High-quality custom furniture, which can last for centuries with minimal care, is far more expensive than mass-produced products, which are often destined for a landfill in a few years. Although premium lumber is a significant portion of the cost, by far the biggest expense is the time required to make it.

The collection on my gallery page represents a year's work before I opened for business, when I took the time to design and build an initial collection of furniture that represents my esthetic and range of skills. My gallery collection uses costly woods procured from an artisanal micro-lumberyard in Pennsylvania and the most time-consuming traditional joinery techniques.

Most of my clients begin by visiting my Brookline Village design center, where we start a conversation about their needs and wants. We talk about many options: woods, sizes, construction techniques, and budget. We then schedule a home visit to take photos, measurements, and so I can get a sense of the client's house, style, and where the piece will go. A week or two later I have initial sketches ready for client review.

Once the rough design has been approved, I prepare a more finished drawing for client review, along with a firm price and a time estimate for production. Upon client approval of the final design and price, a 50% deposit of the total price is required to begin work, with the remainder to be paid upon delivery.

I then prepare a detailed large scale shop drawing for my own use, showing how all of the pieces will fit together. The next step is finding the perfect wood and hardware from Pennsylvania, northern New Hampshire or low-volume artisanal lumber shops elsewhere in North America. Once the wood has had time to adjust to my shop space humidity construction begins.

Because every custom piece is unique, the build time is inherently uncertain, and may require slightly longer than estimated. I always favor quality over speed. The piece is finished, delivery is arranged, and the client's heirloom arrives.