Fall 2009 Newsletter 
Scroll down to accompany us on our summer tour.
The crew and I ranged far these past months. Some of our summer destinations included an 1892 Queen Anne in the Plainfields, a modern shore home in Ocean County, NJ and an Upper East Side townhouse. The specie of the summer was mostly mahogany, an ideal outdoor wood, strong, hard, true and-ranging in color from purple to amber- just stunning.
Look:
Detail of the mahogany flooring and skirt of this modern style deck in Ocean County, NJ. Daniel can be seen in the far upper right, applying the skirt for the step.
The crew in action...
We're ready to wrap this one up...
Mahogany can serve the older house too...
We restored the porch of this 1892 Queen Anne in the Plainfields, NJ, right. Below is a detail of the tongue and groove mahogany decking. 
We had some tooth decay to mend...
Glenn, you are a surgeon!
Detail of completed railing and stair, painting in process. The spindles and railings were faithfully reproduced from the century-old originals. The newels are a Fine Custom design and creation, based on original decorative elements. The treads are done in mahogany.
In 1990 I was asked to design and create a rooftop deck on top of this Manhattan town house. The owner stipulated that it be built of redwood and vinyl lattice for longevity. As a result this deck, today, gains a peculiar historic status: it is likely only one of a handful of structures made of this combination of materials. The vinyl lattice product was absolutely brand new and redwood lumber was by then, thanks to the environmental lobby, almost impossible to find. Almost. Additionally, the deck had to be modular (for easy dis- assembly and re-assembly) in order to access the roofing membrane directly below. And that's just what we did this past summer...
The deck held up beautifully on all accounts. Not only did it come apart and go back together swiftly and easily, but that redwood held up remarkably. Nineteen years of exterior exposure in Manhattan could not compromise this timber. Little wonder the trees live to be ancient.
And last, but not least, a little quarter-sawn white oak...
Detail of this custom quarter-sawn white oak breakfast counter.
Quarter-sawn white
oak was the darling species and cut of the Arts and Crafts movement,
selected
especially for this 1920s Upper Montclair
home. And what a specimen!
Thank you for taking the time to view this and for your continued patronage.