As my wife Rachael and I searched for a Craftsman home in Portland we saw many that had been "touched" by the cruel hands of remodelers past. We are drawn to these homes because of the simple, natural materials from which they were built.

Much of their charm comes from built in cabinetry and furnishings and we saw many cases of these being altered, butchered or completely ripped out. I decided to base my woodworking business on recreating these pieces so I could help the many people who are restoring these homes bring back the warmth, charm and practicality that is missing.

The bulk of my work is restoration or recreation of built ins that need to match the existing surroundings in texture, style and color.

As a Tomita chaboo owner I already know the versatility of the piece. My family uses it daily for a variety of tasks and it hasn't let us down yet. As the project was progressing and more people were "signing on" it occurred to me that I should get involved too.

My idea was to create one in the Craftsman style as if the design had originated in 1910. I wanted it to look "old" right off the bat like the built ins I create but I wanted it to be a piece of "real" Craftsman furniture.

I chose quartersawn oak as it was the predominant material of the period and designed in features like through tenons and chamfered detailing. This has been a fun and gratifying experience and I hope you all enjoy it as I have.