What is your idea of perfect?

[Sheepherder]

We all have our perceptions of what makes a piece perfect. What do you look for? What do you see when you say to yourself that piece is amazing? What aspect(s) make you consider someone an exceptional wood worker?

 

[ShawnRussell]

A piece is perfect when I am done, it is in place, and every time I walk by I want to run my fingers across the surface or touch some detail aspect of it.

I look for tight joinery, simple yet clean lines, and a finish that has depth but is not shiny(personal taste on the shine).

I think a piece is amazing when I look at it and would rather just buy it than spend the time to try and make it myself.

An exceptional wood worker starts with a good story. I like to feel a connection to the maker. There build quality starts with their choice of wood. Did they spend time to look at color and grain direction.

 

[Alli]

Great question.
Several years ago I would of said a good piece of furniture was good when all the joints and construction was perfect.

These days I would say its any piece that make me look twice, makes me want to touch it and really gets me thinking of how they did that. I really like when someone has taken a piece of timber and built a piece because of the wood rather than just following a plan.

I remember seeing a lovely table at a show where the lady had taken two slabs of Oak and had made a waney edge table for eating outside by book matching the two pieces, the top was full of character with swirls and little knots. She was originally going to make everything square and straight but the wood just spoke to her, and she had used a scrub plane to get things level but liked the scallops it made and left it like that. She then joined the two pieces with big butterfly keys, which she said because of leaving the wood as slabs and being outside, movement was going to happen so why not let it be part of the table and encompass it rather than fight it. To some this piece would of been overlooked but to me she had got the best out of the wood and made a perfect table.

 

[Theshipstore]

To me the perfect piece is the one that makes my customer smile and say Thank You.
This is what has kept me going over the years because this satisfied customer has become a source for future work almost every time.
I will say I have seen many fine pieces over the years and I appreciate what looking at and touching them has done to further my cabinet making experiences

 

[Sparktrician]

Does the wood show some character or does it look like it came from Ikea?  Did the craftsman demonstrate competence in creating the piece and in understanding the wood's need to move at times?  Does the piece please the eye?  Is the piece useful, even if it's only to make the viewer say. "Ahhh!"?  Does the piece complement its intended environment or clash with it?  Does the piece have a gracefulness about it?  Does the piece invite the viewer to return and gaze at it repeatedly?