Talking to an old framer changed how I see shop cabinets

Over beers last week, this 60 year old guy who does site-built stuff said my shop cabs were too perfect, that visible screw holes and honest joints have more life in them. It hit me because I spent the last 3 years hiding every fastener with plugs and fillers, and now I'm wondering if I've been sanding the character out of everything. Anyone else ditch the flawless finish for something rougher and get better feedback from clients?

1 comments

1 Comment

john64814d ago

Funny how that works. Same thing happens with old houses. People spend thousands making everything perfect and level, then a guest walks in and says it feels like a hotel. But a house with a crooked door frame and some worn floorboards, people call it charming. There's a difference between clean work and lifeless work. Maybe the trick is knowing when to let a screw show and when to hide it, like seasoning food instead of drowning it in sauce.