Architectural Arts makes a wide variety of armoires, including the custom entertainment center that appears on this page and the ever popular jewelry armoire, which lends itself to mahogany.
This custom entertainment center was commissioned to accompany the Thonet custom bed and has a number of unique features. It is made from solid Honduran mahogany, one inch thick with a hand rubbed finish. The doors are through carved from solid pieces of mahogany, with the grain on the back of the door running horizontally and the grain on the front running vertically. This keeps the doors from warping despite their great size and weight. They are actually pocket doors that slide back into the cabinet to reveal the electronic components inside. The carving down the center of the two doors hides the seam where the doors come together. The component racks are also custom built and feature full extension glides for access. There are two large drawers in the bottom for DVD and equipment storage.
This beautiful armoire was made for Rowan, who was just a year old at the time. It is an example of my heirloom childrens' furniture that has no problem making the transition into adulthood, and can even be passed on to succeeding generations. This piece is made from birch and northern hard maple. Its obvious Asian influence doesn't detract from the practicality and functionality of the piece which makes it ideal for a child or an adult. At the top of the 8" deep, full extension drawers, is a small cabinet with a removable shelf. The closet on the left side of the armoire has 2 hanging bars to accommodate the smaller space needed for childrens clothes. As Rowan gets older, the lower bar can be easily removed. All of the edges of the closet and drawer unit are protected by the softly rounded and contoured legs that support them. One of the interesting design features of this armoire is that the functional center of the unit is suspended from the top of the armoire and appears to float between the 4 graceful legs of the armoire.
Ava's armoire is a piece of luxury baby furniture. It is made from solid and veneered birch. The top and bottom are evocative of Chinese motifs, but the main part of the armoire is all business. I like to put dresser and armoire drawers on full extension glides where possible. I find that most people appreciate the convenience of having access to the entire drawer. Additionally, they are safe for children, because the drawers cannot be pulled out until the glides are individually unlocked. Quality children's bedroom furniture is an investment that can last generations.
This beautiful cherry armoire with walnut accents was made for one year old Sophia, as part of a series of heirloom children's furniture I have created. Solid wood baby furniture has some wonderful advantages. Not only will Sophia have use of it throughout her life, but she can pass it down to her children as well. The armoire has a number of unique design features that make it child, as well as adult, friendly. The built-in xenon lights in the curved, cantilevered top have a 3 way dimmer that is controlled by a nearly invisible touch switch on the side of the unit. It didn't take Sophie long to discover that she could work it as well. All of the edges of the armoire are rounded to mitigate collisions. The door slides from side to side making it easy to open without bumping into walls or toys left on the floor. It also features a quarter inch thick tempered glass panel (40 times stronger than single strength window glass) with a sandblasted rose pattern. The shelves on the right side are as deep as the armoire and are mounted on full extension drawer glides. Each shelf has high sides and a removable divider. This allows the front half of the shelf to be used for books and the back half to be used for general storage. The hanging section of the armoire has two adjustable clothes bars. As long as Sophia is small, both bars can be used to hang her dresses, pants and coats. As she gets older, the bars can be adjusted so she can reach them, and eventually one bar can be removed altogether to allow for longer garments.
