Robin Wade would tell you that this bench was a partner in its own development, and that he, the artist, merely assisted the transformation of natural elements into functional furniture that retains the beauty of the natural materials from which it was crafted.

The lines were already evident in the carefully selected wood slab: sleek, dominant, and history laden. Wade freed the influence of the grains, and allowed the custom creation to reveal itself.  Wade says the beauty contained in the oak, cherry, and walnut, maple and sassafras is evident.

 At RWF, custom is our specialty.

What makes a Robin Wade custom desk so special? It could be the fact that every piece of wood in each of Robin’s custom designs comes from within 60 miles of his studio. It could have something to do with the kind of wood Robin uses. Perhaps Robin Wade’s custom desks are so special because each one is uniquely designed and handcrafted in Robin’s Florence, Alabama studio.

It could be any of these reasons. But to me, the thing that makes a Robin Wade custom desk so special, above all else, is the simple fact that in each desk is life. When I look at one of Robin’s desks, I don’t see a huge mass-produced piece of furniture to outfit a giant maze of cubicles. I don’t see a dusty warehouse lit by cold fluorescents, filled with blocks of harvested lumber imported from a depleted forest. When I look at one of Robin’s custom pieces I can feel the warmth and solidity of the wood. I can see the care and concentration Robin devoted to each of his works.

I can connect with the tree that made each desk what it is. I can caress the holes, the cracks, the imperfections which serve as an elegant reminder of the natural cycle of life and the beauty in acceptance. I can appreciate each custom desk as more than a material addition to a home or office, but instead as a poetic and subtly evocative homage to the wonders of the natural world. When I look at Robin Wade’s custom desks, I don’t see a power struggle between man and nature. I see each piece as a loving gift from the tree to the artist and artist to the tree. This reflects a mutual respect for the myriad possibilities which exist when man and nature work and live in harmony.