What happens when you find a dining room table that you like, but something about it is not quite right? You go custom.
My client was taken with an ebonized, antique dining room table we saw in New York. Unfortunately, it had some details that didn't work for him. With nothing on the market remotely similar that I could think of, we set out to find a crafts person who could make us something that would satisfy. We've been working a lot with M-Geough on this project so Holly thought that Keith Fritz would be a good match.
Keith's love of furniture is apparent. His skills and taste level, impeccable.
I hate the way people throw around the word "passion." It's become so trite, so new age: gardening is my passion. Seriously? But, this guy has a calling for what he does. Here's Keith (in salmon), my client and Holly.
See the black chip samples on the table? That's what we are doing. The top of the dining room table will be in a rift sawn oak with a wax technique that forces white into the grain. You can see the samples on the table. Those are the ones that look kind of gray. Keith is making a checkerboard pattern of squares inset in a darker border, which are similar to our antique inspiration table.
Holly and I were not initially crazy about the samples; I didn't want to show them to the client. But he wanted to see them, so we brought them out. The client wasn't disappointed in the samples though, just requested some shifting. So Keith listened to the feedback, bounded down to his truck like a happy school kid, got some solvent, and then right there in the showroom altered the finish until the client was happy. It was like Benihana with paint thinner.
I am so excited about this table. I don't know if I will be able to bear waiting until the end of the summer (or September) until it's done. We are also doing 2 end tables in the living room by Keith, and perhaps this coffee table, converted into an ottoman.
Keith's products can be purchased locally at M-Geough in the Boston Design Center. Keith was recently featured in the Washington Post Magazine. You can read his article here.