“John likes to tell everyone about his chairs – and they are excellent – but I must tell you John makes beautiful tables and cabinets too. We have a beautiful cherry dining table, four of John’s chairs in cherry and a cherry wood buffet, all from the craftsmanship of John Thoe.

“John showed great attention to detail in the production of our furniture, even down to special ordering the cherry log from which the furniture was crafted. If you are looking for something special, then John can make it for you. He certainly has our recommendation.”

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“John Thoe is a wonderful furniture maker. That’s probably because he’s also a wonderful human being. They go hand in hand. I write about architecture and design and have been in numerous homes featuring his pieces. And every time, the owners fondly point out their original “Thoes.” And although he is a master crafter and carver, it is his chairs that are particularly magical. There is nothing quite like them. The only down side is that they are so comfortable, fit your back and backside so nicely, you don’t want to get up.”

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“Technical Training and Certification Program Manager at Google
John Thoe is a master craftsman whose furniture creations speak for themselves. The grace of his fan arm chairs for example are a beauty to behold. He listens, educates you both on wood and design, and delivers artistic living works of functional art. I highly recommend both him and his work.”

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“John Thoe is a craftsman of the old school, turning carefully selected timbers into both functional and aesthetically pleasing pieces of furniture that will enhance any space. We feel fortunate to have visited the Northwest Woodworkers Gallery during our visit to Seattle some years ago where we were able to view his work and those of other craftsmen from the area. John’s ‘Laurel’ dining suite is in use daily in our home offering comfort to the body and delight to senses.”

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“We first saw John’s work at the Northwest Woodworkers store and couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful stone topped table he had made. I was put in touch with John directly to discuss having him create two similar tables for our home to our specifications. The results could not have made us happier. John was a joy to work with and he delivered the tables to our home personally. They are exactly what we envisioned; functional works of art.”

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“There’s something magical about the phrase: hand-made, especially for you. It denotes so much more than luxury; it says that an artist has had you in mind throughout the entire process –the design, the materials, the craft, the finishes, the delivery. You are no longer a mass-market consumer, but, in the best sense, a patron of the art.

“John Thoe made a beautiful dining room table especially for us, with graceful curves, sturdy legs and a shimmering patina. We sit at it every day and marvel a little at our good fortune. We’re thankful for John’s artistry, skill, patience and dedication, because we know that, like all things of great beauty, it will be a joy forever.”

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“We have purchased furniture from John Thoe several different times now and have absolutely loved the results. John is very easy to work with, completely passionate about his work, and flawless in his craftsmanship and execution.

“Below is from Ann and Alan in Seattle
We first discovered John when we visited the Woodworkers Gallery where his work was on display. We were enchanted with his coffee table design and its optional, whimsical carved wooden wallet. We loved the fact that John agreed to a glass top instead of wood and worked with us to build the exact size and specifications we wanted. The wooden wallet is amazing because it looks real and people think someone has actually left their wallet on the table! The table was delivered to us and we were completely satisfied and thrilled to add it to our living room. The craftsmanship is world class, the finish exquisite, and John was very careful to ensure our complete satisfaction.

“Our next purchase was a dining table and chair set. The table design was superb with a magical hidden table leaf that folds out from inside the table effortlessly. This feature is truly amazing and you have to see it to fully appreciate the clever and convenient nature of this detail. Once again John worked with us to choose the wood and detailed design features. The details and the overall craftsmanship of the table were world class. This table will surely last for many generations to come.

“We can’t say enough about the dining chairs. The design is extremely robust and yet elegant and the execution of the design through John’s gifted hands are second to none. You really have to see the furniture to believe how incredible it really is. It has a wonderful flow and grace that is the perfect complement to the table design. We chose the zebra wood backs for our walnut chairs and love the artistic flair it offers to the overall effect. John then made us four bar stools for our kitchen to match the dining chair design. He custom carved the seats and customized the height of the foot rests to our specifications. The result was a stunning continuity between our dining room and kitchen. Finally, John made us a beautiful and elegant side table with marble top that is the perfect finishing touch to our dining room.

“John’s service after delivery was superb. We unfortunately put a rather large ding in the coffee table and he promptly picked it up, repaired the damage to make it imperceptible to anyone who did not know where the original damage was done, and delivered it back to us very quickly. His customer service is second to none. We give the highest possible recommendation of John for any custom furniture work you may have.”

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“After seeing some of John’s work in a local gallery, we were so impressed that we ordered a maple Laurel dining table. When it arrived, it far surpassed our expectations. It fit our dining room exactly. The craftsmanship was impeccable, the hidden leaf worked flawlessly, and the chairs are incredibly comfortable. We liked his work so much that we ordered a coffee table and end tables, which also met our exacting standards. We heartily recommend John’s work.”

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“I wanted to write to you and tell you how happy we are with the beautiful new mantel you made for us. I am delighted with the implementation of the design and the quality of your work. I think that you have given us a “treasure” that we will greatly enjoy in the years to come.

“I will enthusiastically recommend you and your work to all who might be interested.”

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“We know John Thoe primarily as a gifted wood carver. Some years ago when we were building our house, we had the good fortune to find John. He designed and carved for us four beautiful mahogany panels featuring abstract figures as surrounds on either side of two fireplaces. A third set (also in mahogany and also for a fireplace) features a bamboo motif, complete with a small frog in one corner. In addition, he carved four small squares to act as banister turnarounds on our staircases echoing the design motifs in the fireplace panels. All of these carvings are of superb quality and have garnered many compliments from visitors to our home.”

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“My dining table and buffet have aged beautifully.  Such lovely wood! Thank you for taking the time to design a size and shape that exactly fit our room. The chairs are so comfortable that our guests can sit and play cards for hours. Not sure if that’s a good thing! Anyway, we love that the furniture is both functional and gorgeous and we recommend your work/art to anyone who wants a special piece of furniture that will give pleasure for years to come.”

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“Working with John Thoe was amazing and more than we can put into words. John built us an heirloom that will be part of our household our entire lives and hopefully passed on to our family. The craftsmanship is unbelievable and though ten years old, has aged like a fine wine. John Thoe is an artist and his medium is fine woodworking.”

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“We wanted a table for the new dining room we were going to build. I wanted a round table to gather my family around and my husband wanted a rectangular table so he could sit at the head of it. We met John Thoe. He listened and combined our two dreams and built us an original heirloom- the Christina Table. It continues to bring us and keep us all together, and will for many years to come.”

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“John Thoe is such a fine craftsman and when we first saw some of his furniture in the Pioneer Square showroom several years ago we knew that we wanted him to create furniture for us after we moved into our new condominium apartment.

When John began creating furniture for us in 2000 he sized it to fit our space perfectly. He made a dining room buffet, table and six dining chairs, all in beautifully finished cherry wood. Not only is the finish attractive it is also durable. The chairs are the best part. We use this dining set daily and when we entertain guests we usually end up sitting around the table after dinner for long periods of time because the chairs are exceptionally comfortable to sit in.

“John also created an entry hall table and entry hall bench seat of maple. Both of these pieces are not only works of art but meet our needs for function in our entry area. The bench has a storage area for shoes under the seat and is the ideal place to keep our outdoor shoes and provides the place to sit while putting on our shoes.

“We believe that the furniture which John has made for us is among the best purchases we have ever made! It is not unusual for guests to comment about the beautiful wood work in these pieces.”

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“We loved the idea of the “butterfly” table extension we saw on one of John’s samples, and ordered the table on the spot. And John cheerfully refined the dimensions a bit to fit our needs. Our beautiful oval table now has seen many family dinners, buffets for groups, been covered with papers at tax time and occasionally held assorted treats, leashes and bowls for visiting pet dogs. It still looks beautiful and the extension works smoothly.  John made the companion buffet several years later but it complements the table nicely without looking like a “suite.” The combo of shelves and drawers is just right.”

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“I am delighted to report that your chairs, and the two seater, have been a wonderful addition to our home and collection. They are handsome, comfortable, and conversation pieces since visitors often recognize the fresh and original design and craftsmanship and inquire about the origins of the work. Your place in our contemporary studio furniture collection is still strong.”

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“We liked John’s Linnea chairs, and we asked him to design them to work with our Paul Schurch blackberry table. John chose two woods from the table and constructed the chairs from them, and used upholstery that picked up the blackberries in the marquetry. The result is exactly what we wanted.

“We have had many lengthy gatherings at this table and people feel quite at home and comfortable well into the night – no need to move to the living room. Also, I am about 260 lbs and have sat on the same chair several times a day for nine years, no squeaks or wiggles at all (from the chair at least).”

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“John, thanks for your note — I just took a look at the website and your work looks just as beautiful as ever….though perhaps my “Laurel” table with carved dogwood blossoms over the legs is lovelier than the ones on your site. I am just as happy with the 10 “Fan” chairs as I was 10 years ago when they were new. Since it took so long to find a table and chairs that I liked, the habit of looking became ingrained. And I still have not found a design that is as elegant and comfortable as yours. Thanks again.”