My client reached out to me a couple of months ago and wished to find a creative way to mount a ships wheel that was given to him as gift. As a collector of nautical items and decor, he wanted the piece to feel authentic and reminiscent of the helm of a ship. We arrived at this design, a 4-sided tapered cabinet with one side open for shelving, very similar to the helm of a ship.
Made of Afrormosia, a common substitute for Teak, the cabinet’s grain and color is common with many wooden elements on boats. The piece is made of all solid wood featuring frame and panel joinery, and dado joints for the top, bottom and shelf. The ships wheel is mounted with functional hardware allowing it to rotate for a nostalgic experience. The cabinet is topped off with an old world, lantern style compass that would’ve been common on wooden ships in the early days.
I really enjoyed stepping out of the box and creating such a unique piece. For me, this is what custom woodworking is all about. Finding beautiful solutions for unique challenges.
Whitehurst Custom Woodworking 