Artistry in Wood

"A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man

who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman;

but a man who works with his hands and his brain and

his heart is an artist." - Louis Nizer

© 2016 Candera Period Designs
CANDERA PERIOD DESIGNS BRIAN J. BENOLKEN BANGOR, Pennsylvania MADE AND             SOLD BY
Craftsmanship begins at the very inception of the project. Whether it's the reproduction of a classic piece, a custom piece drawing on the influences of the masters of yesteryear, or a totally new design, it is imperative that a clear, cohesive plan be established to proceed from the drawing board to the finished product. When we begin, the first step will be to determine the parameters of your project. The design must go hand in hand with how the piece is to be used, where it will placed in the home, and what other pieces will also be in the room with it. These questions, when answered, help transform a design from an initial concept into a functional, well-proportioned piece that is in harmony with the rest of your furniture. Construction techniques no longer found in most of today's mass produced furniture go into every one of my projects. The mortise and tenons, dovetail joints, solid hardwood construction, and hand finishes that I employ, are things of the past, when you walk into modern furniture stores. Using cost saving methods such as pocket screw construction, doweled joints, and particle board materials manufacturers have transformed a furniture purchase, that in the past, would have been considered a lifetime use product, into something that will last only a fraction of that time. Sadly, as consumers, we have accepted this "throw away" quality as normal. Instead of buying furniture we can pass down to our children, we end up with products that we have to replace several times over our lifetime.   What I build will not only be handed down to your children, but to their children as well. Whether it's traditional, contemporary, or somewhere in between, together we can design, build, and finish a piece that you will be proud to have in your home for generations.
Home About Services Galleries Testimonials Terminology Contact Home See our work featured in DesignNJ Magazine