i highly recommend this site

i stumbled across this website in my journey around the interwebs and now i check it all the time. really awesome designs and most of it looks highly functional too. do yourself a favor and take a look. if you are anything like me you will be hooked in no time.

http://www.dezeen.com/2010/05/21/boutique-runway-by-cls-architetti/

enjoy.

wooden sunglasses

wooden sunglasses. i think i am going to have to try to duplicate this idea. if you cant wait for me to get into it you can shop around and purchase them at http://shop.shwoodshop.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=can_eir

making waves

55 tons of steel ribbon put together in a wave-like aesthetic is supposed to encourage movement between the first and second floor of this retail space in manhattan. every time i start to stare at it i feel like i need a dramamine. that being said... i still cant stop starring.

more exciting news from the world of cardboard building!

all i want from you right now is to look at this and really think about the fact that this is made out of CARDBOARD. seriously.

http://blog.ponoko.com/2009/06/29/undulating-layered-cardboard-desk/

owl in my house

i started this months ago with a sharpie and tonight i finally got around to filling it in. i love the idea of putting something directly on the wall. it is so much more permanent than framed canvas in that it becomes part of the structure, but it is also very temporary since i rent. i guess the lesson here is enjoy what you have while you've got it. or maybe the lesson is that sean likes owls. either way i am really happy with the way it is coming together.

carboard furniture

everyone looks at me like i am crazy when i tell them about this, but welcome to my latest obsession: cardboard furniture. truth be told, ever since i stumbled upon a picture of architect frank gehry's college project "wavy chair" i have been totally enthralled by the idea of using cardboard to create something functional and usable that isn't a box. put aside the fact that cardboard is a green material that can be recycled and reused. forget the fact that it is so easy to get your hands on and many times free. never mind the fact that i love using alternate materials when i am designing and building something. cardboard furniture can be very comfortable, functional, and look really cool.

for more cardboard furniture, check out these links:

http://www.funis2cool.com/cool/cardboard-box-furniture.html

http://www.leokempf.com/cardboard.html

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/look/more-cardboard-furniture-creations-077753

protest structures.

the styx valley in tasmania has some of the oldest and tallest trees left in the world, and they are being systematically destroyed strictly for profit. andrew maynard, a world renowned "green" architect, has taken chaining yourself to a tree to a whole new level with his highly stylized "protest structures".

check out more about this cause and andrew maynard @ http://www.andrewmaynard.com.au/styx01.html

getting creative with wood

my friend lamb chop (aka megan) sent me this link and i had to share it right away. i love people getting creative with wood...

http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2009/06/10/20-wooden-gadgets-and-designs/

aesthetically pleasing

i found this site randomly and i cant stop looking at it. some of the chairs dont look too comfortable... but they are amazing to look at!!!

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cribfashion.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/lisa_jones_chair.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://www.cribfashion.com/design-ideas/10-chair-designs-that-will-amaze-your-guests.html&usg=__g3B6tpjJ6Zo5d6ONPELBTbTR7hQ=&h=500&w=326&sz=66&hl=en&start=22&itbs=1&tbnid=cWVQJMeElVhynM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=85&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dunique%2Bdesign%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1

tree bed

i just found this bed while cruising the interwebs and it looks so dope that i had to share it... you can find it at http://www.slmetalworks.com/beds_a.html. if you go to the site make sure to look around... they have some really great pieces.

woodmark

i just found this site and i am in love with the furniture. the design is top notch, and the quality of the pieces seems to match.

i am totally obsessed with this bench right now. take a look and i am sure you will understand.

http://www.woodmark.com.au/main.asp?region=NORTH%20AMERICA

Blue Sky Design Supply

check out my friend tyra in the buffalo news. she is in the process of opening Blue Sky Design Supply. she will be offering green and sustainable building supplies, among other things. i am helping her with her store front. stay tuned for details as they come...

until then check her out in the buffalo news!!!!

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/06/12/1080163/recession-has-made-it-tough-to.html

reclaimed wood

i dont want to start sounding like a broken record, but i love the look that can be achieved with reclaimed materials. everywhere you look, materials are screaming to be taken and reused as something completely different. for the more adventurous, a falling down barn or shack in the woods may yield an entire harvest of goods ready to be transformed. for those who want a centralized location to find all sorts of stuff, places like flea markets, garage sales, and Buffalo Reuse are invaluable sources.

i made these cabinets were made from 100% reclaimed materials purchased at Buffalo Reuse. they will serve as a cash counter for a brand new business coming to buffalo... more on that soon!

http://www.buffaloreuse.org/

Mobistand

i have been developing a stand to hold my iphone out of reclaimed barn wood for a few weeks now. i think i finally got it, and it is now available online @ www.mobistand.com. right now there is only one design available, but limited addition custom pieces will be available in local stores soon. they are made out of barn wood that i personally reclaimed and since they are made by hand each one is unique.

refinishing teak furniture

teak is an exotic hardwood that comes from asia. it is very popular for outdoor furniture because due to the amount of natural oil in the wood. however, buffalo winters take their toll on even the hardiest outdoor products, and this patio set is no exception. the right combination of cleaning agents, oil, and tons of elbow grease can restore it to its natural beauty.... but it is a lot easier to put it in the garage for the winter!!!!!!!!

"Cedar Patio Furniture" aka "The Forever Project"

there is nothing that can be compared to being able to work with someone with whom you vibe with creatively. it is even better when you have known that person for 10+ years and they live next door to you. barry duerr http://www.northeasternexteriors.com/ and i decided last year that we were going to design and build a line of patio furniture in our spare time. many months and many more beers later.... we are starting to see our ideas become reality. we have a good working prototype and we have started putting together the first two chairs in the line. our dream is to be able to sit in them by the end of the summer. who knows... it could still happen!

Krudmart Grand Opening!

looks like all the hard work payed off!

check out my friend Erin Habes Sweetndirty blog for some pics of the opening party!

http://sweetndirty.blogspot.com/2010/04/krudmart-grand-opening-pictures.html

enjoy.

more krudmart in progress pics....

things are really coming together at the new Krudmart location...

the cash wrap was built for under $200 in materials. nothing makes me happier than making something that didnt cost a lot of money!

Krudmart in progress...

things are really starting to come together at 212 grant street. innovative design concept combined with creative use of materials came together to produce a look that is unlike anything in buffalo right now. stay tuned for more!

straight from the congo

when rough cut chunks of wood are shipped from the congo they get stamped for tracking purposes. seeing a piece that still bore markings in a scrap pile made me think right away that i wanted to do something that would accentuate the 485 marking.

coincidentally.... at the time i was remodeling my kitchen and in need of a small counter top for a single base cabinet. i dug through the scraps again and came out with enough pieces of african mahogany to make it happen.

i added one piece of maple. i liked the contrast and it satisfied my love of indigenous species of wood.

the only finish on the wood is a natural, non toxic mineral oil that is totally food safe. this not only brings out the natural luster of the wood, it makes the piece a totally functional cutting board.... a good balance of form and function.

cutting boards

wasting materials has never sat right with me. one of my favorite challenges is trying to figure out what i can do with the leftovers from any project that i am working on.

i decided this year for the holidays that i was going to make cutting boards for everyone. they are highly functional and people really seem to enjoy them. the one in the picture is a peice of Sapele, two small chunks of White Oak, and Purple Heart. All these scraps got rescued from the camp fire. i think this worked out much better.

getting started.

hi. this is me. my name is sean. if you want to know what is going on in the picture above... i am making something. this blog will act as a document to keep track of things i have done, as well as things that i am doing. wrafterbuilt will be a living breathing record of what i have done, where i am at, and where i am going. if everything goes as planned.... it will just keep getting better. stay tuned!