Adaptable Furniture and the Age of Working from Home by Tyler Meeks

Adaptable Bookshelf

This Adaptable Bookshelf is capable of changing to satisfy the owners needs, while retaining the elements of handmade craft.

A Few Years Ago

some friends asked me to design and build a large bookshelf for their home in San Francisco. They needed something sturdy which could be loaded with books of all sizes, a stereo system and records, and storage of toys and other things for their growing daughters. Still, through our conversations, a desire emerged to have something that felt light and nimble, could be moved easily if they ever moved to a new home or wanted to change the shelf location in their existing home, and could shift to satisfy numerous forms and needs. An added benefit, was that the design allowed for the shelf to be fabricated in component parts in a smaller shop, easily stored throughout the process, and easily transported and carried through the narrow passages and crannies that frequently comprise older San Francisco homes. With these dynamics in mind, we were able to come up with a design that was comprised of a wood scaffold made of vertical “ladders” that could grow or contract horizontally based on various uses. The scaffold would then be able to support both shelves and cabinets, both of which could be placed at any level within the scaffold. This allowed for a pre-fabricated, system-based approach to a bookshelf, but with the important added layer of natural wood and handmade craftsmanship, which added depth and warmth to their home. When the shelf was completed and ready to be moved, we packed it into Simon’s VW bus, drove it over the bridge, and unloaded and erected the shelf within an hour, and without breaking our backs. Translation: it was sooo easy. I think I even heard Simon whistling while he worked, but I may have imagined it.

This diagram shows the sequence of the bookshelf being assembled by component parts.

This diagram shows the sequence of the bookshelf being assembled by component parts.

In the Following Years

Simon and Monica were able to get good use out of their shelf. Their daughters grew, life went on. Then came this year. In addition to now working and schooling their children at home, they had set in motion a plan to move to a new home. Until they moved, though, they had to figure out how they could make it all work in their existing, perpetually shrinking space. Our solution was to add another use to the existing bookshelf by fabricating a desk component that could easily replace one of the shelves. This way Monica could work from home while keeping her home largely intact and retain some sense of normalcy. Just last month they settled on a new home, and when it was time to move and place it in the new space, the shelf was up to the task. Simon was able to disassemble, move and reassemble the shelf by himself. Now we have begun discussing new ways that the system could be applied to different uses and spaces in their new house. Ultimately, the shelf was testament to an enduring relationship between me as a craftsperson and clients who were seeking solutions for their rapidly and unexpectedly changing lives. It is one of our goals at Kanna to design and build pieces that are not a burden to people, but enables them to live their lives with ease and flexibility. We strive to imbue these pieces with the uniqueness, craft and enduring stability that comes with heirloom pieces. With our lives changing so rapidly and unpredictably, how we retain something that feels permanent has became all the more important. The furniture we make and contribute to peoples lives is only part of the enduring relationships that we maintain throughout the years.

The bookshelf at the house after it’s initial install. The clients had a lot of books and records and needed something that could withstand the weight.

The bookshelf at the house after it’s initial install. The clients had a lot of books and records and needed something that could withstand the weight.

Here is Monica’s Work from Home desk nestled within the existing bookshelf. This was an easy, simple solution.

Here is Monica’s Work from Home desk nestled within the existing bookshelf. This was an easy, simple solution.

The shelf at their new home. The took out two of the cabinets to use elsewhere in their house.

The shelf at their new home. The took out two of the cabinets to use elsewhere in their house.

Contemporary Craft - Kitchen Island and Hutch in Berkeley, CA by Tyler Meeks

This summer kanna woodcraft was contacted by a designer in Berkeley to collaborate on a kitchen remodel. The desire was to implement some finer, hand-crafted furniture elements into a design that had to keep an eye on budget. While the homeowners wanted to implement some uniquely-crafted elements into the design, they were also cognizant of costs and knew that some compromises would have to be made. The solution was to use prefabricated “stock” cabinets at the perimeter of the kitchen for the majority of storage, while hiring Kanna to design and build a few “feature” pieces that would be strategically placed throughout the kitchen. The concept, by Nick Buccelli design, to match painted surfaces with crafted white oak components allowed for a contrast to the white and gray tones, and added value to the select handmade pieces. Additionally, the accent color and tone of the pieces constructed a spatial narrative within the kitchen where one could move both visually and physically from one side to the other. The decision to use simple tones and textures as a backdrop also allowed for us to introduce finer wood materials such as rift-sawn white oak for the door panels and frames. In speaking to the homeowners, it was important for them to have durable pieces that would work well as their children grew, that would respect the original design of the home (an early twentieth-century craftsman), and would retain crisp, simple lines in design and construction. In the end, we were able to design and build something that we came to think of as “Contemporary Craft”. Above all, as is always the case, we had the desire to preserve and showcase the extraordinary and simple beauty of wood. Ultimately, this project was a success because of a positive collaboration between the homeowners, designer, contractor and Kanna Woodcraft. We greatly enjoyed working on this project and look forward to working on similar projects in the future.

The kitchen from the dining area. The hutch to the right is at the kitchen entrance, and the white oak and blue accent tone carry all of the way to the opposite corner. Designer: Nick Buccelli / Contractor: Axiom Build.

The kitchen from the dining area. The hutch to the right is at the kitchen entrance, and the white oak and blue accent tone carry all of the way to the opposite corner. Designer: Nick Buccelli / Contractor: Axiom Build.

The kitchen island with rift-sawn white oak end panels and corner posts serves as the center-piece to the kitchen. Designer: Nick Buccelli / Contractor: Axiom Build.

The kitchen island with rift-sawn white oak end panels and corner posts serves as the center-piece to the kitchen. Designer: Nick Buccelli / Contractor: Axiom Build.

The kitchen island front doors and drawers. Designer: Nick Buccelli / Contractor: Axiom Build.

The kitchen island front doors and drawers. Designer: Nick Buccelli / Contractor: Axiom Build.

The built-in kitchen hutch marks the entrance to the kitchen and is an important place for storage, display and completing tasks. Designer: Nick Buccelli / Contractor: Axiom Build.

The built-in kitchen hutch marks the entrance to the kitchen and is an important place for storage, display and completing tasks. Designer: Nick Buccelli / Contractor: Axiom Build.

Danish Cord by Tyler Meeks

A REASON TO WEAVE

I was recently asked to commission a large walnut bed for clients who live out of state. In addition to the challenges of designing something attractive, comfortable and durable, there was another challenge of how we would ship something so large and heavy as efficiently as possible. One thought was to make the headboards out of danish cord rather than as a solid veneered material. The only hiccup here was that I had not previously weaved danish cord, so I promised the client that I would give it a whirl; if they liked it, great, if not, we would make a veneered headboard.

Elevation and Section of walnut bed concept with danish cord headboard.

Elevation and Section of walnut bed concept with danish cord headboard.

FIGURING IT OUT

Even though as an admirer of mid-century danish furniture and the chairs of Hans Wegner, I was familiar with danish cord, and had seen other woodworkers who I follow on IG execute it, I had never done it myself. Of course it looked easy, but I had enough experience to know that (particularly) if it looked easy, it was probably going to be mind-shatteringly, soul-crushingly, life-wreckingly (thats a word right?) difficult. More plainly, nothing is as easy it looks, and inevitably there would mistakes and trouble shooting. But even though the Krenov acolytes were weaving seats up in Fort Bragg, danish cord still seemed somewhat obscure in modern American times, so where would I find resources to learn something so seemingly obscure? Well, living in the East Bay, the seemingly-obscure-craft-education capital of world, paid off again. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the guy that wrote the book on weaving and caning (literally wrote a book) opened one of the few stores on the whole continent that is solely dedicated to weaving and caning called The Caning Shop and it was right in the neighborhood, because, well… Berkeley. I visited Jim, asked a few questions, bought his book and some supplies, and he shoved me off in the right direction.

WEAVING

To test the weaving I could have made a simple frame using mortise and tenon joinery, but I thought, why not add some legs to the frame and make a stool? I grabbed some white Oak, sized the wood, glued it up and had a seat frame to try my weaving on. At first glance of most danish cord chairs, I would always assume that the cord simply wraps around the frame. The first thing I learned is that all traditional Danish cord uses tacks to secure the start of the cord and “L” shaped nails secured to the inside of the chairs rails as hooks to secure the cord as you are weaving the seat. (I did find an article at Fine Woodworking where the maker used knots instead of nails) One of the other things that I learned is that there are two kinds of cord to consider - laced and unlaced. Laced cord has a uniform-like spiral texture that reads quite strongly, while unlaced cord is untwisted and leads to a final product that reads as more of a smooth surface. I opted for unlaced cord for my seat. After you place your nails, your cord your chair first, from front rail to back. This is setting up a field of cords to weave in and out of from side rail to side rail. After I set up the cords, then I just weaved it real fast. Kidding, I think this first chair took me about a day, everything considered.

White oak stool frame in waiting for a danish cord seat.

White oak stool frame in waiting for a danish cord seat.

After you set your “L” shaped nails, you set up your cords from front to back rail.  You will weave side to side, or perpendicular to these cords.

After you set your “L” shaped nails, you set up your cords from front to back rail. You will weave side to side, or perpendicular to these cords.

Top view of the side to side weave.

Top view of the side to side weave.

THE RESULT

The result was an elegant, light, warm and comfortable surface whose materiality contrasted nicely with the white oak. When presented with the stool, others assumed that the seat was very difficult or complex to weave. But somewhere along the way, I realized that there was this very naturally human aspect to weaving, as if it was embedded into a collective genome somehow; all of our ancestors wove, so it was just there and you just had to start doing it. Rather sentimental I know, but a nice thought nonetheless. Ultimately, danish cord is strong, durable, warm, comfortable, humble and pragmatic. It is thus a representation of craft at its highest realization - a simple, beautiful solution to the most mundane of problems, in this case, sitting down. I look forward to weaving the headboard if my clients choose to go that route, and regardless of their decision, weaving more seats along the way.

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