Share    Part of what makes it fun to be a studio furniture maker is that I get to come up with new designs. Of course, as with most artisans, I get a lot of my ideas looking at the works of others. But the last thing I want to do is an exact replica [...]

BD Barcelona Design was founded in 1972 as what they themselves call an expression of almost insolent rebellion by a group of young, unsatisfied architects. But for all their cutting-edge work, they are still most mindful of those who went before, as shown by their work with chairs.

Taunton Press has recently published a book by Scott Gibson & Peter Turner entitled “Blanket Chests” which presents outstanding designs from thirty of the world’s finest furniture makers. It was brought to my attention by one of the featured artisans, Craig Thibodeau.

“Making Ladder Back Chairs With Russ Filbeck,” is a beautifully illustrated, well-thought-out book that delivers the goods. Make a chair with this book at your elbow, and you’ll have the same thing his Palomar students received: a wonderful education from a man I truly regard as a Modern Master.