Various Artists Brewery

Various Artists was a small brewery and restaurant where thoughtful things were made by careful hands. Together, we wanted to design a comfortable, cozy place that reflected the warmth and generosity of the proprietors.

The brewer was previously an arborist, and he harvested most of the timber used for this furniture.

Air-dried Davidson County cherry slabs flattened by hand. Finished with oil and wax.

Pieces of the back “wing” joined with butterfly keys.

Bar stools made from air-dried Davidson County walnut, and (non-Davidson County) quarter sawn zebrawood. Finished in many coats of a shop-made oil/varnish blend, and then waxed.

Asa-no-ha kumiko “transom” over the brewery entrance. Unfinished basswood.

Oiled cedar bench seat with hand flattened cherry back rest. Walls covered in a flexible birch plywood, which accommodated the warped cement foundation walls. Finished in natural shellac.

Trimmed in white pine, with kumiko (slats) in basswood.

Wheelchair accessible trestle table. Oiled Douglas fir and white pine.

Air-dried walnut countertop with cherry here and there. Finished in shop-made oil/varnish blend, and wax.

Butterfly keys prevent the cracks from advancing.

Top floats above the apron (front). A lot of the details on this countertop are decorative, designed to help lighten the look of a small room full of dark wood.

Wedged through-tenon joinery.

Asa-no-ha kumiko “transom”, and shou sugi ban (charred and brushed) cedar doorway.

High table in walnut made with Japanese timber frame joinery. This table was too large to construct in the shop, so it was made to be completely assembled on site. Held together with dowels and wedges.

The stripe effect on the tabletop comes from using boards cut in sequence near the outside of the tree. Sapwood: light. Heartwood: dark.