My store is different than a 'regular' furniture store, my wood lines are more exclusive and either hand-made or hand-crafted. They're more apt to be made by a person, rather than a company. So I don't travel in the mass-produced wood furniture circles, meaning that there truly are hundreds of products I'm not familiar with, 95% of which I wouldn't sell in my store. I'm small in size (just 5,000 s.f.) so I am picky about what I show and represent. However, if you bring me any piece from any maker, I can tell you in under a minute how well made it is and if the design is good. To look at a company's pretty website and photos doesn't tell me much, because they all have pro photographers to make it all handsome and wax incessantly about how finely made their furniture is. All I'm concerned with is construction, and VERY few will show photos of how they make their pieces, mainly because they don't want to show you.

Tom Seely for example, is too production for me (I was unaware they changed their name to Gat Creek). Its solid enough and well put together, but lacks style and grace. It also does not have the hand-working of the surfaces that I look for and the finish is standard production line stuff. It misses the "Art" of furnituremaking which can be as subtle as a mullion in a glass pane or having the correct proportion of graduated drawers, or a Queen Anne leg that is too blocky. At the end of the day its all price/value and what style you are looking for. A chest of drawers that's $ 1,500 may be a great value at that price, but is totally diminished if priced at $ 2,500 - meaning their is better product out there for the $ 2,500 price.

I think there are four categories of wood furniture:

1) Junk. Uses the cheapest possible material and attempts to trick the customer into buying by disguising with veneers and other visuals. Fails rapidly.

2) Low End. Up a notch from Junk. Uses high-speed construction methods and stronger materials (though often will retain veneers) that will typically give decent service for a limited period of time. No residual value.

3) Production. Quality materials, and production line construction. Decent hardware, good finishes. Solid, though won't win any design awards. Long lasting, and suitable for passing down to family members, etc. Most people buy in this category.

4) Handcrafted. Here's the Art of Furnituremaking. Wide Board Materials, hand-worked surfaces, time-honored construction, the best hardware, and finishes that take hours to lay up. Here's where details and specifics matter. Its Benchmade by cabinetmakers, can actually increase in value as the years go by if well-cared for and a good design.

I'm more than happy to render an opinion of a piece, but you have to give me something to look at. Just to link to a website and ask "is this any good?" or ask for a blanket recommendation is really not something I can do with any degree of accuracy. Rather, find the piece you are interested in and take photos of it from every angle, pull a drawer and lets see the top, bottom and sides. And shoot the inside of a piece. Once I see enough photos, I can then tell you whats - what.