Starkwood Designs

I'm very pleased with how the pet bed turned out. Tom was able to look at a picture and create it to my specific dimensions. He was easy to work with and communicated well with me throughout the project. Also, I thought he quoted the price fairly. I would recommend him for custom projects!

VL

Vinny Lowe

For Vinny's Dining Table

4.2

Jan 13, 2016

We are really happy with Tom's final piece and the service he provided and it was a pleasure to go through the Custom Made process with him. He was friendly and approachable, and we always felt were in safe hands. We had a table replicated from a provided visuals and specs and he was able to match it supremely well. The only thing we can say was a 'very slight' let down was the final surface detail of our table. Although it does arguably add character, the middle board of our table has a a series of flecks which we were told after construction are due a natural occurrence in oak and the way it was cut. If there was time it may have been nice to have seen the look of the 'ray fleck' beforehand and get the choice to decide if we used the other side of the board or not. However other than that we are supremely happy customers!

Exactly what I wanted! Great quality! Fast shipping! Thorough and effective communication! Thanks!!

Tom Stark, who my wife likes to refer to as "Tony Stark (Iron Man)", was a real pleasure to work with. Tom knows how to serve his customers, a trait that is often lost when dealing with larger furniture companies. Timely, attentive to the details, and always friendly and understanding, you won't be disappointed when working with Tom. I designed a storage bench for my living room and delivered it to Tom through photos and a 3D model (made in Sketchup). He was able to take those plans and expertly craft the piece we wanted. He arrived at our residence at noon on the dot (when he said he would) and I helped him move the well secured and packaged bench into our residence. My wife is very happy with the end result and we wouldn't hesitate to work with Tom again. Trust me, hire Tom Stark!

Having worked in the retail furniture business for over 30 years I was thrilled to find that I could have this piece handcafted right here in the USA......very happy with quality and appearance of piece. Tom Stark was great to work with....the whole process went seamless. I look forward to using Custommade in the future.

Very happy with whole process, from start to finish! Thank you!

I bought this as a wedding gift. The bride and groom loved it! It made a unique and personal gift. The maker was very personable and easy to communicate with. The finished product was excellent and the project was delivered to us in a very timely timeline.

This was a GREAT experience - I am THRILLED and would NEVER hesitate to do this again! THANK YOU!!

OG

Olimpia Gallardo-Ostrenga

For Shadow box with multiple windows

5.0

Aug 14, 2013

Tom has an amazing gift of creativity balanced with practicality. I would have been happy to review his performance as a maker during the design and creation of my project just based on his willingness to go above and beyond during that time alone. Tom took this project and improved upon an idea to the point of shear perfection in it's physical realization. His ability to handle changes and conquer with an even better solution is astounding. Tom's enthusiasm throughout this project was a huge comfort, I knew that a project of this magnitude was in the absolute best of hands. This maker is the maker to choose if you want a person genuinely cares about the finished project not only meeting but exceeding expectations. If you're searching for a maker for a woodworking project I would recommend Starkwood Designs 100%!

KH

kerry Hopkins

For Simple, Solid Wood Bed

4.8

Aug 4, 2013

After seeing a beautiful but not quite perfect-for-what-I-was-looking-for walnut bed in a local showroom, I posted a project on custommade.com to see if there was anyone who could bring my vision to life. After communicating with several woodworkers, I commissioned Tom to build it. Here’s why I'm so glad I did.... 1) Tom’s communication skills were far superior to everyone else. I’m a picky person – I admit that – but being detail oriented leads to no surprises and getting exactly what you want. Tom answered every single nit-picky question I had with incredible professionalism. He explained things in layman’s terms, indicated when he’d get back to you – and always did. 2) Professional. Tom not only interpreted my vision perfectly, meaning he listened to what I wanted - but he also offered suggestions and provided his perspective as well. This led to a beautifully built bed. He wants you to be happy with his product and he will stop at nothing to make sure you are. 3) Honest. Tom is upfront and a man of his words and did right by us. For example, we had a shipping issue (fault of the shipping company) and Tom rebuilt the bed no questions asked – and he did this before he was reimbursed by the shipping company. We liked Tom so much, we had him build a couple nightstands for us as well…and I’d use him again in a heartbeat!

With very little direction from us, a few photos from websites we like and some dimensions, Tom was able to create exactly what we wanted. He was prompt with his initial and follow-up communications with us. He started with a simple sketch and some great questions that teased out exactly what we wanted. As the project came together, he sent us some great photos that kept us informed of his progress. It was shipped just about when he said it would be shipped and when it arrived, his attention to detail was obvious (even his shipping crate was well made). It is well finished, sturdy, and exactly what we were hoping for. We are recommending Tom to several of our friends and will probably use him again.

RS

Rochelle Sexton

For base for antique oak display cabinet

4.7

Mar 18, 2013

He experienced some equipment failure,delayed delivery. The piece is nice. He shipped samples of the finish for me to choose which was nice.

CM

Charles Morris

For Kitchen Valance

5.0

Mar 15, 2013

Looks beautiful.

The communication with Tom was very good. Outside events prevented him from delivering our bed as originally planned but it never altered the end result. We are very happy with how Tom managed the project, and we love our new bed.

Beautiful table constructed and delivered as ordered. Would recommend Starkwood and Custommade.com to my friends.

Unfortunately, Tom at Starkwood Designs ended up not being able to create the bathroom mirror to the specs we had agreed upon, so in that sense this transaction was disappointing. That said, I have absolutely no doubt that Tom bent over backwards to try to meet my specifications -- from trying and retrying to create the desired result himself several times, to then taking the project to experts and specialists often as far as an hour away, the effort and his commitment to delivering the desired output couldn't have been more evident. It was clear that Tom truly cared about delivering what he said he would and when he ultimately wasn't able to, he was deeply disappointed and apologetic. Because of all of this, while the end result of this project wasn't exactly as I'd hoped, the mirror Tom produced was still very nice and, more importantly, I knew that he had tried everything he possibly could and went above and spent far more time on this project that its scope dictated, which I appreciated. So, in spite of the result, I would still recommend Tom and Starkwood Designs -- he is truly an upstanding professional.

Tom was great to work with. Communication, knowledge, and understanding of the project were flawless. He worked on a tight deadline and delivered with great results. I'd recommend his services to anyone, anytime.

Tom at Starkwood was friendly and professional. Hw worked with me every step of the way and final product was outstanding. Thank you Tom !

LO

Lisa Olsen

For 32"W x 32"W x 24"H end table in cherry or mahogany stain

5.0

Sep 4, 2012

The custom-built table is exactly what I wanted, in the right dimensions and with a beautiful finish.

I'm very happy with my transaction with Tom at Starkwood Designs.

KR

Kristie Roberts-Workman

For an affordable odd length twin bed

5.0

Aug 1, 2012

It was amazing from start to finish. Starkwood Designs stands alone in customer service, quality and craftmanship and sheer talent. I couldn't be happier, niether could my daughter. She adores her new bed. There isn't many things in this world that you could label as perfect, but this experience is a definite exception! Just Wonderful!!!!

Tom did a terrific job envisioning my project and bringing it to life. His approach was extremely thoughtful, and the quality of the shelves he built is on par with furniture I have purchased from high end furniture makers such as Stephen Swift and Thomas Moser. Working with Tom was a great experience and as well a great value.