Saifon Lertromyanant grew up in a small village in Thailand
watching her father create beautiful designs on the furniture he made. After earning her degree and marrying, Saifon decided to open a business of her own.

"My father is an excellent carpenter and I inherited this skill from him," Saifon writes in her mission statement. "Just by looking at a wooden product I can tell what method was used to craft it."

The most challenging part of her work, she says, is the the ability to come up with fresh, innovative designs in a highly competitive market.

Saifon first selects the mango wood and sets it under piles of wood shavings. She then removes the bark and lathes the wood into shape, a process, she said, that can take up to three hours. The piece is then placed into a kiln and fired for three days where it becomes encrusted with a thick layer of smoke and dirt. The impurities are then polished with sandpaper. After the piece is smooth enough, Saifon carves and decorates it. The final step is painting, which varies depending upon the finishing style and the natural hue of the wood. Each individual piece can take up to six days to complete.


Saifon's vases can be found at ...Read More

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And not a day too late.

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Vintage wicker, modern teak and graceful iron tables add style to the garden picnic. Paired with comfortable chairs (good designers avoid matching sets), guests will linger at your table sipping wine, shooting the ...Read More

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How can I be so sure? Because I was master of musical chairs in kindergarten. I would somehow throw my little body into place just as the music stopped. ...Read More

A summery weekend ahead - and there's no real excuse to be indoors during the day (no arguments, please). But if you find yourself online just now, here are a few links worth a read:

Whip Up

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