HOLZMAN CUSTOM FURNITURE
The Process
Commissioning custom furniture is as much about the process as it is the final piece, as exhibited by the following comments. We start with your ideas and proceed to sketches and mockups, as needed. We decide the form, the function, the materials and the details before any sawdust is generated. I share photos as the piece takes shape, keeping you informed and involved. By the time we are finished you have in-depth knowledge of how your vision became reality.
"From the very beginning of the process, Pete included us in the design"
"I told my wife the other day when she gazed admiringly at our new dining table by Pete Holzman, “I can’t remember ever owning anything so beautiful!” It is simply a work of art that we sit with and enjoy everyday. Not only do we take pleasure in the finished product, we actually feel a part of it.
From the very beginning of the process Pete included us in the design, selection of materials, refining details, and the final installation. We began by sharing with him our thoughts and our initial vision. He also considered the space, our other furniture, the design of the house and our aesthetic preferences as we talked about possible designs and materials. Later, he came back to us with a wide range of drawings that gave us whole new perspectives on what might be possible. After choosing our favorites, he made models for us providing a more defined sense of the materials, allowing us to make further choices and changes.
We also selected a special jasper sphere to be incorporated into the table design. Finally, the finished product arrived and we collaborated on the perfect placement. Not only do we have a one-of-a-kind piece of functional art that will be passed down to our daughter, we were invited to be an integral part of the creative process. To describe this as simply a “dining room table” cannot come close to what we feel about this beautiful creation of craftsmanship and art. We so appreciate the way Pete engaged us in the process. Custom furniture by Pete Holzman – "priceless."
Sam and Debbie Crowell
Idyllwild, California
Pete,
Thanks for the photos of our new table. You did a great job taking our Parota slab from jungle fresh wood to a masterfully fashioned table. If future customers would like to explore the journey, feel free to share this with them.
On your website we recognized your creative talent in pictures of your past furniture projects. When we contacted you about building us a dining table, you suggested we visit Tropical Exotic Hardwoods in Carlsbad, CA to decide what type of wood we would like to use. We visited their website and viewed the many woods they offered. We decided on Parota Wood with its rich walnut hue center wood bordered by light colored "live edges". Exotic Hardwoods had a large selection of Parota slabs available in many sizes from their sawmill in central Mexico. We wanted a finished table of about 6 feet by 3 feet. We found a nice slab at their warehouse which was about 13 1/2 feet long by roughly 40 inches which would provide the top and material for legs. The slab had a prominent knot which we felt would provide interest in the finished table top.
We purchased the slab and had TEH ship it to our Idyllwild place. Since its origin was the tropics and it had spent the last month in coastal Carlsbad, you wisely suggested the wood be allowed to "acclimatize" to the low humidities of Idyllwild before woodworking. We left the slab flat on the garage floor for 3 months, supported by two by fours allowing for drying circulation. It dried without warping which we were concerned about since the TEH staff told us " wood will do what it wants to do". Allow it to stabilize.
Before you started work on the slab, you presented several drawings of possible table leg designs to see what style we favored. You took it from there and produced the "WOW" table we are now enjoying. We know you had to spend considerable time working the rough sawmill cut from Mexico and it turned out very well, meeting all our expectations.
Thanks for a great finished product.
Al & Sandy Boyce
Idyllwild & Carlsbad, California
