Quality furniture starts with proper wood selection and preparation. The Becki Owens x SURYA collection uses kiln-dried hardwoods that have been heated to specific temperatures to reduce moisture content to 6 to 8 percent. This process takes several weeks but prevents the warping and cracking that happens when wood dries too quickly or retains too much moisture. Oak, walnut, beech, and ash species appear throughout the collection, chosen for their distinct grain patterns and structural properties.
Oak contains dense cellular structure with pronounced rays that create the characteristic flecked appearance when quarter-sawn. This density makes oak resistant to denting from dropped items or furniture impacts. Walnut offers moderate hardness with rich chocolate to purple-brown coloring that darkens over time when exposed to light. Beech provides a fine, even grain that accepts stain uniformly, making it ideal for pieces that need consistent color. Ash features growth ring patterns similar to oak but with lighter natural color and slightly more flexibility, which helps chairs and benches absorb stress without breaking.
Joinery Methods That Last
The connection points in furniture determine how long it lasts under daily use. This collection employs several traditional joinery techniques executed with modern precision machinery. Mortise and tenon joints connect legs to aprons in tables and chairs, where a projecting tongue on one piece fits into a corresponding slot in another. Glue applied to both surfaces creates a bond stronger than the surrounding wood. Once dry, you would break the wood before pulling the joint apart.
Dovetail joints appear in drawer construction, with trapezoidal pins on one board interlocking with matching tails on another. The angled sides mean the joint can only come apart in one direction, and pressure from pulling the drawer tight actually strengthens the connection. English dovetails use through construction where the joint shows on the drawer front, demonstrating the quality of workmanship. Drawer bottoms sit in grooves routed into the sides and float without glue, allowing the wood to expand and contract with humidity changes without cracking.
Floating tenon joinery connects case pieces like cabinets and bookcases, where separate wooden biscuits or dominoes fit into slots cut in both pieces being joined. This method provides the strength of traditional mortise and tenon but allows faster production. The Marin Bookcase uses this technique to attach shelves to side panels, creating connections that support heavy books without sagging. Corner blocks add reinforcement at stress points, triangular pieces of wood glued and screwed into right angles to prevent racking.
Finishing Techniques
Wood finishes serve both protective and aesthetic purposes. Most pieces in this collection receive catalyzed varnish, a two-part finish that chemically cures rather than simply drying through solvent evaporation. The chemical reaction creates cross-linked polymers that form a harder, more durable surface than standard polyurethane. This finish resists scratches from keys and phones, water rings from glasses, and heat marks from coffee cups within reasonable limits. It maintains clarity over time rather than yellowing like oil-based finishes can.
Stained pieces go through a multi-step process starting with sanding to progressively finer grits, typically 120, 180, and 220. Stain penetrates into the wood fibers, with oil-based versions providing deeper color and water-based versions offering faster drying with less odor. The stain sits for specific times based on desired darkness, then excess gets wiped away before it can dry sticky. Multiple thin coats of finish follow, with light sanding between coats to remove dust nibs and create mechanical adhesion for the next layer. Final coats receive hand rubbing with fine abrasive compounds that level the surface to a satin sheen.
Upholstery and Fabric Selection
The fabrics on seating pieces balance appearance with practical durability. Performance linens treat natural fibers with soil-resistant finishes that cause liquids to bead on the surface rather than soaking in immediately. This gives you time to blot spills before they stain. The off-white linen on the Pismo Glider uses this treatment, making it suitable for family rooms despite its light color. Velvet upholstery combines synthetic fibers that provide the plush texture of silk velvet while resisting crushing and matting from daily use.
Leather options include aniline-dyed varieties that allow natural grain and markings to show through. This type of leather ages distinctively, developing patina where hands touch and lightening where sunlight reaches. The Richie Bench pairs leather upholstery with brass and wood legs, using top-grain leather from the hide's outer layer. This leather maintains the natural surface texture while removing imperfections through buffing. It requires conditioning every six months but rewards proper care with decades of service.