At our woodworking studio, we specialize in crafting custom solid wood furniture tailored not only to our clients’ needs, but also to the architectural realities of San Francisco — a city as beautiful as it is challenging for builders and furniture makers.
The Challenges of Building in a City of Hills and History
San Francisco is famously built on hills, with neighborhoods climbing steep inclines and homes nestled into uneven terrain. Add to this the legacy of mild but frequent seismic activity, and what you get is a housing stock where few surfaces are truly level. Floors are rarely flat, walls often bow or wave slightly, and ceilings may dip or rise unpredictably.
This presents a unique challenge when it comes to installing built-in furniture or placing custom-made pieces. In fact, the installation phase can take up to 20–30% of the entire production time, due to the need to adapt each piece precisely to the surrounding architecture.
Craftsmanship That Adapts
To deal with these irregularities, our team relies on years of experience and refined woodworking techniques. For example, when installing crown molding on a custom kitchen, each section must be measured and cut to match the specific wave or slope of the ceiling. Similarly, large base cabinets and credenzas often require leveling platforms, which are later concealed with carefully cut toekicks, ensuring the final piece looks clean and seamless — even when the floor beneath it is far from straight.
Hanging wall cabinets is another task that demands extra precision. Uneven walls mean that standard installation methods don’t always apply. We use specialized mounting systems and occasionally build in slight adjustments or shims to ensure that everything appears aligned and functions perfectly, even in imperfect spaces.
Thinking Ahead: Designing for Delivery
Another factor unique to San Francisco is the size and layout of many homes, especially in older neighborhoods. Staircases can be narrow, elevators small, and hallway turns tight. That’s why we often design larger furniture pieces in modular segments. These segments can be brought into the home more easily and then assembled on-site — a strategy that allows for both accessibility and structural integrity.
Skill, Experience, and a Bit of Ingenuity
With nearly two decades of experience, our workshop has developed a toolbox full of clever solutions — some traditional, some entirely unique. From custom inserts that follow the curve of a wall, to specialized finishes that enhance imperfect surfaces, we take pride in making every piece not just beautiful, but perfectly adapted to its environment.
Stay tuned — in the next part of this series, we’ll share more about the specific joinery methods we use, how we handle natural wood movement in the city’s climate, and why handcrafted furniture remains the best choice for San Francisco homes.
