Had a client ask for a built-in that needed to fit a specific, weirdly shaped heirloom vase

This was a couple weeks back. They brought in this old ceramic vase, about 14 inches tall but with a really wide, uneven base. They wanted a display shelf in their dining room that it would sit in perfectly, so it couldn't tip. I spent a whole day just making templates out of cardboard, tracing the exact shape. The tricky part was making the cutout look intentional and not like a mistake. I ended up routing the opening with a bearing bit, following my template, and lining the inside with some scrap velvet they had. The look on their face when it slid right in was worth the headache. Anyone ever had to build something around a one-of-a-kind object like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wyatt20d ago

Man, that's awesome. I used to get so annoyed when clients brought in their own odd stuff to work around, like it was messing up my plans. But seeing how much it means to them totally changed my mind. That kind of custom fit turns a simple shelf into a real story. You did a great job making it look intentional with the velvet lining.

kimr7420d ago

Read an article once about how this kind of work is what separates a basic job from real craftsmanship. I get what @elliot_gibson27 is saying about the extra work, but that perfect fit for a special object is the whole point. It stops being just a shelf and becomes part of that item's story. The care you took with the template and the velvet lining shows that. Most people can buy a shelf, but they can't buy that kind of thoughtful solution.

elliot_gibson2720d ago

It's still a huge pain though, right? All that extra work for one weird vase.