Bill's handiwork -- a Morris chair

My birthday gift is finally finished!

Actually my birthday isn't until next week, but Bill made my gift while I was in Houston this spring. It's a combination wedding anniversary / birthday gift and was supposed to be here when I came home. But there was a long waiting list at the upholstery shop; we were finally able to bring it home yesterday. The leather is a rich chocolate, not as dark as the photo looks.

And it is SO comfortable! We have always loved the furniture and house designs of the Arts & Crafts era, c. 1900 - 1920s. Bill first saw a vintage Morris chair at Expo in Houston over 10 years ago, saying he would someday like to build one. I found a pattern for it 8 1/2 years ago. And now he's had a great time making it --- he even learned how to take a photo with his phone to show the chair, without cushion, to our kids in Texas (and he learned how to lock the phone so I could not see it!).

I didn't have a pattern for the footstool; he designed it himself. He is amazingly talented! When we renovated this 1920 apartment building, he did extensive oak woodwork, adding many vintage-style built-ins as well. When we couldn't find the right style door for the closet (seen behind the chair), he simply built a new one!

That end table is one of his designs (with inlaid checkerboard on top), along with the frames on the wall. The first 2 paintings are by Cathy "Kate" Johnson; the next 2 are by a friend of ours, David Krenzer. The one you can't see is Bill's favorite, an oil painting of cows at a watering tank. Still a farm boy at heart.