Wood Generations

Overview Continued

Overview

After serving the commercial store fixture market for several years, I left to find more challenging projects in the custom residential market. In the year 2000, I registered Wood Generations as a sole proprietorship, and started serving my clients as a custom cabinetmaker.

From the start, I've been on a challenging road. Defining my goals for design practice, manufacturing methods, and ecological responsibility has been an evolving process for over a decade. Currently, I work with a set of criteria that suit my goals and philosophy.

Good design should last. To me, that means that things should work as they are intended to, and the casework I build should be durable. Function should not be sacrificed on the altar of fashion and trend, but the millwork that helps order your life should be pleasing to the eye and hand as well. I'm not in the business of change for quick sale, or cosmetic alterations to turn a quick profit. My goal is to work with my clients, to produce cabinetry that works with them and fits their sense of style, cabinetry that will serve them for a generation or more.

The majority of goods these days seem to be stamped out by cookie cutters. Design is often subordinated to ease of machine manufacture and a minimum of skilled hand work. I use machinery where it is most suited, and hand work where fine details are needed. This gives me the freedom to design what works best, and use the best combination of machine and hand skills to bring projects to life. I keep abreast of innovation, and bring new technologies in where they enhance production, but won't discard a useful tool or technique simply for the sake of progress. Sometimes we have to move backward a little, to move forward.

I use a combination of solid wood, and engineered wood products. Each has its place, and serves a different function. Solid wood lends itself well to shaping, moulding details and structure. Plywoods and particle boards are very stable, and work well to provide large flat surfaces for working and defining spaces. If used appropriately, the combination will provide a better and more durable cabinet than either would alone.

Great strides have been made in the durability and function of cabinet hardware. I predominantly rely on Blum hardware for hinges, drawer slides and opening systems. I have also had great success with other European hardware for organizing space.

Cabinetmaking has the potential to be a very environmentally friendly trade. Properly managed, forests and wood products are endlessly renewable. I promote the use of domestic woods sourced from local mills wherever possible. I also give preference to Forest Stewardship Council certified products.

New technologies are producing water based and low VOC finishes. While water based finishes have had problems in the past, the newer formulations perform very well. Supporting their use now serves to encourage further improvements. I have wholeheartedly embraced these new finishes. Even though the initial cost is greater than the more common place finishes in terms of money, they save costly disposal and clean up. Long term, they are less costly to our health and our environment.

In the final analysis, well built cabinetry that will last for decades will stay out of the land fill. Even if the configuration must be changed, a robustly built piece can be repurposed or donated for use in other settings. With the appropriate use of materials, even refinishing well made pieces is possible. I strive to hold to all these ideals in each piece I make.