Zebra Sideboard??

In Montecito, CA a client who collected 50's fashion photography and Calder sculpture asked me to take the Jean Michel Frank style of my coffee table and redesign it into a sideboard for her dining room.

After a discussion regarding dimensions and functionality, we came up with a three drawer sideboard that had to be black and white. I was in her apartment at the Brocklebank Tower Apartments in the Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, we discovered a zebra skin on the floor. The challenge was on to upholster the piece in zebra with the manes going down the legs for maximum drama!

The challenges were interesting in that the skin she had was brown not black and she needed three more skins to match. After research, I found that the Bushnell Zebra has dark brown stripes. The Zebras were imported legally and had died of natural causes.

As you may be aware, the stripes are different on every animal and emanate from the spine. The stripes are smaller on the legs and neck and larger on the body. I tried to match up the sizes as best I could and inset the zebra and apply most of the molding afterwards. The skin was thick and a challenge to work with. When working with leather, there can be no mistakes. For more information contact: mws@mwsdesinghouston.com

LARGE COFFEE TABLE FOR HAWAII

I had been fortunate enough to have a Hawaii job in an area called Kolea. Here I was working on a coffee table for a media room. The table was to be 72" by 48" due to a large L-shaped sofa.

Also, you saw the coffee table as soon as you walked in the room. Since the sofa was rather rectalinear I decided to create a two tier coffee table to esemble the shape of the shell of the green turtles that are so prevalent on the Big Island.

I chose a theme of a momma and baby turtle with the legs intertwined and a dark java finish.

Initially, the wood was to be teak in a natural finish. We ended up using teak but ebonized it with a clear dark java finish. Up close you can still see the grain and the golden color of teak gives it a glow, particularly with the recessed lighting above.

The tops are two inches thick and again used Mohawk stains and lacquers for the finish.

The base "legs" are 4" square and have eased edges. The table is very stable and because it is teak very heavy to move. but you can sit on it, stand on it - it does not move!

When you first walk into the room you see it from the side and it beckons further inspection, also it is large enough to accommodate drinks, books and games; and of course the large remote.

For more information email mws@mwsdesignsf.com

THE DINING TABLE IN TODAY'S OPEN KITCHEN

Kitchens are larger and more open than just 5 years ago. They open onto a large family room or can be seen from the entry hall.

While not my preference, a kitchen dining table has to be functional, durable but have a look and warmth about it that makes it inviting.

After all, it is used for homework, crafts, a buffet, and a workspace, a discussion space.

So when a client approached me about a dining table for a LARGE kitchen with high ceilings, she had three small children and want a warm feel, durable and a forgiving finish that scars would become character over time. Also it had to seat 8-10 and had to be extendable.

I used recycled wood joists, which were about 90 years old and were made of pine or douglas fir. Because of its age it had grayed and had the character of dark rings around the nail holes.

The wood was resawn and the top was 2" thick and the legs which started out at 7" thick were reduced to 5". The top was lightly distressed and while it had a finish, I knew that it would be knicked, dinged and scratched. So I created a touch up kit of a colored Black Bison beeswax and some Lacover from Mohawk products.

A portion of table could be seen from the entry and the kitchen was clean lined boderline modern and the table along with a forgiving low pile woven carpet cut down the noise and hid the food, crayons, and other bits falling from the table.

The table is still in use today and to my eye, looks all the better!

For more information or to create your own contact mws@mwsdesignhouston.com

LED CANDLES FOR CHANDELIERS AND SCONCES

Some of my clients have antique chandeliers and sconces that are not electrified. There is a certain beauty and romance to candlelight.

However, burning candles creates soot, beeswax candles do drip no matter what. Bobeches catch the wax drippings but change the look of the fixture and cleaning wax is no fun even if you have staff. Cleaning was off of a gilded fixture WILL take off the finish eventually.

So clients, like Ann Getty, has opted for an LED battery operated beeswax drip candle as shown at left.

The LED is actually a Maglite that has been ground or filed down to remove the color and inserted in a narrow acrylic tube and dipped in wax and then dripped with beeswax.

When the light is on, the effect is near that of candle light in that there is one source of light and gives off about as much light as a bright candle. The light is also warm (about 2700K).

The Maglite takes two AAA Duracell batteries that come with it and lasts about 4 hours. The beauty of this system is that they dim as they go out, they do not just turn off.

A downside is that they do not flicker like a flame, which to me is not a problem. If you have a chandelier with several candles the light doesn't feel like it is flickering.

Also, you can put these candles outside and in a windy area without fear of drips or fire.

When you have another even just tilt the candle over and the Maglite falls out change the battteries reinsert and put the candle back in the candlecup. Quick and easy without matches.

I start with an Acrylic tube that is 3/4" in diameter and the inside diameter is a bit smaller than the Maglite but after it is filed down it fits nicely and the color does not show through the translucent beeswax. The transculency of the beeswax adds to the candle's appeal. So use white refined and a little yellow or unrefined wax. But before you dip you will need to sand the outside of the tube with 60 grit snad paper so that the wax sticks and plug the ends. Then dip it four times, letting it cool completely between dipping. A good source of was is http://www.sinopia.com/ and 4 dips give you a good thickness.

Before you begin dipping cut lengths of 3/8" polypropylene plumbing tube pictured below from http://www.homedepot.com/

Cut to length so that the flashlight bulb just peaks over the wax at the top. The candle tube is usually 10" long and the flashlight stop is about 4 3/4".

When you are all complete and so that they last longer, without dirty finger prints, I spray each of them with gloss lacquer which gives a bit of a sheen and protects the beeswax. Satin lacquer also works.

I make these in two diameters, 7/8" to fit a standard candle cup and 1" with a AA Maglite for the older chandeliers. It takes quite a bit of time, a palm electric sander and a bench grinder are very handy. I have made dipping reservoirs for this process, but it takes time and they are delicate but can be repaired and with care last for years.

Lighting is so important - MWS DESIGN www.mwsdesignhouston.com

The Lounge Chair Makeover

My clients in Presidio Heights, San Francisco had a pair of Shabby Chic slipcovered lounge chairs and ottomans. You know the type, very 80's and dowdy trying to look like an English country house, but now those scroll arms and mushy upholstery just looks, well like it is worn out and it isn't!

They can afford to throw out both and buy new, or donate them. However, they are big and out of style and donations sometimes just end up in landfill. The Pedrero's are environmentally concsious, so when I recommended we change the frame and reuse the cushions but baffle the down and put in a foam insert in the middle, raise the chair and change the fabric and style abit they were excited but skeptical.

After all, now they had three children and they were going to be placed in front of the fireplace in their kitchen so that were going to get some kid wear.

Upon investigation, they had stubby plastic feet, but a hardwood frame we could work with. I got rid of the scroll, lowered the arms and gave them a shape. Remade the cushions but reusing material and raised the back and made new feet. I took a photo of the chair in process too.

So now with the cushions remade and the arm remade we reapplied and added foam and new dacron. I found a nice stain resistant cotton fabric from Pindler & Pindler that was tough and fun. It is a kitchen and has lots of activity.

The pattern repeated every 37 inches so I had to choose the focal point and make sure the lighter areas did not end up on the arms. My upholsterer and I started with the arms and chose a focal point for the cushions and for the outside back and worked from there. This process takes time and we made changes as we

applied the fabric. The chair began to take on another personality.

By the time we were done with the chairs and made the new feet and put them in front of the fireplace, they were unrecognizable and had a small bag of waste. We may reuse the old slip covers for pillows in another part of the house.

Being green is about reducing waste and it is not just an economic decision, it is a priority and the project was fun!

Have a look at the final product. Also pictured are the ottomans we remade using the same techniques.

mws@mwsdesignsf.com