Month: July 2021

This dog gate was custom made for a client who requested a gate that wasn’t permanent. This is what we came up with. This gate features a poplar frame, painted to match the railing, with a magnetic insert to keep the gate from swinging closed when it’s open, magnetic hinges to keep the gate closed, rot iron bars to match the railing, and a welded steel base. The gate looks as though it were built with the railing, just as we intended, but it can also easily be moved and stored if not in use or if it were to get in the way. 

This prayer kneeler was designed and built for a client who wanted to have a kneeler made to match the aesthetic of the house it was built for, so we grey stained white oak and decided to give them two different options for cross colors. The crosses are magnetic and can be changed out depending on the client’s preference. Everything was finished with a satin polyurethane and the outcome was simple and elegant. 

Quick reminder: If you are interested in getting a custom project done before the end of the year, please place your order by August 31st. We will not be taking orders after August 31st because we will be taking parental leave from November through January. We thank you for your continued support and understanding.

We are ecstatic to announce that we are expecting the arrival of our newest member of Krafka Kraft in early November. We anticipate the welcoming and onboarding of our newest employee will take some time… at least a couple of months to get situated and into a semi-coherent business routine… As such we will be taking new orders up until August 31st. We will be taking November through January off to welcome and get our newest member of staff acclimated. Thank you all so much for your continued support and understanding. It means everything to us.  Wish us luck, we’ll need it. Teaching a newborn to use power tools is going to pose quite a challenge.

A client came to us wondering if we could build a high-chair that would match their custom made Danish-modern meets Amish style dining room table. We were only too happy to take on the challenge. This cherry high chair fits this table perfectly. The arms fit directly under the heavy cherry tabletop, which prevents the chair from tipping or wobbling at all, even with the wiggliest of toddlers sitting in it. Design meets functionality is our forte. This chair was made for this table and we hope it gets used for many years to come. With any luck it might even turn into a family heirloom.

This maple entryway cubby was truly a collaborative project. Our client came to us with a design for the cubby, we made a few minor design adjustments then built, finished and installed the cubby. It features 15 cubby holes for assorted storage from hats and gloves to shoes and sports equipment, 5 adjustable shelves on either side for storage behind a maple framed door on one side or display on the other, and a convenient bench on which to sit while putting on or taking off shoes. This cubby matches the design and style of the house perfectly. It’s functional, space saving, organized, and a gorgeous piece of furniture that was quite literally made for this house.

This hallway cabinet was designed to optimize the corner space in this hallway. It features a satin finished walnut top, painted poplar drawer fronts,  two drawers and a soft-close poplar door behind which are two adjustable shelves. The elegant simplicity of this cabinet matches the design specifications of the house perfectly, not to mention it’s highly functional and quite an efficient space saver.

This built-in cubby was originally designed to have reclaimed wood used for the shiplap backing. Unfortunately after the two accent walls we did in other rooms of the house, there just wasn’t enough barn wood left. In the end we made the cubbies and the shiplap backing out of local Iowa poplar, which was painted to match the walls. The bench top was made of reclaimed barn wood from our client’s family barn, which was lightly sanded to prevent splintering and finished with polyurethane. The end result was the perfect culmination of features from this house, simple, classic, sleek design meets rustic farmhouse. The allure is almost Scandinavian and very cozy. We have loved every minute of building and designing for this client’s house. It has been so fun to make new use of old barn wood and see just how stylish we could make it.

In this final edition of our refurbished barn wood series we feature the barn doors. Our client decided he wanted to use the actual barn doors from his old family barn as sliding doors for a bedroom closet and his office. To get them into functional working condition all we had to do was sand them down to prevent splintering, clean up the hardware and give them a nice sealant coat or two of water based polyurethane. The final product is exquisite, cozy, and rustic. They are the perfect addition to the style and allure of this house.