Soon after I embarked on my Frank Miller Lumber architectural marketing journey, I connected with KPF (Kohn Pedersen Fox Architects) in New York. I have presented my AIA “Quartersawn Hardwoods” course to nearly 100 of the designers and architects in their offices in New York. Over the past 4 years I have assisted many KPF design teams with all manner…
In this blog I have talked about the challenges that the Bourbon industry has presented to quartersawn white oak log procurement pipeline. In my presentations to architects around the country I have made the suggestion that in order to avoid the problems inherent with a tight white oak supply, the design community needs to look at red oak as an…
A few years ago Frank Miller Lumber got involved with supplying the quartersawn red oak for the floors of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. I have written about the advantages of working with the mill source on projects like this, since in doing so the project team minimizes its variables. That project, for example, was…
For more than 4 years I have explained in my presentations to architects and designers the difference between red and white oak. “Tyloses” in white oak give the wood a closed cell structure making it resistant to rot and water. I use a device to distinguish the difference in porosity between red and white oak, which lies with the letter…
I want to start this edition of “Criswell’s Corner” by telling you all that the hiatus I took this winter was actually due to a cancer diagnosis I received in October of 2013. I have been focused on my treatment and recovery and am happy to report that two weeks ago I had a PET scan that was free of…
A friend sent me this picture of Patrick Stewart doing a one armed push-up and while that is an impressive feat, my eye was immediately drawn to the floor, which is rift white oak. Now I want to find out more – is that Patrick’s house? Who made the floor? Who designed the space? Could the lumber have come from…
I have been on hiatus for the past few months and during that time I have done considerable thinking on this topic as it relates to design. The more I looked at beautiful designs, whether commercial, hospitality or residential the more I saw form trumping function unnecessarily. Naturally, my design orientation centers on flooring because Frank Miller Lumber produces the…
Recently the sales team at Frank Miller Lumber received an invitation to quote on a large quantity of quartersawn white oak for use in the Middle East. Naturally, any chance to quote a possible order for shipment into an area to which you rarely ship is exciting. The pricing surprised the joinery company making the inquiry, even though it was…
If you followed me on Instagram you would find that during my world travels I love to take pictures of beautiful automobiles. Of course, the U.A.E. is a virtual cornucopia of high-priced exotic cars ripe for iPhone cameras. Along with the Bugatti Veyron I have always coveted the Bentley in all of its forms. I thought recently of parallels between…
On a recent trip to the U.A.E. I found out that New York University is opening a new campus in Abu Dhabi this year. Frank Miller Lumber has quoted some quartersawn walnut and cherry that may be used in some of the flooring there. When this caught my attention I did a bit of research and found that NYU also…