Dining Tables with Sallie Plumley Studios

Working with artist friends and colleagues is one of our favorite ways to connected to our community, foster new ideas, and expand the variety of work we offer. Sallie Plumley Studio is a woodworker and furniture maker Kyle collaborates with frequently, building metal tables bases to support her wooden tops. Here are two recent examples.

First up is a dining set consisting of a table and benches. For this set Kyle created forged steel bases to go with Sallie’s walnut tops.

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Full size sketch of dining set bench

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Dining table top template with full size base sketch

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Forging the oval shapes for the dining table base

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Forged steel dining table base in the metal studio

Video tour of the oval forged steel table base.

Dining table by Sallie Plumley Studio (walnut tops) and Phoenix Handcraft (forged steel bases)

Dining table with the artists

Sallie Plumley (L) and Kyle Lucia (R). Kyle’s assistant Kallen Bliss is in the back.

Next up is simpler design with fabricated asymmetrical bases. This set also has walnut tops. Photos by Sallie Plumley Studio.

If you’re interested in seeing more of our collaborations with artist friends, you can find them filed under the Local Love category on our blog.

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Custom Mirrors in Blue

Green and blue are by far the most frequently requested colors for custom coat racks and mirrors in our shop. They’re such soothing colors, bringing the natural beauty of the outside world into our homes. We love them too so we’re more than happy to work with these colors. Here are a few custom mirrors we’ve made recently in blue.

First up is a mirror created using textured handmade ceramic. When a special item belonging to this client suffered an unfortunate accident, she knew the material was too gorgeous to just throw away. Johannah was honored to create a new work of art using the ceramic pieces plus memorabilia gathered by the client and a variety of blue glass.

This was also our first round mirror. We just love how it turned out!

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This next mirror was created for a bathroom vanity. The client requested smoky blues to compliment the blues and grays in their bathroom.

A lot of time and effort go into creating these custom works of art. You can be sure they’re securely shipped in heavy-duty packaging and plenty of padding to ensure they arrive in great shape.

Custom mosaic mirror color samples

Large custom mosaic vanity mirror in process

Custom mosaic mirror packed up for shipping

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Johannah loved this combination of colors so much, she decided to use them in another mirror. This one just so happens to be for sale in our shop! At 18”x24” it’s perfect for an entryway, bathroom, or over a dresser. The line of white at the top and fading out down the sides is created from ceramic shapes, vitreous glass, and reclaimed dishware.

Railing with Many Stairs

Kyle designed this series of forged, minimalist hand railings for a home located on a hillside.

The terraced steps and curving lines of the property provided an interesting challenge. Each railing required custom measurements and templating to fit the various spaces.

The result is a series of railings ranging from winding, organic lines to more traditional forms, tied together with a cohesive style.

We made this video to share on social media while Kyle and his team were forging some of the railing components. We were in the midst of a heat wave here in Virginia, so the Bananarama song “Cruel Summer” seemed a particularly fitting soundtrack.

Forging custom railing.

For the entrance to the home, Kyle designed a relatively spare set of hand railings in the same style. He added a spiral flourish to the end plus a hand-forged bronze finial to give this set of railings a bit of presence.

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Front entrance railing in the studio.

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Same railing painted & installed.

Here’s a sample of the range of railings Kyle and his team created for this lovely property.

Ready to start designing your own custom railing? We are currently booking for this coming fall. Reach out and let’s chat!