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W5 Cabinets: cabinets aren't boring.
Work5hop's office is a custom-built studio that combines an office and workshop.  We'll have a series of articles talking about various parts of the building as it continues to evolve; this first one is about the custom cabinets in the office.  The studio is our chance to play around with ideas and build prototypes of projects that will make it to production later, so read on to find out about what we explored with the cabinetry.  Yes, cabinetry.  It's a lot more interesting with a little thoughfulness.
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The Table Matters and related considerations
Here's what's most important in designing a kitchen table: enhancing experiences. "What?" you say? Not how it looks, or what it's made of? Nope, not those, even though that's what you probably think about the most. And how does a table enhance an experience, anyway? Read on to find out.
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Historic Homes: Basic Do's and Don'ts
Buying a historic home can be a leap of faith; many people are unfamiliar with the particular challenges of an older building.  Do you know what you need to know before jumping in?  Here are a few things you should know as well as some things you should and shouldn't do.  Give it a read before you buy and renovate a historic home.
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How Big Should My House Be?
A lot of people these days are reconsidering where they live in the city and what the tradeoffs are for choosing center-city living in terms of affordable space.  If you're thinking along those lines, read on for our thoughts about what's important in a smaller home.
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NOLA Tables
We've recently completed a suite of tables for NOLA Brunch & Beignets, a new San Antonio restaurant run by Pieter and Susan Kaars-Sypestyn of Cookhouse fame.  These tables were designed especially for the restaurant.  The food and atmosphere at the Cookhouse and NOLA draw from deep sources of inspiration: the blend of cultures in New Orleans, the specific and complex climate and local resources, and the distinct foodways of the region.  The architecture, interiors, and furnishings of the new restaurant draw from the same inspiration.  We have blended the historic with the new, and reworked what some would see as discards into centerpieces.
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The Process, Part 1: So You've Decided to Hire a Designer
Maybe you've read our articles on right-sizing your house, renovating a historic property, or table design and thought to yourself "these guys sound like they know what they're talking about.  I want them to work on my [fill in the blank]."  Well, great.  We're in.  Please contact us.  But if you have questions about the design and construction process, then this series of articles is for you.  We're going to walk through the process of hiring a designer, designing your project, hiring and working with a contractor, and completion.
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The Process, Part 2: What's This Design Thing All About?
This second part in our series about the design and construction process on small projects is all about design itself.  Design is the fun part, both for you and for us.  This is the second-best stage of a project: the skies are clear and blue and we're talking about what can be.  Everything is exciting at the beginning, and it's our goal for the tough parts of the project to be just as rewarding and exciting as the first conversation.  The best part, of course, is when you get to use your new space for the first time, but there's work to do first.  Read on.
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The Process, Part 4: Frequently Asked Questions
We'll wrap up our four-part series on the process of getting projects done with answers to some questions that we get frequently. Don't forget to go back and read our previous articles in this series, and if you have a question we didn't cover, send it in.
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The Process, Part 3: Things You Should Know About Construction
We hope you've been reading along with our series about the process of getting a project done.  If not, you may want to go back and read Part 1 (hiring a designer) and Part 2 (the design process).  Now, we're on to Part 3: construction.   Things get tougher during construction.  While hiring a designer and working through the design process might have been alternately a bit confusing (hiring) and fun (design), construction ups the ante into "playing for keeps" territory.  Keep reading for more.
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Project Brief: Olympia Grill League City
Our involvement with the Kriticos family, owners of Olympia Grill, began when Jay Louden (then with Ford, Powell & Carson) worked on the their second location, at Galveston's Pier 21.  Ten years later, they decided to cross the causeway to the mainland, opening a new location in League City.  The family chose Work5hop to help bring their ideas to reality.