Spring 2019 - Red Oak Re-imagined - Professor Michael Sarno
This class was a special project sponsored by the American Hardwood Manufacturers Association who promote the use of american grown hardwoods. We had an opportunity to use red oak, the most prevalent hardwood species, as a medium to explore modern space-conscious furniture for an urban apartment. Each student was provided with 75 board feet of rough cut boards and spent the semester exploring, prototyping, and fabricating a final piece.
My approach to the prompt was to create a piece for storage and seating. This cabinet would house additional seating in plain sight. As a small apartment dweller, I saw a need for an extra chair to be accessible but not take up space when not in use. My finished design is called "Slant”. It is an angled credenza with several open shelves and a chair that slides out of one side.
I chose the most dynamic red oak boards i could find to highlight the inherent beauty of the material. The finish used is called cerusing. I finish sanded and stained the piece with a golden oak stain, then wire brushed the grain to prep the material for liming wax. The liming wax bleached the heavy grain and sealed the wood. This finish is a classic oak finish and develops a beautiful patina.
The American Hardwood Association held a contest at the end of the class. My piece was awarded third place. All of our pieces were then displayed at Wanted Design Brooklyn.
