09 July 2010

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.

12 comments:

  1. Shouldn't that be Quarter Sawn oak?
    Tisk, Tisk.

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  2. Wonderful chair and surprise! It looks really neat. I like that style too. Lucky you!

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  3. What a talented guy you have there!! Gorgeous!

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  4. Matt: Uh, yeah . . . . have you priced quarter-sawn oak lately?

    Thanks for commenting, Freebird and Patsy! I am very blessed with a talented husband and kids as well. Including Matt, above.

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  5. LOVE it!! Your husband's talent needs to be shared. I'd sure be in line to buy some!!!
    There's wonderful Arts and Crafts homes in southern CA and every year they have a big open house tour in Pasadena of some of these homes that I've not gone on, but have heard is phenomenal. You two would be in heaven!!

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  6. wow! it is beautiful!!! agreed that is very special! happy birthday for next week (it is my birthday too next week!)

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  7. Brenda, Bill would LOVE to do things like this for a living! Unfortunately, overhead is tremendous and finding a market difficult. Often people don't see the difference between cheaply made stuff and hand-crafted.

    Liz, really? Mine is the 16th, when is yours? Happy birthday whenever it is!

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  8. Keep this under your hat: If you spend more time away, Bill could be very productive!! :-) Great chair!!

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  9. Guess what? I already figured that one out! Besides building the chair, he finished some work on this building renovation!

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  11. Happy soon to be birthday, Vicky!! You have such a wonderful husband, and so talented, too!

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