General Info:
Creating fine furniture and cabinetry, whether one-of-a-kind custom or production pieces, requires a dedication to craftsmanship, uncompromising attention to detail, precision, creativity and mastery of a variety of hand tools, machinery and computers. So it should come as no surprise that Tassajara Designs is owned and operated by two career high-tech business people - Mike Wells and Tim Crabtree.When asked what we did before founding Tassajara Designs, we often tell people we were "high-tech refugees" seeking more rewarding endeavors that would draw on our experience as engineers and business managers, offer new avenues for artistic expression and appeal to our shared passion for woodworking. Our search ended in 2004 with the founding of Tassajara Designs. It is here that we've perfectly blended our high-tech business experience with our passion for creating exciting and unique designs in wood.Tassajara Designs, Inc is a California Licensed Contractor ( C-6, Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry ). We are fully bonded and carry liability insurance. We urge our customers to check the license, bond and insurance status of any prospective contractor using the California Contractor's State License Board web site before entering into a contract for construction services involving your real property. We can also provide a certificate of our liability insurance upon request.Our Business PhilosophyIn a world of big-box stores selling cheaply-made, uninspiring mass-produced furniture, we constantly strive to combine our unique designs, attention to quality and our passion for craftsmanship to set us apart. We believe our furniture should last - and be passed down - for generations, not just until the next time you move your household.Buying fine furniture and cabinetry is a very personal decision. It says a lot about who you are, your appreciation for design and style and the natural beauty of wood. We don't think things made by the thousands and shipped in containers addresses these needs. This is why we design and build everything we make, whether custom one-of-a-kind pieces, or our L'Attitudes collection, right here at our shop in Carlsbad. Every piece is made in the U.S.A., with a local, legal work force.Unique DesignsOur design style varies depending on customer's requirements, but most often reflects a fusion of traditional styles such as Arts & Crafts with its simple lines and blending of form and function, and more modern and contemporary styling which emphasizes curves and reveals to enhance the interplay of light and shadow. We often collaborate with one of the several resident artisans in our design studio who work in glass, stone and metal to create a functional work of art.A readily available supply of very large natural wood slabs in a variety of domestic and exotic species offers us the opportunity to create truly unique custom pieces for our customers. These pieces tend to reflect the works of George Nakashima and other contemporary artisans who created many beautiful and varied "natural" slab designs.We believe there's a lot more to craftsmanship than simply knowing how to use power tools or gluing two pieces of wood together. It begins with an attitude - an attitude that values quality over quantity. Craftsmanship is about paying attention to details - both large and small. It's about knowing which tool to use and what joint will contribute aesthetically as well as structually to the result. Craftsmanship is about enjoying the creative process of taking the right piece of wood and a good design and creating something of beauty to be appreciated and handed down through generations. A craftsman can feel and hear how a piece of wood cuts, and know - even without looking - whether the result is correct, or not.We set high standards for our work, and as a result the craftsmanship we put into each piece our customers recei