How a commission works
You're part of it from the first sketch.
No guessing from a catalog photo. You walk the yard, choose the wood and approve the design before we cut a joint.
Behind every piece
Behind every piece: the tree, the mill, the kiln, the shop and your home. The mill, the kiln and the shop are ours.
Step by step
How it comes together.
Planning range
Typical lead times can range from 8 to 12 weeks.
Have a firm date, like an event or a move-in? Tell us at the start and we'll give you a straight answer.
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The consult
Thirty minutes, at our shop in Paso Robles or by video or phone. Bring room measurements, two or three photos of the space and everyone who gets a say.
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Choose your wood
Walk the slabs with us and pick the actual boards your piece is built from, not just the species. Or bring us your own tree.
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See the design
Drawings or renderings when they're needed, with the size, edge, finish and base worked out against your room. We walk you through the concept and the proposal in person, or on a short video.
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The build
Once the deposit is in, we schedule the build. Your piece is built in our shop in wood and steel, and on custom commissions you get photo updates as it comes together.
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Delivery
Built to your room and delivered, along with what we know about the tree it came from.
In the shop
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Hand-planing a slab · Real photo -
Spraying the finish · Real photo -
Welding steel · Real photo
What's included
Built with you, start to finish.
This is everything our fullest commission includes. Not every piece gets all of it: some tables come from slab and base pairings we've already proven, with fewer decisions and no build updates. At the consult we'll tell you exactly what yours comes with.
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A private design consult
One on one, with guidance on size, proportion and the details, and drawings or renderings when they're needed.
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Your exact wood
Not just the species. You choose the actual slabs that become your piece.
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Every detail, your call
The finish, the edge, a handcrafted wood or steel base, the steel color, and the epoxy color when there is epoxy.
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One team, tree to table
The same team processes the tree, dries the lumber, builds the piece and delivers it.
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The build story
Photo and video updates, so you can follow your piece as it comes to life.
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Finishes built for daily use
Commercial-grade finish systems, made for a table that gets used every day.
Straight answers
Questions we hear every week.
How long does a custom piece take?
Typical lead times can range from 8 to 12 weeks. That's a planning range, not a promise. The build itself is short; most of the time goes to drying and to finishing stages that need to cure.
If you have an event or a move-in date, tell us at the start and we'll tell you straight whether we can make it.
What does a custom piece cost?
Every piece is quoted on its own, because the size, the species, the slab and the design all change the number. We'll talk budget at the consult and point you toward what fits.
Will salvaged wood crack or move?
It's real wood, so hairline checks and character marks are part of it, and it will still move a little with the seasons. We dry the wood before we build with it (our kiln-dried slabs come out at 8 to 12% moisture), which keeps that movement small. Our tables also carry structural coverage, and we'll go through the terms for your piece at the consult.
Will it fit, and can you get it in the house?
Before the consult, send room measurements and two or three photos of the space, including stairs, doorways and tight turns. We plan the piece around them.
Can I see the slabs in person?
Yes. Come walk the slabs in Paso Robles and put your hands on the wood. You can also browse the slab yard online first.
The yard is open Tuesday through Thursday, by appointment only. The shop is open Monday through Friday, and appointments are preferred.
Can you build something from our own tree?
Yes. We can mill it, dry it and build from it, and keep its story with the piece. Start with your tree.
How far do you deliver?
We're in Paso Robles, on California's Central Coast, and we schedule delivery across California and beyond. Ask us about yours, and we'll quote it with your piece.
Do you work with designers, architects and builders?
Yes. Architects, interior designers and builders have their own program with us. See the trade program.