about
william jacob builds furniture and cabinetry in his studio in west pawlet, vermont. will started indian river in 2018 after nearly a decade of enjoying woodwork as a hobby. he continues to employ careful craftsmanship and traditional joinery to ensure that the furniture leaving his studio can withstand real-life uses for this and future generations. at indian river, durability and design must coexist.
indian river is always accepting commissions for furniture and cabinetry in a wide range of periods and styles. we offer in-depth design consultation, with a focus on aesthetic coherency to the customer’s preexisting space.
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“Fine things in wood are important, not only aesthetically, as oddities or rarities, but because we are becoming aware of the fact that much of our life is spent buying and discarding, and buying again, things that are not good. Some of us long to have at least something, somewhere, which will give us harmony and a sense of durability—I won’t say permanence, but durability—things that, through the years, become more and more beautiful, things we can leave to our children.” -James Krenov, A Cabinetmaker’s Notebook
more about our work:
variably-spaced dovetail drawers
the approach to building custom cabinetry varies widely across the industry. everything from building the plywood carcass to the final fit and finish has the potential to be disputed among industry peers and largely depends on how each unique shop is set up for production. this is especially true for drawer boxes and the joinery used to hold them together.
drawers must be strong, of course, as they are doing the lion’s share of the physical work a cabinet must do: store items safely and conveniently. this is why, for high-end cabinets, one will typically encounter solid wood drawers with dovetail joints. at indian river, a standard cabinet drawer is built in solid maple with shop-cut, variably-spaced dovetails. all of the material is milled, fitted, assembled, sanded, and finished in my studio.
I am of the opinion that drawer boxes are equally as important aesthetically as they are for utility. they are too often neglected as a visual feature because they are most times hidden within the cabinet. Yet so often when a customer is inspecting (and, hopefully, admiring) my work, I notice their eyes drawn to the visible joinery on the outside of the drawer boxes.
for that simple but important reason, I spend far more time than most cabinet shops on constructing my drawer boxes with some visual flair. variably-spaced dovetails are quite unique and express an attention to detail typically only found in furniture pieces. cabinets are not just a means for storage, but a visual focal point in most homes, which is why I believe they ought to be as carefully crafted as such.
digital renderings
indian river provides digital 3D drawings during the design stages of any project.
not only do the drawings give the customer a better idea of how the piece will look and feel in space, but they also make revisions convenient and timely. subtle design alterations can be made almost instantly, allowing for side-by-side comparisons and more confident decision-making. moreover, significant changes and full design overhauls become a simple and painless option.
if you have considered custom furniture or cabinetry, but were unsure of where to begin in the design process, reach out. I would love to bring your vision to life, first in the digital realm, then in reality.