urban harvest Archives - Abrams Design Build

what is it about curves, that add a sense of delight to space? photos by Ken Wyner

	a kitchen renovation near downtown Silver Spring. the arch and woodwork is made from urban harvest cherry, by treincarnation
	addition and kitchen renovation near downtown Silver Spring. the archway was created to link the old kitchen area with the new space.
	bath of a master suite addition to a vintage house in Takoma Park, MD
	gateway to a garden in Takoma Park, MD
	the arch unifies the elongated living room of this new home in Silver Spring. it provides a sense of shelter for those who gather in the center of the room, and invites views of Sligo Creek beyond
	the graceful lines of the furnishings inspired the intersecting barrel vaults of this addition in Olney, Md. [contractor: Heritage Building and Renovation, Inc
	bathroom renovation near downtown Silver Spring. [contractor: Nautilus Builders]
	the curved wall resolved the tricky floor plan in a new basement bathroom in a home near downtown Silver Spring, Md. light penetrating the glass block illuminates the hall and stairway. [contractor: Heritage Building and Renovation, Inc]
	laundry and dressing room of an addition / whole house renovation of a home in the Takoma Park, Md historic district. the arch was salvaged from the original kitchen

a coffee table, made of ambrosia maple

There have been countless decisions involved in this latest project: renovating another apartment here at Parkside Plaza, and leaving the home that Janet and I have shared for the past seven years. But no decisions have been so gut wrenching as what to do with some of the built-in features by our friend Marcus Sims, visionary founder of Treincarnation.

No corner of the new space could harbor the floating desk, made of urban harvest walnut, and there is no transition where the mulberry arch could meaningfully fit, or a narrow cherry bookcase specially made for a void behind the surface of the kitchen wall.

By the same token, removing these remarkable features piecemeal from this space diminishes what had evolved as an organic whole. In many ways, I wanted to leave everything, including the wine tree and the chandelier–pieces that were collaborations with metal artist Patrick Sells.

Further, it raises the question of whether some new occupant will appreciate the artistry, or will rip the stuff out and sell it or discard it. Outside of their context, these pieces lose a great deal of their meaning.

The bigger issue behind all this is our attachment to our possessions. In most respects, I am content to have had a hand in creating these pieces. On the other hand, these works are imbued with their own spirit, the spirit of their maker; more than just tokens of friendship and fellowship–they are like his living, breathing manifestations.

See more of Marcus’s work at http://www.treincarnation.com/, and more of his story at http://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/abandoned-tree-trunks-branches-turned-into-countertops-mantels/2013/08/07/b97b3e5a-f3c3-11e2-a2f1-a7acf9bd5d3a_story.html