Formal Presentation of the Impression

    In completing my portfolio for submission to a Masters of Architecture program I took more proper photos of the newly named Impressive Coffee Table. Which, by the way, is available for purchase.
   The one pictured is Cedar from a wind fall tree in Lake Tahoe, CA. Worm holes and nicks from the saw have been filled in and smoothed over with clear epoxy and reveal the organic history and working marks of the piece. It is available for $3500 (this is a personal piece and does not reflect the general pricing structure). Dimensions are 60"Lx 24"Wx 17"H.
   -Or, if one prefers, a hand built Impressive can be made to specification.
   -Any choice of wood (except imaginary, extinct or endangered)
   -Wood finish can be impeccable or show some marks of the wood's history
      (appropriately polished with 6 coats of varnish or other appropriate finish)
   -Gloss or satin varnish
   -Steel base can be slightly distressed (as shown) or clean and waxed.
   -Pricing then will ballpark between $600-$2000 before shipping.
Enjoy!

Elevated Dog Feeder with Bowls and Food Storage

How many times, or for how long, has Duke, Fluffy, Spot, or Fido's food and water "area" been a little lack luster? To sad bowls sitting on the floor looking as if a deranged person placed them there. Not knowing where they truly belong, these dishes get banged around with their food bits and water logged egg whites, really- they need to go! But then where does Poochies nourishment come from? Surely not my hand, one kibble at a time...and NOT from some dark corner of the yard, ich.....


So, how about a nice box that holds around 20lbs.of dog food, one food dish, and one water dish? Yes? Good! Then here it is! Oh yes, and no more trips out into the laundry room, garage, or some side room to fetch food. Ah efficiency.

The Dog Box $80

Crooked Walls and Kitchen Storage

The walls in our rental house were nice with the original bead work and all; but.....

So I took some old wood boxes (read: before plastic and cardboard) and painted the insides a light denim blue and the outside white to match the cabinets a very simple and cheap DIY. and Wa LA!

Lights Lights Lights

  Still working on getting the Studio setup. For the time being here is a picture for how things stand at the entrance (I know a LONG WAY TO GO). Hanging are some of the pendant lights that I've been working on. Antiqued Silver Bell's are cut from glass jugs with antique gilding on the inside and then fitted with a universal E27 (standard) bulb collar. The Blue Swirly shade is hand blown glass and fitted with standard lamp hardware (3/8 piping).

Enjoy!

Water on the Brain

As of late I have been missing being on the water. Boating to be exact. I remember the crisp fall days spent in Lake Tahoe eking out the last few warm days of the year on a flat and tranquil lake. Surrounded by evergreens and Aspens lighting up random stream beds in the surrounding mountain's, I would ponder the year before and the winter to come.  This weekend will bring a significant step in that direction.

I will be picking up a 1956 Chris Craft Sportsman. That is- a boat. Over the winter months it will be restored in the new shop here in Gig Harbor. If anyone is in the area feel free to stop in and check on the progress. Till then enjoy Fall colors and festivities!

FilliQvist is Born!!

To whom it may concern,

In this inglorious post I would like to announce the official birth of a company. You may say, "But wait Skip, I have already seen this Filliqvist thing, even in a competition! What is this birth you speak of?" As of October 12th 2010, Filliqvist officially has an address! You can now find me at:

915 26th Ave. NW Suite C-6

Gig Harbor, WA 98335

Stop by anytime we will be glad to meet you! Check back soon for more contact info!

Flow Grows

So the Flow bed has been on Apartment Therapy for a while now and while it looks as though I won't be placing in the finals it was a fun run. One side note-I didn't realize that I'd be up against people that had already quit their day jobs, sheez!

The one, the only, the original, Flow Coffee Table Study

Well as it stands the Flow is becoming more of a series and I thought I'd post up a link of one of the lesser known siblings, check that more like ancestors, this was the study for the bed.

Better Than Restoration Hardware

When I was young my mother had me playing all kinds of instruments-the violin @ 4 years old, then the cello @ 8 or so, then the piano in the early teens. If there is one thing I HATE to hear it's, "why don't you go practice now..." UHG!

Well here I am a grown man and I am happily, and unknowingly, practicing all on my own. OK, it isn't an instrument per se but I am using instuments. Welders, saws, drills, grinders and so on. I guess the definition of making music has just changed. What is this leading up to? Well have a look:

Does it look familier? It should....

see page here

So if practice makes perfect I hope that this shows I am getting better. It was nice to have this coffee table as a little bit of inspiration and to be able to show that things can be made locally for much, MUCH LESS. This may become a frequent saying -GO LOCAL!

The instigator for this table came when I first asked myself, "WHY does this table cost so much??" Huh why? RH's table is approx. 4.5 feet by 3.5 feet and costs $1360. The one I did sold for $650. OK ok, mine's not an antique, it also weighs in at around 60 lbs. instead of RH's approximate of 200 lbs. I'm going to guess that theirs is solid steel frame then; whereas, mine is square tubing 1/8" wall. Never mind after closer inspection you can actually see the joints on the leg for flatpack-ability, there is no way that table weighs 200 lbs. Other than age, a steel end cap, some patina paint job, and -of course- price what's the diff? Would you go local?

Belle Reading Light

The theme between most, if not all, of these products that I make it is that I couldn't find what I wanted (or thought that what I did want was outragously priced).

So I formally present the Belle Reading Light.

For a larger image just click on the picture. This here is the first one and has a 3/4" thick steel base, copper stem and hand painted glass shade all wired with UL Listed parts, thus being clear wire showing one silver one copper and an inline switch and a candellabra socket and a maximum 40W 2" bulb. The production ones will be the same except they will have a 1/2" thick base and a slightly different shade (unless someone out there knows where to get more of the one shown here! uhg! I'm searching -I'm searching.....). It is 14" high overall- the base is 7" long by 4" wide and the shade here is 4" long 3.5" D. Price will be between $90 to $120 per unit. Depending on cost and work that has to go into the shade. Oh, and you might recognise the nightstand...

Rancho Davis Coffee Table

   This wonderful "little" table was commissioned for a local community center. Oddly there was some concern over theft(?!) so I was asked what might be done with that condition. The solution came in the construction. The steel is 1/4" thick 2"x2" square tubing of which there is almost 30 feet (10 m) in the frame. On the top is 2" thick old growth Redwood that came from the foundation of a razed building in the community. When completed the table ended up weighing about 300 lbs. (150 kg)! Theft of this table is not such a concern anymore!
   The steel is welded at all junctions and the top is attached with hidden fastenings. The wood is clear coated and waxed. The steel finish consists of bluing and then waxed.

 Detail

The tables' natural enviroment.

Some rough pictures of the construction process.