I built this bench last fall. My clients wanted to make the existing mantle/fireplace more of a focal point for the room, and make it look like it had always been that way. So, we designed the new pieces to match the style of the original trim work in the house. The base of the bench opens up to store the Tivo and cable box, and a flat screen TV is now installed on the wall above the bench (The first picture is the “before,” and the second two are “after”).

I built this staircase for a client in 2007. The work also included trimming out a large upstairs addition, built-in cabinets throughout the house, and various other tasks as they arose. My client was doing a lot of the work himself, and we worked together a lot of the time. Everything was made on site from scratch, with the exceptions of the balusters and the handrail, which were purchased and assembled by us. It was the biggest project I had done until that point, and a great learning experience.