A Designer's Palette by Ian Campbell

A Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Palette by Brian Foster Photography by Ian Campbell

- 1 -

Published by ______________ Address:_______________ A Designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Palette Copyright 2013 ISBN: 978-0-615-84150-2 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except brief excerpts for the purpose of review, without written permission to the author or publisher. Photography by Ian Campbell Cover design and book layout by Jill Carter

- 2 -

- 3 -

- 4 -

Table of Contents

Intro.................................................................9 WORK ..............................................................12 WOOD ...........................................................15 Bead Board ..............................................17 Benâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mill ....................................................21 Roots ...........................................................23 MISTAKES ................................................24 Eileen Reilly ..............................................27 Eileen Chuck Dining............................28 Snags ............................................................31 Turned Wood .........................................32 Banquettes ...............................................35 Wooden Water Tanks ........................37 Arbor .........................................................47 Gate to the Back Forty .....................50 Potting Bench..........................................51 GLASS .............................................................55 Wavy Glass .............................................56 Vitrine .........................................................58 Mirrored Table Islands ........................61 Silvering Bottles & Glass ...................64 GRACE .......................................................64 Art Mirrors ..............................................71 Suzy Cabinet ...........................................72 PAPER ...............................................................79 Herbaria .....................................................84

- 5 -

TEXTILES ........................................................89 Vintage Toile.............................................91 Homespun................................................92 Truck Tarp .................................................95 Outdoor Canvas ...................................97 Canvas Table Top ................................103 METAL ...........................................................105 Nicole Table Zinc Clad Furniture ..........................107 Zinc Top Under Cover ...................111 Wrought vs. Cast...............................117 Laser Cutting........................................121 STONE ..........................................................129 Water Jet Cutting ..............................131 Salvaged Shower Stall .....................133 Salvaged Slate Chalkboard ...........135 Independence Mall Pavers............139 Bluestone Sidewalks.........................143 SALVAGE......................................................145 Building Elements ..............................147 TRUST .....................................................148 Industrial Bases....................................155 Foundry Molds....................................161 PRACTICE..............................................163 Working With What You Have ..171 LOOKING FORWARD ...................179

- 6 -

- 7 -

- 8 -

Intro

“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.” “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in

- 9 -

reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.”

- 10 -

- 11 -

WORK

When I was a little boy, I would go with my mother to see a man who would frame the paintings and prints she occasionally bought for herself or for gifts. His studio was in a 250 year old stone bank barn in Valley Forge, Pa. He worked in the upper hayloft portion of the barn restoring large European paintings for the Getty Museum. The walls were stacked with beautiful gilt frames in various states of decay, tables were filled with coffee cans of solvents and brushes, paints and pallets were everywhere. He was a short man with a red beret and exotic Polish accent. To me he seemed like he was a hundred years old. He was such a gifted artist that mom would drop off her art and say, “Just do what you think is best Sosha.” They would always come back beautifully matted in linen with a gessoed, painted frame and touches of gold or silver leaf. One time I brought some

pastel drawings I had done to show him and have framed. He took a considered look at my work and said, “keep working”. I knew he meant for me to keep practicing, but working sounded really good to me, like an adult, as though I had a promising future, not the drudgery of practice. Since that time, there have been many years of working as a painter, antiques and architectural salvage dealer, garden and furniture designer. As a designer and artist, I’ve always been inspired by the garden and architecture. The play between the natural world and the man made world.... A moss covered stone wall or the distant view of an 18th century folly in the landscape. The materials I find to make our furniture are mostly found salvaged or reclaimed. They have somehow been affected by time, nature and man.

- 12 -

- 13 -

- 14 -

WOOD

Wood seems to be one of the most common and versatile materials I use in my work. With just a few basic tools, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to play with. I certainly respond to different kinds of wood depending on what I need it for, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looks and provenance. A lovely time worn painted surface, hand hewn marks, weathered boards or some other history that reveals itself in the material is something I always look for. In my shop I have collections of wood separated into different categories; table tops, shelving, large slabs, historic architectural salvage, and piles of salvaged wood ready for milling. Wood from bar ns,brewer ies,factor y beams and storm felled trees make up most of my collection. If you enjoy and appreciate working with salvaged

- 15 -

wood, a good place to find it and kindred spirits are wood mills, demolition businesses, architectural salvage warehouses and wood brokers. Many of these businesses go to auctions and buy material, architectural salvage or entire buildings. They find it, clean it and store it for there customers. There is a beauty in old wood that is found in the way it checks, the nail holes, how it has worn and especially knowing it was once skillfully handled by a craftsman oh so long ago in a different time and place. I think it is this appreciation that gives me such added pleasure in working with itâ&#x20AC;Ś bringing their work into the future in a new way.

- 16 -

Bead Board - 17 -

While driving past this beautiful nineteenth century bank barn in Lancaster County Pennsylvania, I noticed that the siding was being replaced. I pulled over and asked the workmen if I could relieve them of their pile of discarded bead board. They said they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure what the boss was going to do with it, but I got the sense that my interest in it made them think they could perhaps sell it rather than burn it. I called the owner to inquire and he said heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d think about it. In order to move things along and not miss an opportunity, I called him the following week and made a cash offer. He agreed and the wood was mine, I then had to go retrieve the unwieldy piles full of nails and splinters. For use as barn siding, the boards did need replacing, but cleaned up and rotten ends cut off, they made beautiful cladding for cabinets, kitchen Islands, planter boxes and interior walls.

- 18 -

- 19 -

- 20 -

Ben’s Mill - 21 -

A lot of dealers and pickers will call me and say they have something they think I might like, maybe an old cast iron machine base or a factory fire door. That’s how I find a lot of my cool, one-of-a-kind parts. Same with a fellow named Ben who owns a saw mill. Guys with big equipment and chain saws know that he might buy their found log. Whether it’s an old tree that’s finally died on a family homestead or one that’s fallen in a storm, extraordinary logs find their way to Ben’s mill. He has a large band saw and sander so he can make short work of a huge log. I enjoy visiting the mill because he always gives me a tour of what he’s working on, what logs just came in or what’s coming out of the kiln. I’ve learned so much about wood from him. He’s always experimenting. Recently he’s been salvaging cast off tree stumps that the lumber industry usually turns to mulch. Using the stumps as table bases, I’ve added tops of various shapes and materials to create elegant dining tables.

- 22 -

Roots - 23 -

The thing I love about these tree stumps are their versatility. They look great inside but because they are white cedar can work as outdoor tables too. The growth pattern of the roots are so lively and chaotic they make matching a base with a top a practice in applied physics. They also make each table a truly one of a kind piece. Painted white they can feel modern, left outside to weather gray they look as if you found them on the beach. I especially like the long sweeping a symmetry that lend to a cantilevered top.

M I S TA K E S Some of my best pieces have been the result of something going wrong, my trick is to mine the gold out of the situation. I was away with several friends, all creative artists, when I began to write this. I read aloud as I put down my thoughts and the contributions came quickly…” the spirit of a thing is found in it’s imperfection”, “ in quilting, you’re supposed to make a deliberate mistake, because only God is perfect” and my partner Ernie quoted Leonard Cohen, “ there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”. When I first started working with the root bases, I accidentally gouged one with a chainsaw. I filled in the gouge and painted it white. This took the table in a new and fresh direction and became a best seller. When a zinc sheet delaminated from the plywood below, I reattached it with a pattern of zinc roofing nails around the top. The nail head detail is now a popular feature on our zinc tables There’s something that happens as the result of a problem or mistake, a shift in thinking. The abrupt end of one design idea opens the door to another. I always try to be awake to possibilities.

- 24 -

- 25 -

- 26 -

Eileen Reilly - 27 -

Eileen entertains a lot and her home is perfectly suited to it. Punch bowls, hor dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ouvres and floral arrangements have all shared a place at the center hall table. The table top is a spalted sycamore top with swirling soft natural edges. Soft to the touch and beautiful to view from above on the staircase.

Eileen Chuck Dining

This unusually large slab of wood is a single piece of spalted maplewood that measures five feet wide. I asked Eileen what she loves about her table and she said its big, but its also intimate. She attributes it to the warmth an beauty of the wood, but she adds she wouldn't seat less than 6 people at it.

- 28 -

- 29 -

- 30 -

Snags

Many of the slabs I use in my work come from standing dead or dying trees known as snags. The interesting surfaces on the slabs come from the breakdown of the tree. Spalt is a form of wood discoloration caused by fungi. I find that the resulting patterns add an additional layer of beauty to the final piece. Though some see a standing dead tree as an eye sore, I see it as a thing of beauty. A baron silhouette is a perfect perch for a large bird of prey, habitat for a nesting owl or squirrels and a food source for countless birds. Think twice before you cut down your dead tree.

- 31 -

Turned Wood

Eileen and Chuck traded out their beautiful old farm table for this oval table. We tested a few oval template shapes before deciding on this reclaimed white oak top with a single block of an

old oak beam turned as the base. We like the large split in the wood called checking which is to be expected of a large single piece of wood. The base was inspired by a chess piece.

- 32 -

- 33 -

- 34 -

Banquettes - 35 -

Banquettes can be tricky. Not just any table will work. A pedestal table is generally optimal as you need leg room to schootch in to the bench. The traditional 4 legged table will generally obstruct the flow, though Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve sat at those tables and a squeeze and a slide can work. I like to suggest wheels for those situations. They can add a great design detail as well as practical solution. The main thing is to consider the leg room.

- 36 -

Wooden Water Tanks

The ubiquitous wooden water tanks seen atop large industrial buildings as well as old apartment buildings are often made from Southern Bald Cypress. Taxodium Distichum is a deciduous tree native to the American south, prized for centuries for it’s ability to withstand rot and tolerate dampness without affecting the taste or smell of water. This quality made it ideally suited for building water tanks and cisterns. Hollowed out cypress logs were typically used as water and drain pipes before the industrial revolution made steel and iron piping available. For all these uses it was given the name “eternal wood”. I’m always on the lookout for salvaged Southern Cypress as we use it in our trellis work and outdoor furniture. When I asked one of my demo/salvage guys to keep an eye out for me, I got a call the following week. He’d found two water tanks, we talked price and logistics, and before I knew it I was walking up ramps, climbing dark stair wells and crossing catwalks to get to the roof of an enormous factory that used to build tank chassis for WWII. He had the salvage rights to the derelict building and among other treasures, had discovered the two Cypress water tanks in a rooftop enclosure. One of the many benefits to this salvaged wood was that it had been assembled like a barrel, using bands to apply pressure to keep it together. As such, it had no nails to remove in order to disassemble and no hidden steel surprises for our woodworkers to discover.

- 37 -

- 38 -

- 39 -

- 40 -

- 41 -

- 42 -

- 43 -

- 44 -

- 45 -

- 46 -

Arbor - 47 -

Pergola, colonnades, and trellis work can be useful and practical for providing for shade, screening and to support vines, but it also functions to add architectural interest to an otherwise boring side of the house, indeed it can transform. When considering the design I generally try to be sympathetic to the architecture of the house, though I sometimes feel if the house is so innocuous or if the spirit of the project is folly, than anything goes. This project used western red cedar for the timber portion of the pergola which supports wisteria (be careful of this vine, it can be a home wrecker). The structure has the feeling of being in an outdoor room, with high ceilings, and walls with large windows looking out over the view. Using salvaged southern cypress and staining it green, I built a classically inspired trellis around the large blank chimney. Together with the crown molding, the arch, and small scale detailing, the trellis provides a more human proportion to the room. The mirror inside the arch does double duty of showing the beautiful carving on the back side of the antique carved wings as well as bringing light to that back shaded areaâ&#x20AC;Ś. using mirror in the garden can be effective, but sunlight should never directly hit the glass.

- 48 -

- 49 -

Gate to the Back Forty

I love the austerity of this gate design. It was inspired by a colonial garden gate that is in the downtown historic district of Philadelphia. The house is in the formal French Normandy style. - 50 -

I simplified the basic style of the gate since itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the back near the carriage houses and cold frames and functions more in a utilitarian way rather than as a formal entry.

Potting Bench

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done this potting bench in many configurations and colors; painted black, white, raw reclaimed white oak, and this one in Southern cypress with a sage green stain. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

- 51 -

great for potting plants and storing all your gear, but it can also be a desk bringing garden flair to any room.

- 52 -

- 53 -

- 54 -

GLASS

I have always been attracted to the rich quality of old glass and mirror. There is a quality in old glass that you cannot get in new glass. Antique glass can look hand blown and has a distorted look, where the surface of modern glass is very smooth with a brilliant finish. Most glass is made of silicon dioxide, sodium oxide, soda ash, and lime. In thicker pieces of aged glass, the impurities of the iron oxide produce a green tint. A range of colored glass can be obtained depending on the addition of chemicals or other additives. The pallet of colors found within old glass and the imperfect process used to make it produce unique characteristics that affect light passing through this medium. Modern glass is void of these characteristics. In old mirrors there are all those qualities of the old glass, as well as the age and type of silvering used. Venetian glassmakers

- 55 -

began covering the back of the glass with mercury in the 16th century to obtain an undistorted reflection. Industrial espionage brought this technique to the workshops of London and Paris where they were finally able to make mirrors through industrialization. Over the years several different chemicals have been used to coat mirror backs which affected the way light was reflected back through the glass. Mirrors of today are now coated with non-toxic silver or aluminium.

Wavy Glass

Wavy glass is one of those things I appreciate when it reveals itself at just the right angle, in an old greenhouse, windows, old framed print or vintage store fixture. The glass can tell you a bit about the age of the thing it is part of. Retrieving old glass out of salvaged material safely and silvering it is a favorite design element in my furniture.

- 56 -

- 57 -

Vitrine

This vitrine is an old store fixture. I would have loved to seen it merchandised 100 years ago. I think it was probably from a haberdashery as the wavy glass and the old beadboard were in perfectly clean condition. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used it to display collections and have since sold it in our store in New York at ABC. Without the old wavy glass, this would not have been a very remarkable piece.

- 58 -

- 59 -

- 60 -

Mirrored Table Islands - 61 -

Mirrored table islands start with antique beveled mirror. I back them with felt and use them as mini stages for still lifes, show off a collection or reflect candles on a centerpiece. Layering and overlapping a collection of mirrors down the center of a table is a good base for building Landscapes of forced spring bulbs, moss, rocks and other wildings.

- 62 -

- 63 -

Silvering Bottles & Glass

Silvering old bottles and glass give a whole new life to them. Silvered bottles add shimmer to a candle lit dinner table and make a bottle bud vase a little more special. Silvered old glass and vintage mirror add a depth and quality to our furniture that you can not find with new.

G R AC E When I was growing up, grace was always said before dinner. My father would lead us in a reverential moment of thankfulness for our good fortune and to pray for others less so. Now in my own home everyone is invited to say a few words of appreciation. As a host there is a thoughtfulness and consideration in preparing for guests. Everyday rituals take on more meaning when friends are expected. The extra attention given to the preparations of the home, the table and food add a layer of grace and elegance.

- 64 -

- 65 -

- 66 -

- 67 -

- 68 -

- 69 -

- 70 -

Art Mirrors - 71 -

I’m always on the look out for old beveled mirror with flaking silver. In my art mirrors, I’ll sometimes need to take off the backing behind the mirror to get more of the silver off. The idea is to create a composed balance between remaining silver and clear glass. It is in the clear glass sections that I collage and glue vintage paper. The result are many and varied but there is always a bit of a theme that takes on it’s own narrative and mini worlds are created that reveal themselves and then disappear behind the silver. I’ve incorporated the art mirrors in furniture, in doors and on the walls

Suzy Cabinet - 72 -

Apart from the new hardware, this drinks cabinet is made entirely from reclaimed materials. The wood casework and stone countertop were both locally sourced and the ‘roundel’ glass is circa 1940. The interior shelves are from a haul of dead stock glass... never used material in it’s original condition. Extra exciting if it is still in a wooden create that requires a hammer and crowbar to open.

- 73 -

- 74 -

- 75 -

- 76 -

- 77 -

- 78 -

PAPER

Paper ephemera is hidden in plain site everywhere. It is the one material I use that is so diverse in itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s origins and uses. In my art mirrors collages, I use vintage wallpaper, letters, deeds, maps, sheet music, stamps, postcards, old labels , photographs, prints, and drawings. These things sometimes find their way directly in to a frame and on to the wall. Sometimes Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll scan an image for reprint on to something else. Finding paper ephemera can be a slow pursuit and take patience. Taking time at a flea market to look through boxes and suit cases.... You never know what you may find or learn.

- 79 -

- 80 -

- 81 -

- 82 -

- 83 -

Herbaria

Most major botanical gardens have herbaria as part of their research facilities. Originally created and used by early scientists and explorers, they became an important source of reference. Lewis and Clarkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s herbariums are in the Academy of Natural Science near my home in Philadelphia. The Victorians later took up the art of pressing plants for study and pleasure. Treasures botanicals

like pressed seaweed and herbariums have

become a coveted find at the flea markets. Ideally found in bound collections or as individual pages, people have been framing and displaying them for years. Creating your own herbaria using flowers saved from a special event or plucked from your garden can add personal meaning to the art you display in your home. Modern printing technology has enabled us to print pressed specimens on glass, adding a level of interest as the plants appear to float in the frame.

- 84 -

- 85 -

- 86 -

- 87 -

- 88 -

TEXTILES - 89 -

First it’s how it looks, then how does it feel, the “hand”, how much is it? Then maybe, what will I do with it. I’m happy to just have it folded on the shelf. Reluctant to cut intact and particularly beautiful vintage linens, some finds it’s way in to upholstery, custom bedding and curtains. Beach blankets, table clothes and pillows. Truck tarps, grain sacks, homespun are all fair game.... Died in rich saturated colors, hand stitched repairs are an extra bonus.

- 90 -

Vintage Toile

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.â&#x20AC;?

Photo to come

- 91 -

Homespun

When My grandmother used-to visit, she would often bring my mom things.... old chairs sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d fixed up, sometimes it would be china of some kind or bags of old table linens and napkins. They were both sewers and would go through the bags of fabric looking at the stitching and notice things like machine stitching verses hand stitching. To this day my mother has more table clothes then she could possibly use, ironed and hanging on hangers in a closet. I too collect old linen that is more on the rustic side. In closets, in bags, folded in the shop.... I may also have more vintage homespun cloth than I could possibly use in a lifetime too, but one can never have enough vintage linen sheets and homespun textiles. I always have my eye out for heavy weight fabric that was made from yarn spun at home and woven into useful cloth.

- 92 -

- 93 -

- 94 -

Truck Tarp

This heavy cotton upholstery started life as truck tarps in Brazil. After being cleaned and dyed itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exported as yard goods. The hand stitched repair patches are evidence of use and care. The re-purposed tarps come in a handful of beautiful colors and have a soft hand. Over the years weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used it to reupholster everything from a Chippendale sofa to aluminum airplane pilots chairs.

- 95 -

- 96 -

Outdoor Canvas - 97 -

Waxed cotton and linen were first used by Mariners for their sails.They found that adding fish oil or linseed oil to their sails them less porous and improved their speed. From sailcloth came rain slickers and other outdoor gear. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve experimented with linseed oil on some of our outdoor cushions and tents

- 98 -

- 99 -

insert page here of swing truck tarp swing

- 100 -

- 101 -

- 102 -

Canvas Table Top - 103 -

Flags, paintings, sailcloth and printed fabric are some of the textiles weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used to adhere to table tops. Add a few coats of varnish and wax and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no end to the different directions it can take. The over-scale floral on this table was a custom print from a digital image we created. Finished with a zinc edge and vintage trumpet base, the resulting table really is one-of-a-kind.

- 104 -

METAL

Zinc, lead, lead coated copper and zinc coated steel have been used throughout history to protect buildings from the weather, be it the lead and zinc clad roofs of Paris or zinc coated corrugated steel out-buildings from the rural American south to Australia's out back. The material is malleable and holds up to the elements and with time and ware develops a lovely patina. Galvanized material or even lead garden ornaments over time get a white patina we call white rust. We purposely foster the process on our table tops with water and salt.

- 105 -

- 106 -

Nicole Table Zinc Clad Furniture

When Nicole and Matt purchased their fixer upper mansion in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, the process of renovating was a labor of love.

We re-glued, painted and added zinc cladding to the top and leg details. The result was a refreshed table, back in place in its original home.

Pre-cleanout and demo tours where thrilling and dangerous. One room was piled high with brown veneered furniture from the early 20th century. I collected the parts of what looked like the original center hall table and asked them to let me have my way with it.

The buffet/bar at Eileen and Vinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s started life as a brown veneered sideboard. We applied a coat of gray chalkboard paint to the wood and added new zinc top complete with stainless steel sink.

- 107 -

- 108 -

- 109 -

- 110 -

Zinc Top Under Cover

Zinc inside as a counter or table top with a traditional base can be evocative of a european antique, but crafted into contemporary shapes with a weathered patina is a nice mix. Zinc top tables were historically the work horses of the kitchens, butcher shops and bar tops. The - 111 -

surface is non porous, cleans up well and will not harbor bacteria. Zinc changes with time and use and develops a beautiful blue and white tone patina. The material is great outside but will get burning hot in the direct sun so we always recommend under cover in the shade.

- 112 -

- 113 -

- 114 -

- 115 -

- 116 -

- 117 -

- 118 -

Wrought vs. Cast

When I studied early American history and architecture, I always appreciated the variety of ways iron was used in construction. Whether in ornamental ironwork made of wrought iron, or columns made of cast iron; the ironwork has a beauty to admire. Wrought iron has a very low carbon content and historically was known as commercially pure iron while cast iron has a very high carbon content.“Wrought iron” literally means “worked iron” as it is not only tough, but malleable, and ductile in nature. A blacksmith can work a piece of wrought iron into beautiful decorative items such as railings, boot

- 119 -

scrapes, gates, and balustrades found on many of the early 19th century buildings. Cast iron, on the other hand, is very brittle and can break if struck with a hammer. Cast iron under compression, however, is very strong and was used for structural purposes beginning in the late 18th century. You can still find these ornate examples of both cast and wrought iron in architectural salvage warehouses and antique shops today. While both are still made they have been replaced by steel for many traditional applications.

- 120 -

- 121 -

- 122 -

Laser Cutting - 123 -

Laser cutting is a handy technology to have access to. Large sheets of steel plate are exactingly cut by a high powered laser into intricate shapes. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used it for structural elements, like the tables bases shown here, as well as for small parts and ornaments. The laser is of course computer controlled so now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re able to create our designs digitally.

- 124 -

- 125 -

- 126 -

- 127 -

- 128 -

STONE

Stone. I'm always so in awe of the old and ancient stone buildings and monuments I've seen through my travels and study. The workmanship and in some cases the sheer marvel of moving such massive pieces of stone into place boggle the mind. The stone I've used in my work is mostly salvaged from old buildings in Philadelphia... pavers, slate bathroom stalls, building stones, marble slabs, walls, old school chalkboards and stone finials. There is nothing more solid and permanent than stone. Standing on a thick, heavy, gigantic slab paver, you can feel it through your stance.

- 129 -

- 130 -

Water Jet Cutting

This table was inspired by the beautiful Georgia marble salvaged from in front of Independence Hall. Installed as paving stones and bench caps when the Mall was created in the fifties, they were removed in the 1970’s as part of an urban renewal project. Remarkably, in a time before salvage consciousness, much of it was saved. - 131 -

We used a waterjet cutter to shape the 3” thick slabs. A technology equally as remarkable as laser cutting, it’s capable of slicing through a wide variety of materials using a pressurized jet of water. The marble bowties, a technique borrowed from woodworking, assure that the hairline crack doesn’t spread while adding an honest design element.

- 132 -

Salvaged Shower Stall - 133 -

This dining room table top was cut into an oval from a large rectangular Carrara marble shower stall. Salvaged from a firehouse in west Philadelphia. The base is an industrial machine base that we painted white to match the old plywood school chairs we painted a hard enamel white.

- 134 -

Salvaged Slate Chalkboard

Salvaged slate chalkboards are a beautiful shade of deep grey. I imagine the ghost of all of the words and numbers that have covered its surface over the years, a humble material with a rich history of use. The large, consistent surface makes them ideal for tabletops, work surfaces and tiles.

- 135 -

- 136 -

add page, add photo

- 137 -

- 138 -

Independence Mall Pavers - 139 -

The marble we use in our work has been salvaged from Independence Mall in Philadelphia. We used selvaged marble for dining tables, consoles, and kitchen islands. They are 3â&#x20AC;? thick which is part of the beauty, but they have a lot of character in the veining as well as the wear.

- 140 -

- 141 -

photo to come

- 142 -

Bluestone Sidewalks

Bluestone is a type of sandstone unique to New York State. In the early nineteenth century most New York City sidewalks were laid with bluestone pavers. By the 1850â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slabs were being shipped up and down the east coast and as far as Cuba and San Francisco.

I built these table with bluestone pavers salvaged from a west Philadelphia sidewalk, a lucky score on Craigslist. The sections were shaped and notched at the waterjet cutter. We made the height purposefully unusual, somewhere between coffee and dining.

- 143 -

- 144 -

SALVAGE

One of the things I do before I go to a new city is to research if there is an architectural salvage warehouse near by. Such places are a great jumping off point for getting a sense of the town, but also for finding out where the other cool antique shops are. Architectural Salvage warehouses not only have “ready to wear” antiques, but are storehouses of fragments, doors, piles of wood, mirror and stone that with a little imagination and know how can be transformed in to beautiful functional pieces of furniture with provenance, patina and prices not to be found in a new furniture store. Like most of the places I shop, you never know what you’ll find. That’s why it’s important to keep visiting your favorite shops to see what’s new. Building the kind of relationships with the proprietors that have them call you when they get something in that they think you’ll like.

- 145 -

- 146 -

Building Elements

Shutters, doors and windows have always been a source of inspiration for me. On several occasions Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used shutters and doors to create room divider screens. Hinged together in groups of three or more, they bring height and interest to an otherwise dull area of a room, define a space within a room or simply screen an unwanted view. Large windows and doors with glass work well in

areas where you want to let the light shine through. Changing the glass to an number of vintage glass options or mirror could pull the look in a whole new direction and screen something out that clear glass wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. This large scale cabinet was designed around the louvered shutters.The heavy base raises the doors up to a usable height, topped with the large crown moulding, the overall silhouette is of a classical proportion.

- 147 -

add page for screens

- 148 -

- 149 -

TRUST Trust yourself. It’s a lesson I learn ongoingly. Whether it’s a design idea or an acquisition, if it’s calling to me, I’ve learned to listen. Of course there are always practical considerations, but if the simplest of criteria can be met, I usually go for it. As a result, I don’t always know what I’m going to do with a piece when I buy it, but if I’m inspired, I trust that it will work in some way.. sometime. Several years ago I purchased a 19th century chicken coop from an Amish farmer. The hand hewn posts and beams, mortise and tenon construction and century old paint were too

beautiful to pass up. I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do with it, but I knew it could be disassembled, flat packed and stored until I had an idea. When I later reassembled it on my property I imagined we’d use it for storage, then I remembered the stainless steel kitchen cabinets I’d salvaged from a hospital and stored in the side yard of my shop. The coop with cabinets installed has found new life as a summer kitchen (the ‘kitchen coop’) and it’s one of my favorite leaps of faith.

- 150 -

- 151 -

- 152 -

- 153 -

- 154 -

Industrial Bases

When I come across a base thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cast iron heavy and has greasy wheels or cleats, I know it came from factory or machine shop. I appreciate the spirit of a room that has an unexpected, or one of a kind furnishing. - 155 -

Repurposed elements add an edgy dose of history to a space. Industrial bases often require some sort of adaptation to work as a piece of furniture, but when the tops and the bases finally align, the results can be sublime.

- 156 -

- 157 -

- 158 -

- 159 -

- 160 -

Foundry Molds

Wooden foundry molds are from factories that produced metal castings. They are colorful wooden patterns that were made in the shape of the desired metal casting. The shapes are as varied as the colors are riotous. This coffee table was really

ready to wear, it just needed feet and a piece of glass. The colors and the volumes can be very modern. Mirrors seem to also be a favorite solution to reinventing these reliques of Philadelphiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s industrial past.

- 161 -

- 162 -

P R AC T I C E Writers have their words, painters have their paints and I have a warehouse full of parts. Working with the materials I’ve collected, the warehouse is my creative laboratory. Living in Philadelphia certainly has an effect on the raw material I collect, as well as the inspiration I draw. It would be interesting to see what my work might look like if I lived in the Southwest or perhaps a tropical locale. Like most of my colleagues, I look around to see what’s happening in the design world. I enjoy the shelter magazines and count myself among those caught in the collective sweep of trends. It’s rewarding to enjoy the sweet smell of satisfaction whenever I think I’ve come up with something fresh and unexpected.

- 163 -

- 164 -

- 165 -

- 166 -

- 167 -

- 168 -

- 169 -

- 170 -

Working With What You Have

Whenever I’m out in the country collecting flowers for the table, I play a game with myself. I challenge my eyes to look a little deeper into the landscape to consider what’s out there in a broader way. Whatever the time of year, there is so much to appreciate; dead grass and winter buds can be as beautiful as flowers in full bloom. Finding true virtue in a weed can be very liberating, especially to a gardener. The practice of working with what’s on hand has made me a more resourceful and inventive designer.

- 171 -

- 172 -

- 173 -

- 174 -

- 175 -

- 176 -

- 177 -

- 178 -

LOOKING F O RWA R D Who among us doesn’t know the feeling of anticipation... a holiday with tickets and reservations booked, or a big box arriving in the mail. Looking forward is a powerful thing. It can cause you to reorient your entire life around that thing. As a designer I always have something in the pipeline, a project I can’t wait to see completed. Waiting for the final part so a new design can be assembled, waiting for the painters to finish so art can be hung, waiting for spring when last fall’s bulb planting will appear. Anticipation is a strong emotion, often there’s elation and sometimes it’s anticlimactic. Then there are the big dreams to be

- 179 -

excited about, building an addition, putting in a pool, a piece of furniture or art that may be a bit beyond my budget. I’m a firm believer in creating the future with your words and actions. “Build it, they will come” “Throw your hat over the wall” Then there’s the subject of resources, it can be a tricky dance, the one we dance with those in our lives with whom we share our homes, our tables and yes.. our pools.

Find out more on the website: groundworkhome.com

Visit the shop: Groundwork 719 S. 17th St., Philadelphia, PA 19146

- 180 -