and consistency of grain. The lumber is then planed down to just shy of ¾”, giving it a slightly more airy feel. Next the boards travel through the jointer, becoming straight and true before being adjoined side-by-side using mortise and tenon, which creates the top and legs of the bench. Screws and nails are forgone in this traditional method involving only wood and glue.

Once the boards are properly sized, they go through a rigorous smoothing process with the use of scrapers and fine grit sandpaper. We chose finger joints for the stool because they offer both strength and symmetrical beauty to the corners of the bench. Ours are done one at a time with a combination of a router and hand tools. During final assembly, 15 clamps hold everything perfectly in place while the glue sets. Finally, a special no-VOC, non-toxic, one-coat finish is rubbed on and buffed out by hand. The end result is a beautiful bench that is highly resistant to moisture and will last a lifetime.

Email for pricing.

The LBR bench is born from a one-inch solid piece of FSC-certified lumber, hand-picked for color and consistency of grain. The lumber is then planed down to just shy of ¾”, giving it a slightly more airy feel. Next the boards travel through the jointer, becoming straight and true before being adjoined side-by-side using mortise and tenon, which creates the top and legs of the bench. Screws and nails are forgone in this traditional method involving only wood and glue.

Once the boards are properly sized, they go through a rigorous smoothing process with the use of scrapers and fine grit sandpaper. We chose finger joints for the bench because they offer both strength and symmetrical beauty to the corners of the bench. Ours are done one at a time with a combination of a router and hand tools. During final assembly, 15 clamps hold everything perfectly in place while the glue sets. Finally, a special no-VOC, non-toxic, one-coat finish is rubbed on and buffed out by hand. The end result is a beautiful bench that is highly resistant to moisture and will last a lifetime.

Email for pricing.

The book stool is born from a one-inch solid piece of FSC-certified lumber, hand-picked for color and consistency of grain. The lumber is then planed down to just shy of ¾”, giving it a slightly more airy feel. Next the boards travel through the jointer, becoming straight and true before being adjoined side-by-side using mortise and tenon, which creates the top and legs of the bench. Screws and nails are forgone in this traditional method involving only wood and glue.

Once the boards are properly sized, they go through a rigorous smoothing process with the use of scrapers and fine grit sandpaper. We chose finger joints for the stool because they offer both strength and symmetrical beauty to the corners of the bench. Ours are done one at a time with a combination of a router and hand tools. During final assembly, 15 clamps hold everything perfectly in place while the glue sets. Finally, a special no-VOC, non-toxic, one-coat finish is rubbed on and buffed out by hand. The end result is a beautiful bench that is highly resistant to moisture and will last a lifetime.

Email for pricing. 

Custom bathroom vanities in rift-sawn white oak.

This table is made from a single piece of hickory, split and bookmatched with hand welded steel legs in flat black lacquer. 

These were for a bathroom remodel project in Grass Valley, CA. 

My version of an Ikea hack. Made from Ikea butcher block and handmade steel cross-braces. I utilized the classic finger joint for strength. They were custom made to match a floating dining table I made for the Graystone Terrace project.

Between projects I’m often working on new design ideas. I sometimes think best when my hands are busy doing a simple task. With all the nice hardwood scraps laying around the shop, I just can’t resist carving out some different spoon shapes.

The inspiration to start making cutting boards came from my friend Masato and his love of charcuterie. I wanted to make a gift for him but it needed to stand out, not be just another cutting board.  I had some nice decent sized scraps at the shop and decided on a 50/50 split using walnut and hickory. Happy with the results, I decided try for even more contrast so I also made some from wenge and curly maple. There are a few variations on the theme, some with brass handles.

This was a gift for some close friends of mine. I was so busy at the time that I didn't get any high-quality photos. I'll replace them later. The crib itself breaks down flat and requires no tools for assembly. I used a zero voc finish that is 100% non-toxic and  birch plywood without any formaldehyde or harmful chemicals.  I can custom make these in maple, birch, walnut, teak, mahogany or vertical grain douglas fir. Email for pricing.

Teak Ply with solid wenge inlay. Perfect for storing your 7" vinyl records. Can be custom made in any available ply or solid wood. Email for pricing.