Brian Mullahy Fine Woodworking And Design

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Brian built a custom dining table with six chairs in solid walnut. I have to say his work is absolutely magnificent. The furniture is a spectacular addition to my apartment and it will surely last me for the rest of my life.
We chose together a complete flitch of walnut at the lumberyard which he used to make the tabletop. It is a beautiful crotch piece with a rippling grain and incredible coloring - from rich chestnut brown to dark chocolate to light tan to purple, interspersed with black and gray freckles. His workmanship made the most of the flitch and brought out the true beauty of the wood - all the way from how he cut the top out of the slab to maximize the patterning on top and sides, to the fine but not too glossy finish he used to bring out the colors without excessive reflection.
The chairs themselves are masterpieces. He was able to bookmatch the grain from planks on the seatback, so they each have a unique vertically symmetrical design, similar to an open book with pages that are mirror images of each other. Each chair has unique coloring, grains and lines which are a marvel to look at. There are new nuances to discover in each chair all the time. He was able to make his own veneer for the seatbacks to enable the design I wanted but at the same time allow for natural expansion and contraction of the wood with the seasons. Even the back seatposts were grain matched from the same planks so that when you look at the chair from the rear, not only is the seatback panel a symmetrical match, but the seatposts themselves are also.
You can see photos on his Angies List entry and on his website.
Brian and I agreed on a rigorous timetable to get the work done. He was able to do it exactly on time (in fact he finished early) and he delivered the furniture promptly on time. I couldn't have wanted better.
One of the best things about this was that the cost of the work wasn't much more than what I would have paid for a New England custom furniture maker or other specialty furniture maker. Pompanoosuc Mills would have charged nearly as much, but their piece wouldn't have been anywhere near as nice - they would not have used a single slab for the top, and they would not have done the grain matching of planks or bookmatching of the seatbacks - no way in a factory-like outfit. Urban Hardwoods has some attractive single-slab dining tables, but they have natural edges (which I am not a big fan of) and their tables often don't have matching bases (most often unflattering black metal legs). Their pricing is more than Brian's, especially if you include shipping from the W Coast. And they don't even make chairs, let alone matching ones. If you are in any doubt at all, spend the extra $2,000 on a custom set from Brian. You will thank yourself for the rest of your life (and you won't remember that extra $2,000)
I can recommend Brian without reservation for your next custom furniture project.

The work was good when it was first completed. Suddenly it started separating from itself. Tried contacting the company and you haven't had any luck. Everytime I try dialing their number it comes back as disconnected. If I can't get in contact with them I am going to have to call someone else to either redo it or repair it and that's unneeded expense.

my call were returned and questions answered promptly. work was done in a acceptable time frame. his knowledge of his work was absolutely profound! when one finds a true professional and dedicated business owner, it is really refreshing. there is no way I can sing the praises of this business owner to do him justice.

Brian worked with my husband to get a clear sense of what we were looking for, designed the structure and gave us drawings for approval. He then created the individual parts in his workshop and completed the final assembly on site. He is a great designer, a master craftsman, delightful to work with, meticulous and professional. A rare find in this age of mass production.

Brian Mullahy repaired and refinished an antique dining room table's legs and pedestals. One pedestal had cracked. He expertly repaired and refinished the damaged piece and found that the other had also begun to split. He repaired the second pedestal also. Both pieces came back to us looking much better than they had been for many years and much more sturdy. Brian is an excellent craftsman who seems to care deeply about his work. He was very porfessional. The repairs were performed quickly and to our complete satisfaction. I would not hesitate to recommend him.

We had done a "do it yourself" when we moved in 4 years ago resulting in an Ikea bench on one side and a self cut formica sink cut countertop that was disintegrating. Brian came in for one visit to take measurements and submit an estimate. He then worked online and emailed the plans. On completion he brought in the pieces and installed them on site. They look great. Completion took a little longer than contemplated, but the result was well worth it. He's a real cabinet maker who "measures twice and cuts once."