My Design Process has Changed over the Years

[Andrew Joiner]

40 years ago I was a young designer and builder of custom furniture. Typically I'd have a deadline and price to meet. If my client had a photo or drawing it was just a bid with no design work except maybe a sketch. Sometimes a client would say we want a piece in (fill in the blank style). Whether it was a table, cabinet or commercial fixture I was often at the library looking at books and magazines for examples to get inspiration for design details. My main tool for that was a book I eventually bought called " The Encyclopedia of Furniture". From Art Nouveau to Windsor that book has examples. I just realized I haven't looked at that book for the last 10 pieces I've built.

Now that I'm retired I have almost no time or money constraints. All the pieces I make are for me and my family. My next piece will be a dining table for our very modern house. It will replace a Walnut and stainless steel table I made when we first built the house 9 years ago. The current table is beautiful and works fine, but I'm bored and want to design and make a new table.

So what do I do for design inspiration nowadays? Google Images. I almost get lost in it. How cool is it to think " I wonder how Wendell Castle table details would work ? " Then bam hundreds of Wendell Castle images to see . Another favorite search is bespoke furniture. It brings up images of British custom woodworkers designs. I get 2 or 3 final ideas and then make scale models. In this case I'll put the model of the chairs I made up to the table model to make sure they relate well.

How has your design process changed over the years?

[Carl Beckett]

When I was starting out, I spent more time on the technical Joinery aspects ( could I get the thing together, and would it stay together). Many of my projects were limited by my technical abilities.

Well, they still are. But now I spend much more time on the 'design' side of a project. (design as in asetics ). I don't have to worry as often on whether I can get a joint built, and whether it will hold. And many more instances where I am just reaching for the hand tools to get it done.

The projects that have been the most satisfying are the ones with pleasing dimensions and details, along with a little creativity in the design. Although I will admit freely, I still lean towards designs with straight lines ( am not a carver..... But it might be overdue)

The Internet is huge for ideas. And some of the fine furniture galleries are inspirational ( works of art!). One of my favorites is in old town Seattle.

[Larry Edgerton]

One thing that troubles me with my design is that I seem to be short on patience lately? This troubles me, but I don't know why I have become impatient. My best piece took me 14 hrs to draw, now I am ready to walk away after a couple of hours.

One helpfull change has been that I always use PHI to get my proportions right, making lists of numbers before I ever put a pencil to paper.

When I get stumped I have a couple of hundred reference books and will cruise through them till a light goes on. I have not really tried the internet, but I still have dialup so the books are faster anyway.

Larry

[Mel Fulks]

Most of my work has been architectural and I believe in using formulas and proportion guides too.I think the biggest change in my designs is that I no longer think that good workmanship is the most important thing. On a house that is nothing but a hodge podge I just listen to what the customer wants. But on a good house I critique the basic plan and suggest changes.A formal exterior needs a formal entrance ,if its a pediment it has to be correct with pitch, rake mould, etc. Suggesting changes can cause some awkward moments,but usually they end up agreeing with me and thanking me. Once a client casually asked my opinion on a wallpaper sample tacked up in the hall. I told them "beautiful,but I don't think it's right for this place.you have real symmetrical small space here and that big pattern can not be hung to look right". My company had to do with wallpaper. He called me a couple of weeks later and said "I wish I had taken your advice on the wallpaper,every time I walk in I notice one of those big medallions off center to the left of the ellipse key block,none of the hall corners look right. My friends all hate it and elected a messenger to tell me . I'VE got $1100 in it and its all coming down" Everything doesn't have to be symmetrical ,but where it is ,spending money to ruin it is a big mistake.