I built two of these, for a 85 year old lodge on Vancouver Island, BC. It's made of clear vertical grain douglas fir, curly maple and walnut pegs. The curly maple panels are shop-sawn veneer that has been slip-matched. Joinery is all mortise and tenon, and the legs are assembled so that there is quartersawn face on all four sides.
A Maker who has been a valued part of this community for several years.
Customers say that this Maker ships promptly after completing a project.
This Maker has consistently demonstrated excellence in craftsmanship and customer service.
On display…
This is where something clever is written to explain the woodworker’s mission and motivation.
Well, I make furniture. I hope that people will like it and find it comfortable. It’s important to me that furniture be engaging yet practical, artistic yet useful.
My work has been described as ‘a new take on Modernism blending the beauty of wood with a simple geometric grace.’ I find my design elements in many places. I have a few styles that I prefer, as well as things I see in nature. I have also found that combining contrasting species of wood accentuates the wood as well as the design. Living in Oregon, we have some great local wood species. From walnut to douglas fir, white oak and western maple, there’s a multitude of design possibilities. For me, building custom furniture is an adventure.
This is a second career for me. Previously, I edited video programs; they would rarely last a year- sometimes only one day. My goal is to build furniture that will last a good bit longer, more of a legacy, if you will.
So here is what I’ve made, on display. My backlog is now about one year, so if you have any interest, please contact me for more info and updates. I consider these pieces starting points, if there’s something here that you like, please don't hesitate to contact me.
A guide to the best items from the best makers and the stories behind them.
Brian Keller
For The Arch Hall Table, Quilted Maple And SapeleThe table is beautiful and just as described! It was very nice to work with Jeff and hope to again.
Martha Magee
For Quilted Maple And Walnut Entry TableThe beautiful table and mirror frame Jeff O'Brien built for me were top notch in design, materials, construction and finish. They arrived on time and in perfect condition. The six month lead time was a bit worrisome, but the results were flawless. I would not hesitate to work with Jeff again. -Martha
Bob G
For Japanese Chabudai, A Low Folding TableJeff was a joy to work with. He took my ideas and made them tangible. Through out the project he provided status and pictures of progress. I look forward to working with him on future projects.
Daniel Beyer
For crab pot tableJeff did a great job on the crab pot coffee table. From the initial discussion to the final delivered project. His attention to detail and his professionalism is second to none. I recommend him heartily and will be using him again for my next project.
Hoang Nguyen
For Burl Maple Coffee TableExcellent in every aspects. Very happy with the final product. Thank you very much Mr. O' Brien.
Mark Tache
For Burl Maple Coffee TableWorking with Jef through the design process was a real treat. He was very helpful and a true craftsman. The end result is a one of a kind gorgeous piece of art that we'll enjoy for a lifetime. Thanks Jeff and Custommade! Cheers, Mark
John Meier
For Danish cord chairs and bar stoolsFunctional Art It's quite an understatement to say that Jeff makes furniture - what he really does is make Functional Art. You'll be surprised by the really incredible quality and extreme attention to detail. We started with existing designs he had for barstools and chairs. We modified the dimensions slightly. We decided on cherry and then he picked out some amazing quilted maple to use as accents. He sent us renderings so we knew exactly what to expect. Please don't be in a hurry. These are hand crafted with care and that takes time. He ended up making a total of 2 barstools and 6 dining chairs for us. It was all shipped to Hawaii. Jeff even made the crates and packed them so the chairs made the trip in perfect condition.
Dave
For Quilted Maple And Walnut Entry TableJeff made a maple and walnut entry table that, quite frankly, was even more beautiful in reality than the photo example. He is great to deal with and his work is flawless!
Stephen Arnold
For curly maple/cherry mirror frame.I brought Jeff a conceptual, imaginative design for a wooden mirror frame (and shelves to compliment it) that I figured would not be do-able in the world of woodworking and art. Jeff immediately took a keen interest in the design but acknowledged this would be a tough one. The design included the joining of different species of wood complicated with numerous curves, angles, thickness variations, smooth transitions, and also proud fragile areas that had to be hand-carved. The design evolved even through the last stages of the building process. We hashed out every detail and option together. Jeff's expertise always left me feeling confident about the decisions we came to. Through some experimentation with test pieces Jeff was able to figure out the sequence of events needed to make the construction of this frame a reality. The end result is absolutely amazing and attests to Jeff's extreme love for working with wood and his desire to create the most excellent furniture possible for his customer. It has been an extreme pleasure working with Jeff on this project.
catelyn juliano
For Bar stool with high backExcellent quality of workmanship, design and attention to detail. I highly recommend Dogwood to someone seeking creativity, value, and intelligence of design. I will work with Jeff again, and I look forward it!
Aaron Sorenson
For Shoe BenchWorking with Jeff was a fantastic experience from the initial planning stages, to the delivery of the finished piece. I wanted to have Jeff build me a shoe bench that drew from Japanese design with a bit of Greene and Greene, but still feel simple and contemporary. Jeff was very collaborative working out the design in Sketch Up, solving design problems and making suggestions for wood choices and detail ideas. Once we had the finished design Jeff was kind enough to let me go with him to pick out some of the wood. One of the reasons I enjoyed working with Jeff so much was his patience and willingness to share his process. Once we had our wood Jeff sent photos as the piece took shape and even had me come by to settle final details for the inset walnut pulls which help give the piece so much character. I couldn't be happier with the bench and I'd love to work with Jeff again, he's a true artist.
Stephen Arnold
For BenchI am very glad that Jeff O'Brien agreed to make a bench for me that is very similar to the one he built and posted in photo/description on CustomMade. He used size dimensions best suited for the available space in my home and communicated with me often to discuss the final design. It is obvious Jeff was very choosy about the curly maple and cherry wood pieces he acquired for the bench. He also knew the best way to further enhance the beauty of the woods in the wood finishes/shellac he used. He combined the unique characteristics of the wood with highly artistic yet precise curves and angles along the wood edges. The three dimensions displayed in both the wood and design elements for each piece of wood create somewhat of an optical illusion. The bench complements the sea shoreline theme in this part of the house. The piece is very sturdy and rests perfectly on all four legs. Jeff took great care in crating the bench for shipment across the United States.
catelyn juliano
For Danish Cord Stooldesigning a Danish Cord Stool out of mahogany and walnut with jeff was easy, pleasant and inspirational. jeff was responsive, intelligent, creative and patient. he came up with a beautiful design, listened to my needs and aesthetics, and responded appropriately. he was fair with pricing, and on time with delivery. he even worked with me to make the shipping as economical as possible. he takes pride in his woodworking ability and creativity, and explains well to the layman, making me understand the beauty and simplicity of using a single board for the stool. i was delighted with the stools which he crated carefully and shipped from oregon to naples, florida. my friend is now going to order the same pieces from him for the fall. thanks, jeff!