| Project by Mark A. DeCou | posted 1267 days ago | 3764 views | 12 times favorited | 17 comments | ![]() |
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FOR SALE:
I have One (1) more of these chairs made up in parts that has not been carved, or glued together. If you would like a custom carved Morris Chair and matching Ottoman, please email me at mark@decoustudio.com and we can discuss it further.
To see more photos of this project, you can also go to My Website
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If you stumbled onto this project posting while surfing the internet for Arts & Crafts furniture to buy, you might also be interesting in seeing these other Arts & Crafts Projects I have posted that were part of this commission:
- Sectioned Entertainment Center
- Orchid Stand/Wine Storage
- Arts & Crafts End Tables
- Arts & Crafts Coffee Table
- Arts & Crafts Table Lamps
- Arts & Crafts Prairie Style Couch
- Morris Chairs & Ottomans
Project Story:
When I was first approached by a neighbor about building a Living Room Collection of Craftsman-Style furniture, I was not all that excited. At the time they approached me I was still recovering financially from three years working as a Missionary for World Impact at their Morning Star Ranch near Florence, KS.
After leaving Morning Star I was commuting 87 miles each way to work, working hard at a full-time job learning how to do technical sales of metal plating services, something I knew llittle about (ok, ok, I knew nothing about).
In my “spare” time I was building walking canes, knives, flutes, pipes, and powder horns, fixing up the old farmhouse we bought at an auction, repairing the old termite eaten detached garage, fathering two toddlers, working through the termination of a our church pastor, and and and ….
I was just too busy and too poor to think much about doing furniture again full time, much less a very involved large commission of several matching pieces. In addition, the styling and simplicity of Craftsman furnishings just didn’t leave me a lot of room for creativity and the freedom to express myself in the wood.
So, I said, “no thank you,” and then later I said, “maybe,” and then finally later I said, “yes, I’d love to,”
In all taking more than a year to make the decision.
What finally convinced me to say, “yes,” was that the neighbor had agreed to let me modify their Craftsman concept to an English Arts & Crafts style, with added art carving, and carved letters so that each piece of furniture would be able to “speak for itself.”
I called the Collection “The Wisdom Series” and designed each piece of furniture to speak a wisdom statement in carved lettering.
They agreed to my guesses at the budgeting for the whole collection, and I started to work a little at a time in my spare time, putting aside my other hobbies. After several months of making little progress on the chairs, both the neighbor and myself started to get frustrated with how little progress I was making at the end of each month.
For several more months I played with the idea of quitting my day job to do their work exclusively. My wife’s appropriate question whenever I broached the subject was, “what will you do when you finish their work?”
I didn’t have an answer for her question, but I figured I had about 18 months of full-time work to look for more commission projects before I would be finished with their collection. Then at that time, another neighbor asked about my building them a China Hutch and Dining Set, and that seemed like another 6 months of work, so I found some health insurance and quit the day job with my wife’s approval.
Project Wood: Quartersawn White Oak
Carved Lettering: “Wisdom Is The Tree of Life” and “Acorns Become Mighty Oaks”
Carved Panels: Side Panels are White Oak Leaves and Acorns
Cushions are Leather by www.allensupholstery.com
The good photos are by Trey Allen, Wichita, KS www.treyallen.com






The chairs in their home enviroment.
Upholstery by: www.allensupholstery.net, Wichita, KS
Photo Credits: www.treyallen.com, Wichita, KS
thanks,
Mark DeCou
www.decoustudio.com
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Want to See More of my Furniture Work?:
If you go to my Mark DeCou Website you will find that I have not updated my website in quite some time. I realize that I need to invest in improving my website, but until that is accomplished, here are some more Lumberjocks related lilnks with updated postings of my furniture work, sorted into categories. Thanks for your interest in my work, and your patience with my website.
- Arts & Crafts Entry Table; with Carved Oak Leaves
- Arts & Crafts Orchid Stand w/ Wine Bottle Storage
- Arts & Crafts Style Morris Inspired Chairs
- Arts & Crafts Display Top Coffee Table
- Arts & Crafts Style Inspired End Table Set
- Arts & Crafts Style Inspired Prairie Couch
- Table Lamps
- Arts & Crafts Carved Entertainment Center
- Mission Entertainment Center
- Carved Communion Table
- Carved Roll Top Sound Equipment Cabinet
- Fancy Chuch Altars
- Processional Cross
- Fancy Speaker's Lectern
- Church Hymn Number Board
- Communion Chalice (Cup) and Paten
- Sam Maloof Inspired Walnut Rocker
- Original Art Carved Tilt Front Desk, inspired by Birger Sandzen
- Natural Edge; Nakashima Inspired Coffee Table
- Decoratively Painted Box End Tables
- Birch China Cabinet for Cut Glass Collection
- Naughty (Knotty) Refined Rustic White Oak & Black Walnut China Hutch
- A Kansa Indian and Buffalo Accent Art-Chair
- Refined Rustic Dining Chairs
- Refined Rustic Dining Table
- Cowboy-Western Style Suitcase/Luggage Support Racks
- Fun With Cedar Logs #1; Sitting Stool
- Fun With Cedar Logs #2; Coat/Hat/Spur Rack
- Fun With Cedar Logs #3; Western Style Hat/Coat Rack
- Fun With Cedar Logs #4; Entryway Stool
- Kennebunkport Style Adirondack Chair
- Outdoor Garden Wedding Arbor
- Outdoor Project: Cedar Wood Double Settee
(This project story, photos, and project design are protected by copyright 2008, by the author M.A. DeCou. Permission is required before using any portion of this content. Weblinks to this page are allowed without permission. Thanks for your consideration and protection of my intellectual property.)
-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com






























17 comments so far
schroeder
home | projects | blog
511 posts in 1016 days
posted 1014 days ago
Mark – I am in the middle of making two Morris chairs myself. After seeing your incredible chairs and the carvings, I now find myself rethinking how to proceed with my project! I may be trying to pick your brain a little on carving later-something I’ve always wanted to learn. These are certainly the finest Morris chairs I’ve seen, thanks for the inspiration!
Mark
-- The Gnarly Wood Shoppe
Don
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2590 posts in 1068 days
posted 1014 days ago
Mark, I wrote this when I read about and looked at your award winning Roll-top Storage Cabinet.
”You are in a league of your own. This is a wonderful piece. The more I see of your work and the stories that go with them, the more I realize that in your case it’s impossible to differentiate the man from his craft. God has empowered you in a wonderful way.
Exodus 35: 31 – 35 ”…and he (the Lord) has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skills, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts – to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. And He has given …him the ability to teach others.”
I want to reiterate these comments here with reference to your Arts & Crafts Carved Morris Chairs. They are true works of art; something to which I may well hope to attain, but realistically never expect to achieve.
We may never meet face-to-face in time, brother, but I do look forward to sitting in one of your Morris chairs and chatting with you about woodwork. (I’m assuming that God will commission you to make a few in His Kingdom.)
Blessings.
-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hilsbiblechurch.org/
scottb
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3403 posts in 1218 days
posted 1014 days ago
I’m glad somebody stumbled upon this and commented recently…. I thought I looked back though the project history when I signed up last summer… I would have remembered this chair.
A chair of this type is the centerpoint of my “list.” These are exaclty the sort of chairs I would have wanted to make, without even realizing I could do an adjustable back too!
What a way to kick off your career! Outstanding!
your carving is making me want to explore that in my own work as well. Anything beyond the woodblock prints I made in college.
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
Mark A. DeCou
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1537 posts in 1296 days
posted 1014 days ago
Thanks Don: I long for that chatting with you. I consider this work to be my “ministry”, as ill-equipped and unprepared for it as I am.
Maranatha,
Mark
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Thanks Schroeder. I added a bunch more photos tonight to help you with some of details that you might want to see. Let me know how to help you.
Mark
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thanks Scottb: I have taken a bunch of photos showing the steps to how I do this type of carving. I just never seem to take the hours it will cost to edit them all and write up the process. It is on my “to-do” list. In the meantime, ask any questions you want.
thanks,
Mark
-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com
David
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1982 posts in 1030 days
posted 1013 days ago
Mark – your work is truly magnificant. You have a wonderful gift. Thank you for sharing these photos. Your carving is an excellent addition to the Arts and Crafts style. These are the most impressive Morris chairs I have ever seen.
-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com
MsDebbieP
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14152 posts in 1051 days
posted 1013 days ago
astounding.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Dusty
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785 posts in 1047 days
posted 1013 days ago
Your work speaks for it self Mark. Enough said.
Nods.
Dusty
-- Dusty
schroeder
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511 posts in 1016 days
posted 1013 days ago
Thanks Mark, the extra pics arel helping me make some decisions about my chairs. The veiws of the detail on the carvings is greatly appreciated!
Schroeder
-- The Gnarly Wood Shoppe
Karson
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25787 posts in 1291 days
posted 1013 days ago
Mark: I believe that I looked at this post when you first posted it and I’m sorry that I didn’t make any comments then. But they are “beautiful man” You are truly gifted in your techniques and in your description of your work. Thanks for sharing some of your skills with us.
And I definetly will meet with you when I next get to Kansas City. It was nice talking to you on the phone a few days ago.
Karson
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Dick, & Barb Cain
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7034 posts in 1190 days
posted 1013 days ago
I’ve alway said you have a bright future ahead of you, with all of your beautiful productions.
It was nice to look at these chairs again, these were posted at the time when the members weren’t making comments. I looked at them when I signed up, & never went back again. I guess it’s time that I go back , & review all the posted projects to see what I’ve missed.
That goes for all of us.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Mark A. DeCou
home | projects | blog
1537 posts in 1296 days
posted 1012 days ago
You are all very kind, more than I deserve. I am honored to receive your comments and encouragement.
thanks to everyone,
Mark
-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com
Betsy
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2388 posts in 787 days
posted 760 days ago
Mark another LJ put me onto your work. It’s magnificent.
Now I do have a question about the Morris chair. I’ve built a chair similar to yours – not close in workmanship I’m sure——however, it still sits in my garage just shy of finished. I’m stuck on the caps on the arms. I cannot get them to look just right – as in authentic to the style of chair. I’ve got plenty of tries that look allright but not satisfactory. How did you make your caps. I’m about to just settle for the nicest pair and go with that. But I’d like your ideas if possible before I do that.
By the way, I think your carving puts the chair in a whole other league than most. You’ve really individualized/ personalized it.
thanks.
Betsy
-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.
Bill Butler
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73 posts in 654 days
posted 629 days ago
I can only aspire to produce that kind of perfection. I doff my chapeau to you sir.
Budgie
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117 posts in 828 days
posted 545 days ago
Great job. I have been tempted to build a set like this for the living room.
-- Bud, NY, http://tpww.libsyn.com/
SCOTSMAN
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2237 posts in 476 days
posted 388 days ago
very well done I commend you on your workmanship kindest regards Alistair
-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease
Joe Lyddon
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480 posts in 943 days
posted 167 days ago
”I can do that!” (in my dreams…) :)
Thank you for a great thread… good stories… good lessons learned… and Good furniture!
I felt your frustrations as I read… as well as your proudness as you reached your goals.
Very well done!
Thank you again…
-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=1389&cat=500"
a1Jim
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16497 posts in 468 days
posted 167 days ago
MARK = Quality + beautiful workmanship + exclusiveness of design . So well done bravo.
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon