It is difficult to believe that 10 years has gone by since I started Marvelous Woodworking. What began as a shelving project for my wife has now turned into a thriving and fulfilling business. My love of woodworking was passed down to me through my grandfather and father, and it has been a pleasure to make it my full-time career. After the economic downturn in 2008, when I was still working as a computer consultant, I knew it was time to get into something I enjoyed doing rather than just a job. Once I had the tools to build those shelves, I took on other small projects for contractor friends I knew. As my work proved itself, I kept getting more and more requests for my specialty woodworking. In 2009 I made the jump to running Marvelous Woodworking fulltime. I have never looked back.
One of my first projects was remodeling a fireplace mantle in the Geist area. I built custom walnut cabinetry as well, and it was a learning experience. I went to school for engineering, and that mindset comes naturally to me. Solving problems and exacting work are central to how I approach a project. Those traits served me well on my first project and throughout the last 10 years.
It is a blessing to be able to immerse myself in work I enjoy. Each project I do is custom, and therefore offers something new to learn. Over the years I have developed an understanding of which methods, processes and tools work in each situation – it is this constant development of my skills that I have enjoyed the most during my second career. That and working with my clients. Everyone has a fascinating story to tell and I appreciate when they share them with me.
Over the last 10 years I have seen design trends come and go. When I started my business, we were at the tail end of a more curvy or round look to home décor. Over the past few years, home design moved toward a more modern look, with clean lines and boxy shapes. Today, I see people looking to soften those straight-lined. I design projects based on what my clients are looking for, so I am not really any sort of trend-setter. Regardless of the look my clients want that day, week, month or year, I build something custom designed just for them. Hence, my work never gets boring since every clients’ needs are different.
As technology has evolved dramatically over the last 10 years, what goes into my work has barely moved the needle. Other than cordless tools, which I greatly appreciate, tried and true methods still reign in the woodworking business. Projects take as long as they take! For example, when I renovate a staircase, I have to measure each step to ensure the correct depth and angle. The process cannot be simplified without sacrificing quality, which I do not do.
Speaking of staircases, I have purposely evolved my business into a staircase focus over the last year. I began 10 years ago doing any type of woodworking – furniture, cabinets, fireplace mantels, etc. But I have noticed that the ages of the homes where I work are requiring staircase updates so there is a lot of demand. Since I really enjoy these types of projects, I have decided to help fulfill that need. Remodeling a staircase involves a lot of specialized math and technical knowhow, which gets my brain going. Experience is key to understanding how to create a functional and beautiful staircase, and just when I think I have it down a new challenge is presented to me. It’s so fun.
I have to admit that my favorite project was the historical restoration of the Perry Mansion. I was given a lot of creative leeway by the contractor to recreate the original architectural details of the home. I had to custom mill every piece, utilizing a portable woodshop in the basement to complete my work. The project gave me a taste of the old world. Although we had modern tools to work with, I had to replicate elements from an older time and fit them into an old house that had lost its original charm. Working in a house like this revealed a lot of old world craftsmanship that’s rare to find these days. Honoring a time gone by through my creativity was a satisfying experience for me. Click here to read more about this project.
The past ten years have been a whirlwind of learning, creating, and honing my skills. My original goal of being a craftsman, not a contractor, still holds true today and will continue to do so for the next 10! Thanks to my family, colleagues and clients, for helping me do what I love.
