A Carmen’s customer showed me photos of this 1950s Italian vanity bench and asked if I could reproduce it.

It took some work to make the curves perfectly sweet and matching, but what a thrill to make such a beautiful piece.

It needed a particular stain to match existing furniture, so I went to my friend Christine Hislop at Hudson Valley Restoration in Lansingburg. She’s been in the business as long as me, and mastered the intricacies of color, finish and woods years ago. For 25 years, she’s been my go-to for tricky stains & finishes.

Anyway, long story short, it’s been an honor and privilege to work on such a beautiful piece. Thanks, Sandy, for the opportunity!