Inspiring Video - Amazing Ethiopian Furniture Craftsman

Irwin Weiner ASID - I've been talking about furniture makers this week. Well, Sentayehu Teshale is an Ethiopian craftsman working around Addis Ababa, and he gives new meaning to the term "handmade." He has no hands, you see, but he uses the extraordinary strength and flexibility in his feet and legs to saw, measure, hammer, carve, and wield power tools to make stools and chairs. Life is a bit more precious, amazing, and inspirational because of Mr. Teshale's accomplishments, and I value his work over the finest custom-made furnishings in NYC. Enjoy this video, and a special thanks to my friend Drew Giehl for steering it our way.

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Interior Design Video - The Story of Eames Furniture

Irwin Weiner ASID - Almost every frame of TV drama hit Mad Men captures a piece of the Eames furniture story. Charles and Ray Eames defined mid-century modern's ethos, verve, comfort, and futurism and made it ubiquitous.

They created a style sensation that's still going strong decades after it was created, and in this video interview, you'll see close Eames associates Marilyn and John Neuhart (they co-authored The Story of Eames Furniture) discuss the Eames phenomenon.  

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4 Mirror-Clad Furniture Favorites

Perth Mirrored Chest from HayneedleJanet Ramin - Mirror, Mirror, on the design floor ... which furniture is the fairest of them all? All right, it’s not Snow White, but since Hollywood has been churning out endless remakes of this fairytale, I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and transform it to an interior design fairytale – my kind of bedtime story!

My client, Miss Dina Dithering, (not her real name, of course) can’t decide on the style of furniture she wants in her home. First she wants contemporary then she wants classic. Last week she loved the silver colors; this week it’s only true blue. Do you have one of these clients - or are you that kind of indecisive homeowner? We can’t move forward; we’re stuck in a murky, sticky swamp.

I offered her some tempting styles: how about Scandinavian? Georgian? Arts and Crafts? "NO!" she said. “That style is too cold; that one is too expensive; the other is too heavy!” And down the line, she crossed them all off.

Mirrored Chest from Elizabeth AustinOy vey, help me. And then, like a fairy godmother on speed dial, my vendors came to the rescue! I was showered with some glorious photos of mirrored furniture.

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Diane Paparo - How to Finish Fine Furniture

Irwin Weiner ASID - Studio furniture maker and interior designer Diane Paparo sat down with Design2Share recently and kindly shared with us her tips on where to begin when it comes to dealing with wood finishes, stains, and treatments. It's one of those practical decorating considerations that most people "wing it," but we wanted to hear what a strong furniture maker had to say. Diane has designed furniture for fine homes around the world - even the executive office suites at Revlon. Let's see how someone who combines luxury, quality, beautiful detailing, and thoughtful functionality handles furniture finishes.

Choosing a furniture finish can be a tall order. First, you'll want to consider the design scheme and how the finish can be integrated into the whole, but you'll also want to think about maintenance and repair.

1. Let's tackle color first. You have four options: natural, stained, dyed, and painted. Some woods are naturally beautiful with just a clear protective finish, but most look richer when they're stained. Stains give you the option of deepening a wood's natural color or mimicking another wood's color. 

Stains don't penetrate the furniture's surface deeply; they lhave a transparency that enhances the grain. Stains can also accentuate imperfections, so inspect the finish carefully.

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