design story
I started my design journey studying art at Ricks College. I loved it. From there, I went on to get a BFA in art and design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. San Francisco is also where I met my wife! We have had a great life together raising wild kids, appreciating the beauty of the natural world, experiencing awe, sharing a love for art, architecture, food and big family gatherings. We delight in being those odd, unpopular parents who make their kids read before they are allowed to use anything with a screen.
Since our time in California I have been an illustrator, artist, designer, and dabbled in a bit of storyboarding and graphic design. But designing furniture and cabinets has been a constant passion for at least15 years now! We recently moved back to Idaho from the the rocky Maine coast, where I worked with some of the best designers, architects and woodworkers in the industry. The greater Boston area remains a hotbed of design, both in traditional and cutting edge design. While there, I also developed a line of furniture for Endeavour Craftsmen of Rockland Maine, a manufacturer of fine custom cabinetry and furniture.
I am a lover of the craft, with an understanding of the process of furniture and cabinet making from the inside out. I love working with people. And I love the process and challenge of design. The images on this page represent the work I have been doing up to this point from handmade furniture, to high-end custom kitchens. I continue to design for clients big and small, problem solving, providing design services, shop drawings and CNC coding. I also love to be out in the shop when time permits!
Providing semi-custom cabinets is a slight departure from the hands-on action of the wood shop! But the challenge of design remains and the thrill of making things beautiful and functional is very fulfilling. I’m excited to help make your house feel like home.
Wood Culture
When it is up to me, I choose natural wood. I am predictable that way.
As a design element, there are a few useful things to consider when it comes to using wood. Natural wood is full of energy and life. It belongs in every room of the house. Whether it is a collection of wooden bowls, a beloved piece of furniture or a well worn floor. However! It is possible to use it improperly - when too many different types of wood are used, with patterns and textures all competing for attention, it is like an orchestra tuning up. It is chaotic. Stick to one or two complementary species and grain patterns. Wood Culture is a term that points to an almost primitive appreciation for what is authentic, crafted by hand and fashioned out of wood.
Wherever possible, let the grain of the wood -in its most natural state- be the most important ornament in the room.
Rather than find cheap furniture with grain that needs hiding or churching up with stain and complicated finishes, first find a wood species and grain pattern that speaks to your senses. Then design around that.
-Clayton Thompson
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