Make My Furniture Homemade

XXX Reclaimed Hemlock Console, a custom crafted piece from Groundwork Group, Philadelphia

Jay Johnson -- Why settle for machine-processed, boring furniture when you can have handcrafted pieces! I was very impressed with the handmade furniture options at the recent New York International Gift Fair in NYC.

My preference in home interior design is to always err on the handmade. I'd just as soon see an entire room filled with folk art pieces than see all furnishings come from the same catalog or outlet store. Nothing is more outdated in decorating than having a room full of furniture and accessories that have been mass produced and widely available. Follow the tenants of eclectic decorating and fill your living space with decor that is exemplifies personality, creativity, fine craftsmanship, good quality materials, fine design, and great utility.

I found a host of vendors at this year's Gift Fair that exemplified the latest trends in custom furnishings and fine-quality handmade decor.

Highboy with ball-and-claw legs from Design Workshop Incorporated

Roost gives mirrors and consoles a rustic treatment

Reclaimed oak table with "X" base from Groundwork Group

Paul Loebach nesting tables/step stools from Areaware

Bar Stool with adjustable base and backrest from Peddler's Home Design

Visit these vendor sites for more information:

• Groundwork Group (see their lovely console table in the top photo)
• Mu Design & Living (an example of their Solid Sculpture collection is in the photo above)
• Peddler's Home Design
• Roost
• Design Workshop Incorporated
• Areaware
  

You'll find this video on making handmade chairs in Latin America very inspiring. Go to GreenWood, a Maine-based nonprofit organization, for more information.

Neighborhood Walk & House Tours

Jay Johnson --  There's nothing better than taking a walk around your neighborhood. Notice how the houses are constructed, take notes about garden details, and gaze into lighted windows at night to see your neighbors' interior decorating.

Armed with a video camera, I enjoy taking video walks around neighborhoods and this month's featured video finds me walking with designer Irwin Weiner ASID (his is the South African voice, mine the hopelessly Midwestern twang). It's fun taking these neighborhood walks with an experienced design professional; Irwin pointed out many details I would have missed. I have a tendency to be "gee whiz!" about most houses, but his eye is better trained than mine, and I appreciated his insights into what worked and what didn't work in the houses we saw.

I hope you're having a pleasant end to your family's summer. There are still many wonderful days left to take a neighborhood walk and get some great ideas for your house and garden by looking at what others have done (or should have done) for theirs.