We’re honored to represent a wide range of craftspeople and woodworkers through the furniture we carry in our store – from family-owned businesses to European design studios to one-person woodshops. The stories behind these companies are as varied as the furniture they build, and we’d love to share some of them with you. So today marks the first entry in a brand-new, regularly-irregular series on the blog – Meet a Maker. Read on to meet our first maker, Paulus Wanrooij!
About Paulus
Born and raised in the Netherlands, Paulus likes to say that woodworking is in his genes – his father and uncle were both craftsmen, and through them, Paulus inherited a sense for beauty, harmony and balance. He loved creating and constructing from an early age and built his first pieces of furniture in his 20s.
After working for a time in a managerial role, Paulus left his cubicle behind and enrolled in the Fine Woodworking program at Haywood Community College in North Carolina. In 2002, he started building furniture full-time; today, Paulus is the proprietor of Paulus Fine Furniture, located in coastal Maine. His furniture has won design awards and is treasured in homes across the country.
We’ve carried Paulus’ designs in our store for many years – his Oceana line of tables is a particular favorite. The graceful curves of Oceana’s wood base are a stunning example of Paulus’ design creativity and technical mastery.
Paulus is also one of our favorite makers for custom-built furniture – especially when a customer wants something truly unique and special. His ability to synthesize the design requirements for a custom piece, develop a creative solution, and then communicate it to a customer through sketches, scale drawings, and three-dimensional models is unparalleled. Plus, we have yet to encounter a style of furniture that he can’t execute flawlessly – it’s truly awe-inspiring!
Just a few of our recent collaborations with Paulus include a mid-century inspired sideboard, a pair of semi-built-in case pieces for storage and display, and a solid cherry music stand. We’re already looking forward to seeing what his creative mind conjures up next!
