For years, my dad ran a construction consulting business. He built a small building in the backyard that houses a small woodshop on one side and his office for his drafting and consulting business on the other. He is not a man of luxury, and rarely buys things for himself, even if it would make life more comfortable. However, he did splurge on a water cooler so he could have fresh water to drink in his office. This particular water cooler had an instant hot water feature, which is why I think he bought it. He would now have hot water for his afternoon tea without having to walk up to the main house.
My parents live on a third of an acre and are getting to an age where they can’t take care of the yard the way they would like, so they decided to hire a yard service to keep it looking nice. Each week, when the yard service finished, the owner would pop into my dad’s office to say hi and to be sure my dad was satisfied with the work they did. I think this is important, as it seems harder to find people who take pride in their work and produce quality craftsmanship. My dad tells him to help himself to some water to stay hydrated. Each week, the owner of the landscape company marvels at the flavor of the water and jokes that he needs to get his water from the same place my dad buys the 5-gallon refill jugs that feed the cooler.
Now, my dad, not being a man of luxury, when the jugs are empty, goes outside and refills them with water from the garden hose. This may be why the landscaper likes the taste so much; it may be familiar to him, as I am sure he has spent many hot summers staying hydrated via a garden hose. I’m not sure my dad ever told him where he gets his water for his cooler from.
While my dad may not be a man of luxury, I do enjoy building furniture for people who are accustomed to that lifestyle. If you are looking for luxury furniture, check out my Boulder furniture arts collection. It usually takes me a few weeks to build a custom piece, so be sure to stay hydrated while you wait and consider giving your hose water a taste.
I’m the owner of Benham Design Concepts, a Colorado-based Custom Furniture design and fabrication studio. I design and build custom furniture that resembles works of art, using materials such as wood, glass, stone, and metals. The furniture I produce serves not only as practical items but also as works of art, infusing character and style into any space.
