This toolbox
…the one my father and I built together when I was five, sits in my workshop, weathered but sturdy. It's a prized artifact from my childhood, not because it's particularly well-made, but because it represents the beginning of something I couldn't have imagined at the time: my lifelong passion to create.
My wife tells people one of the things that drew her to me early in our relationship was my reaction to beautiful objects. Where others might say, “I want that,” I would invariably say, “I could make that.” This instinct has been with me since childhood, when I built my own BMX bikes, tree forts and 1/84th scale model railroad landscapes, all the way to mastering the art of making a wood-fired Neopolitan pizza as an adult. I am constantly driven by how things are created and how I can make them my own.
From Digital to Tangible
My professional journey started as a graphic designer. I spent 25 years in automotive marketing, achieving numerous milestones, including securing major accounts such as Porsche, Acura, and Lexus, winning awards, becoming Creative Director on multimillion-dollar accounts, and traveling to exotic photo shoot locations. I also had the chance to preview secret new vehicles months before their public debut and even consult on a Super Bowl TV commercial. However, by 2015, I sensed a shift. After years of creating fleeting digital experiences, beautiful work that would be updated, replaced, or forgotten within months, I began craving something more…
The irony wasn't lost on me. While designing sleek campaigns for luxury automotive brands by day, I spent nights and weekends in my dust-filled studio, building hardwood furniture. Each piece reminded me of what I truly loved: crafting beautiful objects that would endure.
Deciding to leave my corporate career wasn’t sudden. It was the culmination of years of feeling increasingly disconnected from work that, although professionally successful, felt “empty.” I wanted to apply the problem-solving skills I had developed to something that would outlast me. Something designed so well that even my clients’ children and grandchildren would want it for their own homes.
My approach to furniture design combines the strategic thinking of my marketing background with the intimate problem-solving of custom furniture design. I don't just build pieces. I develop bespoke solutions that consider how my clients live, the spaces they inhabit, and the legacy they want to create. Each commission begins with understanding what they need and how they want to feel in their space.
The Work
From my studio, I specialize in creating custom hardwood furniture that bridges the gap between function and art. Whether it's a console table that perfectly fits an awkward space in your foyer, a sideboard that stores your treasures while showcasing your style, or a whiskey cabinet that becomes the centerpiece of memorable evenings, each piece is designed specifically for its owner, their home and their lives. This is furniture you couldn't find anywhere else, because it was created specifically for you.
The five-year-old who built that first toolbox with his father couldn't have known he was beginning a journey building objects across multiple media that would span decades. However, my instinct to create, to solve problems with my hands, and to build something worthwhile has been a constant thread throughout my life. Today, it has simply found its most authentic expression in furniture making.
I am a solo maker working out of my small studio in Long Beach, CA, building five to ten pieces annually. I like to have fun while creating furniture, and I enjoy taking my clients on the journey of designing and building pieces of furniture they can cherish for generations.
