Journal

Floating solid walnut bathroom vanity with a stone vessel basin in a bright plaster bathroom
Choosing a solid wood bathroom vanity
A solid wood vanity does well in a bathroom that is ventilated, with a sealed finish and splashes wiped. Sizes, heights and clearances to plan around. Read more...
Raw and oiled solid oak side tables on a workbench in a bright woodworking workshop
What made to order means at CARVERHAUS: the seven stages
Every piece is built after you order it, in seven stages, and you see it in photographs before it is finished. Here is each stage in turn. Read more...
Steel tape measure along a plaster wall over pale oak floorboards with a sketch notebook in an empty room
How to measure your room for a custom piece
Measure the space, the obstacles around it, how you will use the piece and the route it takes into your home. A step-by-step guide. Read more...
Low solid walnut coffee table in front of a linen sofa on a wool rug in a bright living room
A coffee table size guide: height, length and spacing
Aim for about two-thirds the length of your sofa, close to its seat height, and 14 to 18 inches from its front edge. The details, worked through. Read more...
Breadboard end joint and end grain on a solid oak tabletop in a bright workshop
Why solid wood moves, and how good furniture allows for it
Solid wood swells and shrinks across its width with the seasons. Here is how much, why, and what good construction does about it. Read more...
Hand oiling a solid oak dining tabletop with a soft cloth in a bright room
How to care for solid wood furniture
Dust gently, wipe spills, keep humidity steady and avoid silicone polishes. A practical care routine for solid wood furniture. Read more...
Solid walnut tabletop corner with a smooth satin finish beside a wire-brushed natural rough finish
Smooth or natural rough: choosing a surface finish
Smooth is fine-sanded under a gloss topcoat. Natural rough is wire-brushed under a single matte coat. How to choose between them. Read more...
Solid oak and solid walnut boards side by side on a workbench in a bright workshop
Oak or walnut: choosing the wood for your furniture
Oak is harder, lighter and more strongly grained. Walnut is darker, finer and calmer. A side-by-side guide to choosing between them. Read more...
Live edge solid wood slab dining table edge with bark line in window light
Live edge furniture, explained: what it is and what to look for
A live edge keeps the outline of the tree along the side of the board. Here is what that means for grain, cracks, drying and care. Read more...
Solid walnut dining table with six evenly spaced chairs in a bright dining room
How to choose the right dining table size
Measure the room, leave 36 inches on every side, then allow 24 to 30 inches of table edge per person. Here is how to work it through. Read more...