A Sideboard for Dan & Jane

It’s always nice when we have a repeat client contact us to request another project they’d like to discuss. Jane and Dan had commissioned a stereo cabinet back in 2016, so it was nice to hear from them recently to order a sideboard that would match.

The original Stereo Cabinet in Western Maple

As we got going on the new Sideboard we realized that we’d have to contact Persjis at Clearwater Wood Industries (our regular veneer supplier) as we’d run out of our stock of suitably figured Western Maple. Amazingly, Persjis was able to sort through his massive collection of veneers and find some of the same actual batch we’d used 6 years ago. This allowed us to match the wood on the new sideboard with the old stereo cabinet perfectly. So nice to have close, knowledgeable, local suppliers!

The three sliding doors allow access to the drawers in the centre compartment

Gates for a Farmhouse

In our continuing bit of work for the restored property at Fairburn Farm, Architect Dennis Moore and Contractor, Daryl Derby have had us construct and install 2 gates for the main driveway entry. Like the outdoor furniture the gates were made of Sapele Mahogany.

Karen shows the scale of the Gates

In order to make sure that the gate pieces could be the desired (2-1/4” thick x 10” wide) we glued each piece up out of pieces that started as a rough 1-1/2” thickness. This allowed us to incorporate substantial amounts of joinery into the lamination so there was plenty of strength to support the nearly 300 pound weight of each half. It also helped that the Derby Brothers had done an amazing job with the hardware which was easy to install and adjust and the half that was placed on the stone columns was placed perfectly.

The internal blades of the giant hinge (shown above) were bolted through the two outside stiles of the gate

Outdoor Furniture for a Farmhouse

Along with the exterior trim work detailed below, we were very fortunate to be asked to do a couple of pieces of furniture for the Fairburn Farm restoration project, as well. We’ve completed a pair of benches, one of which is a porch swing for the back with a view out over the valley, and the second a large (and heavy) traditional garden bench for the North Terrace. Once again, our thanks to Architect Dennis Moore and Derby Brothers for recommending us for the work

Trim for a Farm House

This past while we’ve had the great pleasure of working with Daryl & Dean Derby of Derby Brothers Construction, the team who originally built our house and workshop for us way back in 2009-10. The Derbys had been commissioned by Architect Dennis Moore (who was my high school drafting classes way back in the mid-70’s!) to completely restore the old farm house at Fairburn Farm, a historic 1890’s homestead in the Cowichan Valley. They had us construct all of the exterior trim which included 9’ tall tapered column wraps, curved arches, hand railings, trim mouldings and 110 tapered square railing spindles. Their excellent crew, Toby, Cory, Nathan, and Cody made a fabulous job of installing it all and made our work look great - Thanks Guys!

Front Porch showing tapered column wraps and arches

Back Porch with more tapered columns and mouldings + 110 spindles

Sliding Shoji Doors for Joann & Ian

As part of a lower-floor renovation, our clients Joann & Ian wanted to have a bedroom area screened off from the living area with some panels that would slide out of the way and, when closed, would let light through. Joann had thoroughly researched Shoji screens, so we developed a 6-door design that slides on wooden tracks set into the hardwood floor and is guided from above with a wooden tracking system. The doors were all completed in edge-grain Fir. The paper panels were made of mulberry paper and are easily removed just in case repairs are required.

Happy 30th Birthday Wolfie!

Our hard-working Volkswagen Transporter, Wolfie, has turned 30 this year. Karen bought this truck new in 1991 and has looked after it for the past 30 years and 380,000 kilometers! We decided to celebrate the occasion by getting some “Coventry Woodworks” signage. Here’s to many more years of practical service - Well done Wolfie!

Built-ins and Bookcases for Nancy

Having sold her heritage home and purchased a new condo, our client Nancy was looking to have some cabinetry built in to suit the new space. We began with a sewing cabinet (she’s an avid quilter) in the second bedroom and followed up with two bookcase and display shelves. The bookcase was a stand alone unit that also featured two drawers for her extensive classical music CD collection. The display shelves filled the entire end of the living room 8’ tall and 12’wide and included some built-in lighting

Bookcase and CD Storage

End of room display shelves with built-in lighting

A Houseful of Furniture for Bev & Jim

This was the single biggest commission we’ve ever taken on for some great customers who have built a gorgeous new house on Gabriola Island. Our scope of work included:

• A 4’ tall x 10’ long wall that formed a king-sized bed headboard paneled in Arbutus

• A matching bed platform. Also in Arbutus paneling with a Cherry frame

• A 42” wide x 96” long Arbutus live-edge dining table

• A Sideboard with three paneled doors with 4-seasons marquetry branch detail

• An 8-drawer dresser in Western Maple, Cherry and Arbutus

• A built-in Computer Desk in Cherry with matching floating shelves

The timing of this work was nearly perfect for us, coinciding perfectly with the Covid 19 pandemic shutdown. We were able to pass the time of “social isolation” doing just that for 11 weeks in the workshop, then, just as lockdown measures loosened up it was time to deliver and install.

Tables, Tables, Tables and (one more little Table)

We’ve had a very table-rich autumn here at Coventry Woodworks It started with a nice little fir table done in edge grain fir for some folks in Cowichan Bay

The next table to come our way was this slim little hall table made of Western Maple that is edged with a little strip of Sapele Mahogany for contrast. With the basic structure now complete, Karen will be adding her signature double dovetail full extension drawer slides.

Legs are solid Western Maple with the top and rails in wavy veneer.

Concurrently we’re working on this lovely little coffee table made of a wood that we’ve never used before: Ginko. Yes, the same Ginko that Ginko Biloba tea comes from and is renowned as one of the world’s most ancient tree species. Interestingly it looks (and works) much like good ole pine.

The little brown leaves are just sitting on the top right now. Stay tuned to see how they look after Karen inlays them into the top surface.

Finally, our last (little) table is a actually just a 1/8 scale model of a large dining table with a trestle base we’ve been commissioned to complete for a house on Gabriola Island. Eventually the top will be made of 2 slabs measuring 21” wide and 72” long. There is also an 18” extension for extra space when visitors come for dinner!

We thought it best to make a model of this project before plunging into huge slabs of valuable wood. The scale model allowed us to work out the extension mechanism that all happens below the top surface.

Eleven Drawer Art Deco Dresser for Mary

This project took both of us (Karen & Cam) several months to complete. It was a once-in-a-lifetime commission, as our client, Mary, was wonderful to work with. She very much understood what she wanted in her completed dresser and cheerfully worked hard with us to bring her vision to life.

The completed project has 6 drawers for clothing and 5 velvet-lined ones for jewelry, the centre top one with a secret hidden lock. All of the drawer slides are full-extension all wood slides which Karen has perfected after writing an article about them for Fine Woodworking Magazine in issue # 117 (March-April 1996) over twenty years ago.

The wood is wavy Western Maple we acquired from our friends Persjis, Emilia and Barb Erglis at Clearwater Wood Industries in Victoria. Karen completed the black and white marquetry in the style of Art Deco master, J.E.Ruhlmann using black-dyed Swiss Pear and Bleached white Mahogany. The spherical handle pulls and decorative spheres are made of “vegetable ivory” tagua nuts from Equador.

We both loved working with Mary on this project and think the fitting summary is the unsolicited testimonial she wrote for us after we delivered it:

From start to finish the custom dresser project was a joy.  At our first meeting, Cam and Karen won my confidence as clearly accomplished, knowledgeable and professional.  From there we moved into concept drawings and research, where they showed enormous appreciation for both the artistic side as well as the challenges of execution.  Many a sample was done to hone the effect, offering very slight differences to suit my taste.  There was creative craftsmanship by Karen to handcraft a secret lock, create full-extension, all wood drawer slides and execute the very fine marquetry/inlay for the piece de resistance top surface, to mention a few.  Cam was both artist and fine furniture maker, from the rendering of the surface art, to managing the dimensions of curves, quality of material, assembly, veneering …too much to capture!  The fine finish was a testament to pursuit of excellence.  When the piece was installed, Cam sent a polishing rag scooting the length of the piece. 

Both team members listened carefully to my criteria, pondering all possible adjustments to the plan without compromise to quality.  Both Cam and Karen are excellent communicators, with weekly updates, and quick resolution over any points needing clarity.  Billing, project progress and communications were orderly.

Coventry Woodworks are well worth their rate, I gladly recommend them.

Quite the team.