Breathing New Life into Wood: From Antique Wardrobes to Hand-Turned Bowls

When people think of cabinetry, they usually imagine squares and rectangles. But woodworking has always been more than just straight lines for me.

In this photo, you see an antique wardrobe originally built in 1917. I upcycled and refinished it, adding full-extension pullout shelves so it functions as an open-faced pantry or display piece with vintage charm. Its carved crest and flowing plants make it feel at home in both modern and traditional spaces.

The bowls on the shelves tell a different part of my story. Each one I turned by hand, often using wood from trees that were already coming down or that fell in a storm. Instead of being discarded, that wood gets a second life, transformed into something both useful and beautiful. Every bowl carries the memory of the tree, its grain guiding the curve of the form.

Where my cabinet work leans on clean lines and classical proportions, turning bowls lets me explore movement and flow. Instead of the golden ratio guiding a frame, the curve of a bowl is dictated by the natural sweep of the grain. I try to shape pieces so the form feels inevitable, as if the tree had always meant to reveal that contour. It’s a balance of restraint and expression—removing just enough material to let the wood speak without overpowering it.

It’s not just about building furniture—it’s about honoring the material, celebrating its quirks, and giving forgotten or fallen wood a new purpose.