Twelve years ago when we went to Thailand, we noticed architectural-model-sized decorated houses at almost every residence.  And hotel.  And public building.  But what are they, we wondered.

They are Spirit Houses, and while we haven’t seen any around here in Boston, we were intrigued .  A Spirit House is a shrine to the protective spirit of a place that is found in the Southeast Asian countries of Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Most houses and businesses have a spirit house placed in an auspicious spot, most often in a corner of the property.  It is normally in the form of a miniature house or temple, and is mounted on a pillar or on a shelf on an outside wall of the compound.

The house is intended to provide a shelter for spirits that could cause problems for the people if not appeased. The shrines often include images of people and animals. Votive offerings are left at the house to propitiate the spirits.  Well, interesting, we thought.

Fast forward to November 2014, and we returned to Thailand on our way to Burma/Myanmar (more about that later) and fell in love with the idea of the spirit house transplanted to New England.

While not exactly what a fine furniture master makes on a regular basis, I decided to take on the project.  And I really got into gear when I visited the North Bennet Street School and saw the preservation carpentry group’s model.

So I was off on an adventure.  It has to go outside, so it has to survive the harsh New England weather – and I want it to last a long time, so I thought about okume plywood for the base, and thin okume for the roof, so that I could bend it into the appropriate angles.  With an epoxy coated frame structure.

While I often think about ideas that I see elsewhere, copying the original is almost never my intent.  So after looking at the initial photographs I had from Bangkok, the design just came by itself, creating a bit of an American twist to the spirit house.  And of course it needed a bit of a fence around it (mahogany, of course), to hold in the positive energy.  And a raised platform for the offerings, (mostly flowers) and a bowl with sand for burning incense.  All set.

As with most things in a furniture maker’s life, this didn’t quite work perfectly, since on opening it on Christmas Day, Marie immediately said that it was too nice to go outside, so
the Spirit House now resides in an auspicious part of our place in Boston.  Right next to the pool cues.

Custom furniture is not always about furniture, but rather about the process of making some object which is customized for a particular person, in a unique and interesting way.

If you’re interested in learning more about Spirit Houses, please feel free to contact me, Richard Oedel, fine furniture maker in Boston. I’ve seen them in Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and would be more than happy to answer any questions that you have.

I also encourage you to check out my online gallery to see some of the custom pieces of furniture and accessories that I have made to get a better idea of the style and quality of furniture that I create on a regular basis.

-Richard