For the last little bit, I've been working alongside
David Chamberlain, a terribly talented and formally trained furniture maker. He works solo and has been kind to bring me into this large project. I've had a good time working in another shop and working on a project the likes of which I have never had the opportunity to approach.
The thing that really sets this vanity apart is the veneer work. Outside the woodworking world, the word veneer carries with it negative connotations; veneer = not real. Well, within the woodworking world it usually means very specialized (it is a lost art) and it also means that the piece has been made with a higher level of craftsmanship and a great deal of careful selection. The doors and drawer fronts (eventually there will be some tall paneling on the wall above the vanity with the same treatment) were veneered with a very beautiful crotch mahogany, which is book-matched across the nearly 12 foot face of this piece. This means that each piece of this veneer came from the same chunk of wood and was kept in sequence so that it could be mirrored over the length of the work. Other details to come are polished nickel caps on the feet and nickel accents on the mirror frames. The whole finish will be dark with these light shiny touches, it should be rather impressive. Obviously my custom crafted masking tape handles will get nixed too.
Dave is meticulous about his precision and is a careful planner. This is one of many projects he is doing with
Elizabeth Kimberly for a home in Cottonwood.
