The commission
Quartersawn white oak was the only realistic choice for floor-to-ceiling panels of this size — its low, closely matched tangential and radial shrinkage keeps large panels flat and stable across a room that sees real seasonal humidity swings, where flatsawn stock of the same width would be far more likely to cup. Every panel floats in its frame groove, unglued, and every shelf is let into its case with a hidden dovetail rather than visible pins or brackets.
The ray-fleck figure quartersawn oak is known for was a deliberate match to the room’s original 1920s trim profile, which the clients wanted to reference without directly copying.