In most homes, the kitchen is the gathering spot, whether you’re entertaining friends or sitting down to a family meal. Since so much time is spent in the kitchen, why not make the space one-of-a-kind? Commissioning custom work is one way to put your personal touch on the space, and if you take the time to carefully think through how you want to design this piece, I think you’ll be very pleased with the overall results.

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Since storage space in the kitchen is a must, consider commissioning custom cabinetry for your kitchen. If you look through my online gallery, you will see several different cabinets that I have created throughout my career as a fine furniture craftsman. Selecting the type of wood to make these cabinets from is just as important as the design aspect, and one type of wood that I would recommend considering is sweetgum.

Sweetgum trees can be found in the Eastern hardwood forests, particularly throughout the Southeastern U.S. This type of wood is often used to make cabinets, but it’s also a popular choice for furniture parts, doors, mouldings and rail ties. Sweetgum is often thought of as a good substitute for walnut when stained.

While sweetgum is moderately hard, it’s easy to work with, whether by hand or with machine. The heartwood has a reddish brown color, and the wood has an irregular interlocking grain, which makes the appearance of the wood more attractive. Another reason why sweetgum is so appealing is that it can be sanded to an excellent finish.

To learn more about sweetgum and other types of wood that you may want to consider when commissioning your new cabinetry, please contact me, Richard Oedel, Fine Furniture Master.