Blog | Marvelous Woodworking

02 Apr 2021

Marvelous Woodworking Woodworking Projects Permalink

Custom Woodworking: How to Get the Perfect Fit for Your Home

Marvelous Woodworking April 2, 2021

By the number of emails and phone calls I have been receiving over the past year, it seems the pandemic has left many of us at home with lots of time to think about how our home does or does not suits our needs. It can be difficult to find the perfect piece that matches your aesthetic, fit the allocated space and needed functionality. Custom woodworking offers the perfect solution when “off the shelf” options just won’t work.

Custom Cabinetry

Cabinetry is where my clients see the most need for custom solutions. Whether it’s a particular size, detailing or storage need they are looking for, they come to me frustrated with their inability to buy exactly what they want. I create pieces that fill the space, suit their needs and complement the look of their home. Plus, built-ins add elegance and quality to a home – they add to a house rather than to a furniture collection.

Custom built-ins can be created to perfectly match the architecture of your home. Click here to learn more about this project.

Storage needs are unique to each home. Can you see the three different options is this piece? Click here to learn more.

Custom means creating a space that helps you live in your home with beautiful functionality. Read more about this project here.

Custom Fireplace Mantels

Off-the-shelf solutions for changing a fireplace mantel are limited by style and size options. I ask my clients to show me pictures of the look they are going for, and I create a design that brings that style to the specifications of their home. Each fireplace mantel project is different. In the Greater Indianapolis area, many homeowners were given the standard builder’s grade fireplace package, matching the trends of the time the home was built. My clients are usually looking to update the mantel to their own tastes. Plus, with the addition of A/V equipment above the fireplace, I can offer a custom solution for the associated wires without having to tear into the wall.

Custom fireplace remodels can be so much more than replacing the mantel. Click here to read more about this project.

Click here to learn more about my custom solution for hiding the ugly a/v wires in a fireplace mantel.

Remodeling a Staircase

When it comes to remodeling staircases, there is no such thing as off-the-shelf. Stairs are a part of the structure of a home and are designed to suit the style of the house when it was built. Updating a staircase takes a lot of planning and engineering. Buying new balusters is easy – installing them is not. You have to take apart the whole structure to replace them, and depending upon the style, may require a new newel post, handrails and base plates. One change leads to another in a staircase remodel, since everything is connected.

Transforming this staircase from a 1970s style to a modern look meant deconstructing most of the elements. Click here to learn more about this project.

There are so many decisions to make when remodeling a staircase. Click here to read my blog about figuring out “What Will Look Good” in your home.

Getting flooring? It is probably time to update your staircase too. Read more on how flooring and staircase updates go hand in hand.

Mudroom Designs

Possibly the most used space in a home, the area between the garage and the kitchen serves as a landing spot for many families. Backpacks, sports equipment, musical instruments, dog leashes and toys, boots and coats, keys and mail – so many varying things need to be easily put away and accessed in this room. It is very difficult to find a piece of furniture that will suit all of those needs and keep doing so for the 18-year family cycle. I build custom mudroom designs created to make the best use of space for the individual needs of my clients. They end up with a highly functional room that blends with the rest of their home’s architecture.

Learn more about the geometry behind design a custom mudroom.

Custom mudroom solutions come in all shapes and sizes. Click here to read more about the considerations behind this design.

Open storage? Closed cabinets? Drawers? Baskets? You can customize your storage options any way you want with our mudroom designs. Read more.

Custom Furniture

I recommend that if you can find the perfect piece of furniture in a store, do it because it will usually be less expensive than having me make it. However, if you have that one spot with a specific need, I’m your guy. Many local interior designers reach out to me when they cannot source the piece their clients want, or what they want does not already exist. I create custom furniture to the exact specifications you need – architectural features, size, materials, color, etc. And, it will be of heirloom quality, something you will pass down through the generations of your family.

I used gorgeous mahogany for this custom bathroom vanity and bench. Click here to read more about this project.

Custom wine rack made from the left-over fireplace mantel pieces of mahogany.

This custom bookshelf was designed by Hoskins Interior Design and built by Marvelous Woodworking.

If you are not finding exactly what you want off the shelves, reach out to me. Send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890.

26 Feb 2021

Marvelous Woodworking Cabinetry, Woodworking Projects Permalink

Custom Outdoor Entertaining Space

Marvelous Woodworking February 26, 2021

With most of us spending even more time enjoying our homes these days, creating a beautiful and functional setting has become even more important. My clients had an outdoor bar that needed an upgrade – they no longer wanted to stare at the unadorned back of the garage while sitting at their pool. They reached out to me to build a custom outdoor entertaining space that suited their needs exactly.

The goal was to create a nice focal point, dressing up the area to make it neat and inviting. They also needed cabinetry for pool supply storage, as well as a cubby to store the outdoor refrigerator and more counter space.

We worked on the final design together, but as I looked around the rest of the pool area, I noticed that lattice was a common architectural feature. I suggested we use it against the garage wall and on the cabinetry doors to help the new space blend. Just like taking cues from the interior features of a home, we created a new outdoor space that honored the existing landscape.

Another goal was to ensure the cabinetry could withstand the elements all year long. I chose the materials based on their weatherproof qualities. Part of the design planning was to consider the places where water could seep in. Anywhere I could I used PVC, a plastic material that can be painted and does well outside. For example, I placed the cabinetry up on a PVC base to keep water from the sweating cement from seeping into the cabinets. The lattice is made out of this weatherproof material – you would never know even close up. In the spots I had to use wood, I doubled and tripled up on layers of exterior primers, sealants and paint, covering all the edges. I also used exterior-grade stainless steel fasteners and hinges. Taking a little more time to make sure everything was protected will help the piece last as long as possible in our moist Indiana weather.

My clients wanted the look of wood for the countertop to contrast the painted cabinetry. I used western red cedar, a wood known for its beauty and exterior longevity. Many coats of Spar urethane, a sealant used on boats, gave it a gorgeous high shine and ensured the piece will look great for a long time.

To complete the space, I extended two existing sconces from the cement wall to accommodate the newly installed lattice. I also installed low-heat LED bulbs to keep the lattice from being affected by the heat emitted by regular bulbs.

My clients now have a lovely gathering space offering a more finished look to their backyard pool area. They could dip the whole unit in water, and it would still hold up! Why make do with off-the-shelf options when you can get exactly what you need for your situation by using a customer woodworker? If you are considering creating a custom outdoor entertaining space, send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890.

05 Feb 2021

Marvelous Woodworking Staircases Permalink

Staircase Remodeling: When DIY Is Probably Not Worth the Hassle

Marvelous Woodworking February 5, 2021

Like many homeowners in the Greater Indianapolis area, my clients were ready to update their 1990s home. A staircase remodeling project was part of the plan, and they were planning to do it themselves. They found balusters they liked, but after fully contemplating the scope of the project, they reached out to me. Remodeling a staircase is a complex undertaking, especially since the newel posts are attached to the floor joists under your home’s flooring and subflooring. In my eyes (and in my clients’), hiring an expert for this type of job is worth the investment.

We worked on the design together, incorporating architectural details that complemented the rest of the home. We went with cherry wood for the newel posts, handrails and baseplates – my favorite type of wood to work with. Its natural beauty increases over time – who doesn’t appreciate getting better with age?

One challenge in a staircase remodeling project is replacing the newel posts. Since tearing up the whole house is not usually what my clients are looking for, I have come up with a system that maintains the structural soundness of the post while updating the look. Instead of removing the post, I custom craft a sleeve that fits perfectly over the existing post. My clients get the look they want without the cost or annoyance of remodeling down to the floor joists. Remember, newel posts are not just at the end of the stair run – some staircases can have 5-6s. Once the project is complete, one knows that the posts were covered – the design blends seamlessly with the rest of the staircase while ensuring the structural integrity.

The staircase remodel also included a new standard cherry handrail and baseplate that we stained to match the custom post. Adding new elements required all new holes, another highly technical part of staircase remodeling. Precise measuring of the entire run, as well as each section, is necessary to ensure everything is equally spaced and straight, even on the slope.

I have been in the staircase remodeling business for over 10 years now and have perfected my process over that time. Hiring a professional ensures you get the look you want with the structural integrity you need – all in a timely manner so your family is not inconvenienced. If you are considering a staircase remodel, reach out to me. Send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890.

29 Dec 2020

Marvelous Woodworking Staircases Permalink

Modernizing a Staircase Design

Marvelous Woodworking December 29, 2020

It’s funny how we as homeowners will ignore the things we do not like about our houses until we have time to change them. Such was the case for my clients; they purchased their 70s/80s home in Carmel and never liked the functional yet heavy-wooded staircase. Instead of doing something about it, they raised a family. Now that they are empty-nesters, they felt it was time to address it.

BEFORE

Modernizing a staircase design usually comes with challenges that require a bit of engineering and flexibility. For this project, a load-bearing beam was set in the middle of the stair run which had to stay yet look like a natural part of the design. Usually, a newel post will sit in that spot, but this time we had a pole. Instead of a standard newel post cap, I installed a piece of trim around the post to make it look like it was running from the top of the “newel post” to the ceiling. This solution helped blend the beam into the architectural details of the staircase, creating visual flow in the overall design.

One major design aspect of the new staircase was adding horizontal metal balusters. I had not worked with this particular type before but conceptually understood the installation process. But, as usual, applying the concept to the design of the project brought its own unique challenges. In a typical staircase, the balusters are not fastened into the newel post. While exact measurements are always a part of a staircase remodel, this time I had to switch my brain 90 degrees! So each baluster looked “straight” as one looked up or down the stairs, I had to ensure each angle was precisely measured and drilled.

I also changed newel posts by creating a sleeve to place over the old one. My clients chose a unique style of handrail and I built a custom newel post cap to match it. Here is where custom woodworking really shines – the whole staircase looks like one cohesive system though you could never find it ready-made.

As a former engineer, problem-solving is something I enjoy about custom woodworking. Modernizing a staircase design with a new direction and material presented a different kind of challenge from a regular staircase remodel. It was fun! If you are considering a different look for your home but are not sure if it can be accomplished, reach out to me. I’d be happy to problem-solve with you. Send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890.

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