The project started with the interior doors. One of Bob’s closest industry contacts, Troy Moore of Madi Mali Homes, showed him a set of 9-foot-tall solid white oak doors that were available from another project—and he was inspired. Troy was hired to  build the house after plans utilizing those doors were drawn up by architect Wolfgang Trost. Interior designer Kristen Ridler also joined the team to help keep Bob’s woodworking ambitions in check.  

Bob mentally walked through each room and envisioned various creative solutions. Every detail down to the trim was carefully considered. 

“There’s not a lot of trim,” he notes. “What is there is clean and simple. People think that’s easy, but it’s really a challenge, design-wise and fabrication-wise.”

He agonized over the veneer selections. Veneer is real wood, sliced thin. It’s used especially for rare wood species, which Bob wanted to highlight here. From one tree, the flitch is cut and stacked in order  to be consistent throughout. Using this method, you get more square footage out of it. 

Bob ended up using several types of wood, end grains and stains that, while different from each other, create a cohesive whole that draws attention but isn’t overpowering. 

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous price hikes, manpower shortages and long furniture lead times were all part of the process.

“I learned a ton from the customer side,” Bob says. “Even normal construction can be frustrating.”

And how have his clients responded to the end result? 

“Lots of people have asked if we’d sell the house to them,” Lisa says.  

@gillpatrickwoodworks 

@madimalihomes 

@kristenridlerdesign

website: wolfgangtrost.com