contemporary boxes inspired by classic design
There's a reason why some furniture survives the ebb and flow of design trends, while other pieces get sent to the attic, garage, or thrown out. Furniture endures because of it's bones: perfect proportions, elegant lines, beautiful wood, and excellent craftsmanship. These are the features of classic design that I attempt to rework with a modern sensibility when making a box. The lines are clean, and there is minimal decoration, but there are good bones. Simple and elegant, a combination that survives the whims of fashion.
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Box with two compartments
Cherry, Spruce, Cocobolo 2 in. x 5 in. x 8 in. I've always found bento boxes beautiful. It's the geometric patterns created by their partitions that are most appealing to me. That's where this box came from. I paired the earthy reddish-browns of the cherry sides with the warm glow of reclaimed spruce, sawn to expose the same tight, straight grain found on the cherry. The padded inserts are a bold, modern blue fabric that pops when the box is opened. The bottom lifts the box slightly off the surface, creating a nice shadow line beneath the box and giving it a sense of lightness.
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Shaker round barn boxes
North American hardwoods, milk paint diameter: 2.5 in., 3 in., 4 in. These boxes were inspired by the round barn at Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Mass. They combine the natural beauty of North American hardwoods like cherry and walnut with the warmth of Shaker-inspired milk paints. The pulls are turned from a variety of woods—apple, cocobolo and wenge being my favorites. The inside of the box is left unfinished.
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Two boxes on a tray
Walnut, white oak, wedge small box: 2 in. x 2.5 in. by 4 in. smaller box: 2 in. x 2.5 in. by 3 in. Bento boxes were the inspiration here, too. The chocolate brown of the walnut box sides is a the perfect frame for the ray-fleck grain of the quartersawn white oak lids. The grain on each box wraps continuously around all four corners. It also flows seamlessly from one box to the other. Vintage fabric over padded inserts soften the box interiors, making them a nice resting places for rings and other small valuables.
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Box with two compartments
Maple, madrone 2 in. x 5 in. x 8 in. A stunning piece of madrone, a wood native to the Pacific Northwest, is the focal point of this box. The pull for each lid was moved to the front of the box to leave the madrone's beauty undisturbed. The lifts, like the box sides, are made from hard maple with tight, straight grain
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Box with hinged lid and trays
Cherry, spruce, cocobolo The tight, straight grain of the riftsawn cherry sides flows continuously around the box, complimenting the box's rectilinear proportions. The lid panel and trays are spruce. Tight pin knots in the spruce introduce just the right amount of organic irregularity. Made from cocobolo, the lift is fully mortised into the top, and has a gentle taper, creating a comfortable grip for your fingers. Solid brass hinges with an integral stop hold the lid open just a bit past vertical.
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