Archived Articles


Reclaimed fame of Nature’s Knots

Where there’s a will there’s a way, so when Marty Poirier of Nature’s Knots began woodworking and couldn’t afford old cherry he found his own wood to work with. A long-time nature lover, Marty would search the woods and find logs along the stream during his fly-fishing trips. What began as a matter of convenience […]

Tiger Maple Coffee Table: Rawr!

When customer Halen posted her coffee table project to CustomMade, she knew what was important to her. It wasn’t the specific design of the table as much as it was finding the perfect piece of wood – a live edge piece of Tiger Maple Wood, to be exact. She was drawn in by the natural […]

By the Light of the Silvery Moon: Inlay Designs by Laura Rittenhouse Studio Furniture

How to describe beautiful, dark hardwood paired with elegant sterling silver inlay designs by Laura Rittenhouse Studio Furniture?  Perhaps something like mysterious and graceful night-blooming sprouts called forth by crescent moons and stars, an inlay motif CustomMade artisan Laura Rittenhouse has featured in her “Silver Moon” collection and other custom furniture projects.  Inspired by nature […]

Dreams and Themes: Custom Headboards

What visions can greet you in the morning or send you to dreamland at night with custom headboards.  Our CustomMade artisans can help you crown your bed with fantastic scenes, meaningful motifs, and personal twists on classic designs.   Sleep on these completed custom headboards from the CustomMade galleries for some design inspiration. Whatever size […]

Cats Included: Custom Cat Furniture

No, our CustomMade artisans who create custom cat furniture are not shipping cats to their customers, but they will design custom furniture for your home with your feline pets in mind. What constitutes cat furniture? Towers and scratching posts like these shown on BuzzFeed would make very cool playgrounds for your cats.  But let’s face […]

Uncommon Beauty from Common Things: Upcycling Ideas for Unique Custom Creations

Upcycling involves reclaiming objects that would otherwise be thrown away and using them to create new works that preserve or improve the quality of the original objects.  If you browse our CustomMade galleries for upcycling ideas and inspirations for your own custom projects, you will see that there is a characteristic aesthetic dimension to this […]

Metal Marshlands: Custom Stairway Railings and More by John Boyd Smith Metal Studios

Staircases that look like trees, handrails that twist like vines, gates that seem to grow from the floor €“ custom metalwork that captures the natural world can bring an exquisite sense of beauty and vitality to functional fixtures that might otherwise be overlooked. CustomMade artisan John Smith of John Boyd Smith Metal Studios has created […]

Sports Fans, Tell Your Story with Custom Cowboy Boots by Ghost Rider Boots

What can a pair of custom cowboy boots say about you?   CustomMade artisan Michael Mussett of Ghost Rider Boots is ready to help you make a statement. “There is nothing like a pair of boots custom made exclusively for your feet,” writes the Denver-based custom boot maker.  “We are here to help that next […]

Ideas for Space-Saving Extension Tables

Would you like your extension tables with or without leaves? Whether you €™re looking for a traditional dining table design that can accommodate extra guests or something that will make the most of a room with challenging dimensions, our CustomMade artisans can design custom extension tables to your exact specifications and solve some vexing space […]

For Your Modest Secrets and Potent Loot: Sculptural Furniture and Turned Vessels by Hudson Design Studios

What would you place inside the Valentine Cabinet by Hudson Design Studios? CustomMade artisan Kerry Hudson has some suggestions for both drawers of this exotic work: Things to store in the top drawer: good intentions; a lock of your partner’s hair; a love letter gone yellow with age; your forebear’s locket; or the collar of […]