How do I find chairmakers?

[Sam Shankar]

Hi folks,

I'm nearly finished with the nice dining table and benches that I've been promising my wife for years. We will also need a pair of chairs to go with it (for the end seating) and some matching stools for the nearby counter. My wife, not surprisingly, is unwilling to wait for me to buy a lathe and learn to make windsor chairs, so...I'm looking to buy some. I'd call the design aesthetic we're going for "contemporary windsor," like Thomas Moser's "Eastward" side chair (https://www.thosmoser.com/product/eastward-side-chair/) and crescent high stool (https://www.thosmoser.com/product/crescent-high-stool/).

Thing is, I don't want to buy these things from Thomas Moser. Not because his stuff isn't beautiful or well-made, or reasonably priced (though you might disagree) but because I'd rather support an individual woodworker if I can help it, and have some input on the finish and wood selection. Trouble is...how do you find that individual chairmaker? I've been googling random searches like "custom chairmaker," but does anyone know of a directory for this sort of thing? Or have ideas about who makes stuff like this?

--sam

[Barry McFadden]

Maybe something like this would help? https://www.chairmakerandfriends.com/

[Doug Dawson]

Hi folks,

I'm nearly finished with the nice dining table and benches that I've been promising my wife for years. We will also need a pair of chairs to go with it (for the end seating) and some matching stools for the nearby counter. My wife, not surprisingly, is unwilling to wait for me to buy a lathe and learn to make windsor chairs, so...I'm looking to buy some. I'd call the design aesthetic we're going for "contemporary windsor," like Thomas Moser's "Eastward" side chair (https://www.thosmoser.com/product/eastward-side-chair/) and crescent high stool (https://www.thosmoser.com/product/crescent-high-stool/).

Thing is, I don't want to buy these things from Thomas Moser. Not because his stuff isn't beautiful or well-made, or reasonably priced (though you might disagree) but because I'd rather support an individual woodworker if I can help it, and have some input on the finish and wood selection. Trouble is...how do you find that individual chairmaker? I've been googling random searches like "custom chairmaker," but does anyone know of a directory for this sort of thing? Or have ideas about who makes stuff like this?
When your wife gets tired of sitting in a lawn chair at the head of the table, she’ll buy you the lathe. Learn faster, your marriage depends on it. :^)

Just say, This is why IKEA is still in business. Etc.

Added note: the IKEA chairs will IMO self-destruct in a few years, so you’re pretty safe here.

[Mel Fulks]

I’ve seen lists of chair makers. Can’t remember now on what sites ,but there are a lot of them. Lots of styles, I recommend looking at
the 2 or ...is it 3 story back models. Some say they are both humble and regal.

[Jim Becker]

I sent you a contact for someone "worthy" privately...he's a 'Creeker and I don't want to run afoul of our rules.

[Sam Shankar]

Added note: the IKEA chairs will IMO self-destruct in a few years, so you’re pretty safe here.

A neighbor of mine just completed a $250k home renovation (I live in downtown DC, that's not a large bill). Yesterday he came by to ask if he could borrow some clamps to repair some of the new ikea furniture he had just purchased.

[Jim Becker]

I have two Ikea leather "love seats" and a matching (fabric) chair that were purchased in the late 1980s from the very first Ikea store in the US. (Conshohocken PA) Other than a few marks on the back of one from when it was pressed up against some window sills in the house they first lived in, they are in excellent condition. I have other Ikea products that have held up equally well. We actually recently bought six dining chairs from them for our kitchen to replace some metal ones that had failed over time. They are remarkably well designed, have completely hidden joinery/fasteners and are very comfortable. The thing with Ikea is "what you buy" matters...some is good; some is less good.

But they are certainly not in the same class that one would expect from a custom maker!!

[Doug Dawson]

I have two Ikea leather "love seats" and a matching (fabric) chair that were purchased in the late 1980s from the very first Ikea store in the US. (Conshohocken PA) Other than a few marks on the back of one from when it was pressed up against some window sills in the house they first lived in, they are in excellent condition. I have other Ikea products that have held up equally well. We actually recently bought six dining chairs from them for our kitchen to replace some metal ones that had failed over time. They are remarkably well designed, have completely hidden joinery/fasteners and are very comfortable. The thing with Ikea is "what you buy" matters...some is good; some is less good.
Particle board makes me nervous. Genuine imitation manufactured wood product makes me nervous. I can’t help it.

[Jim Matthews]

Particle board makes me nervous. Genuine imitation manufactured wood product makes me nervous. I can’t help it.

I got started "rolling my own" after moving a well used Ikea bookcase to our current digs.

My wife calmly explained that it would stop swaying once the books weighed it down.

Pot metal, particle board and paste don't make furniture - they make movie props.

[Dave Seng]

My wife calmly explained that it would stop swaying once the books weighed it down.



LOL! Sigh. So, did you make a new bookcase that didn't have that built-in sway?

[Dave Cav]

That's why our bedroom furniture is all Ikea. When we moved into our second house all of our bedroom furniture was mismatched/hand-me-down/falling apart junk. Fortunately back then (late 90s, early 2000s) Ikea still had a couple of lines of real wood furniture. We picked out some solid pine stuff that we are still using 20 years later. It's not nearly as nice as I would have made but it works and looks ok. But recently I got to build a very nice maple bedroom set for the guest bedroom for the new (third) house.

[michael langman]

I have two Ikea leather "love seats" and a matching (fabric) chair that were purchased in the late 1980s from the very first Ikea store in the US. (Conshohocken PA) Other than a few marks on the back of one from when it was pressed up against some window sills in the house they first lived in, they are in excellent condition. I have other Ikea products that have held up equally well. We actually recently bought six dining chairs from them for our kitchen to replace some metal ones that had failed over time. They are remarkably well designed, have completely hidden joinery/fasteners and are very comfortable. The thing with Ikea is "what you buy" matters...some is good; some is less good.

But they are certainly not in the same class that one would expect from a custom maker!!


Jim, I lived in Conshohocken when I was 13 years old for a few years. Grew up in the area. Plymouth Meeting,Center Square Green. Not too many places named Conshohocken.

[Jim Becker]

That would be true about the name, Michael...there are a few other interesting place and feature names around here for sure!

[lowell holmes]

I learned to make chairs here,

https://www.homesteadcraftvillage.com/classes/

Look for a class and enjoy the trip.

[Keith Outten]

A search of our archived threads will certainly produce a number of people who make chairs and there are two discreet ways to communicate with people here who are Contributors.