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March 28, 2010
 Winter has returned to ClearLake Furniture—not the season but a craftsman. Justin Winter, a skilled woodworker, spent a few months here in the ClearLake workshop while on hiatus from his college education. He left in December after helping us to make progress on the 62 dining tables we were building for the Taft School in Connecticut. Justin is a student at the Boston School of Architecture but took some time off to earn the necessary money to finish his degree.
Justin recently designed and crafted a blanket chest here. The curly maple chest has a bubinga inlay on the top and drawer. He then lined the chest with aromatic cedar. His meticulous attention to detail is evident when you look closely at the craftsmanship.
A talented designer, Justin has proven to be a valuable craftsman. And, while we’re thrilled to see him back here, we hope it will be temporary because he is absolutely on his way to being a successful architect.
March 9, 2010
When we’re expecting company at home, I usually give the place a quick look and declare to my wife that all looks good. It’s clean enough. She, on the other hand, flies from room to room like a tornado, sucking up everything in her path in a quest to tidy up our surroundings. I always figure that anyone who comes to visit should see us in our natural habitat. We’re not really messy but we don’t hold our breath waiting to be featured on the cover of House Beautiful either.
Guys just don’t see clutter. We don’t see crumbs on the kitchen counter and we know better than to look under the furniture and sofa cushions—unless the remote control has vanished. We don’t “do” embroidered guest towels or panic that someone might find a dirty dish in the sink. We eat, therefore, we make dirty dishes. It’s a fact of life.
But not long ago, I decided to open up my workshop at ClearLake Furniture. This July, I’m going to teach whoever is interested how to make a rocking chair. Students of this weekend class will actually craft a classic, lodge-style rocking chair. I’ve never had anyone use this equipment other than my team of skilled craftsmen. Sure, we have customers tour the workshop every day, but this time, they’ll be working, not watching.
So, I’m starting to understand my wife’s pre-visit angst. I’ve got lots of time to get ready for the “guests” but I’m already looking at ways to fix up the place. There are things you overlook in the day-to-day world when you go through the paces. In the workshop, you always know where everything is. You know the subtleties of the tools, what makes a piece of wood the right choice, and where every bump in the floor is lurking. You take it all for granted. Now I’m thinking that maybe I need to assume some of the primping here in the workshop that I always mocked at home. Guests are coming and they’re going to stay awhile.
My mother used to say to my brother and me, “You weren’t raised in a barn!” Well, even though my guests will actually be working in the barn we converted into ClearLake Furniture, I guess Mom’s words—and my wife’s tidiness—will have to take precedence over my guy rules…for one weekend, at least.
March 4, 2010
Black River High School here in Ludlow, Vermont, has a winning tradition, as evidenced by the trophies in their lobby. Year after year, the championships piled up, and so were the trophies in the cases.
Then the Class of 2009 decided to donate a trophy case so the awards could be displayed without so much crowding. The problem was, they needed a size that would fit in the critical space between two doors AND match the existing cabinets. The response from manufacturers was not what they hoped. Basically, off the rack was out of the question.
When we heard about the dilemma here at ClearLake Furniture, we decided to support the home team and hand-craft a trophy case that would meet their needs. We built it to fit perfectly in the space allowed, matched the red oak, and even used safety glass in place of plexi, which scratches too easily.
I’m proud to say this cabinet was delivered and installed yesterday. Now, the latest BRHS trophy—Vermont State Champions, Boy Varsity Soccer, Division IV—can join their championship awards for this title for the previous two years, along with the three consecutive titles for the Girls Varsity Soccer, the three consecutive state titles for Varsity Softball, and the state titles for Snowboard and Varsity Baseball. Go, Pirates!
February 13, 2010
October 25, 2009
There’s nothing as beautiful as a table top in finely honed hardwood. I’ve probably hand-crafted hundreds of them in my career, and I never get tired of the result.
Now that doesn’t mean I turn my back on other natural materials that make fantastic table tops. Granite, slate, glass, and marble each provide a cool contrast to the natural warmth of wood. Here in Vermont, there is no shortage of slate, granite, or marble, but we can get stone from all around the world, which means you have a broad array of colors and textures — all naturally beautiful and durable.
If you like the appearance of glass, to blend in with the surroundings and showcase the wood, you still have choices. Although we’re committed to using tempered glass for your safety, there are variations in the glass itself.
And these surfaces aren’t limited to table tops. Consider incorporating glass or stone for the tops of dressers, occasional tables, breakfronts, buffets, and desks.
Here is dining table we recently designed and crafted. The style is the ClearLake Dining Table and the top is made in cherry with a mahogany inlay and slate inset.
August 13, 2009
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