My name is Adam Godet.  I live in Washington, DC and I design and build custom hardwood furniture. I also build lots of small functional items, such as cutting boards, coasters, other sundries.

I’ve been interested in woodworking since I was a kid watching The New Yankee Workshop with my dad. We lived in rural upstate New York where doing things yourself is part of life. I learned to use tools by watching and helping my father and other handy family members.

It was after college, when I was book-rich and cash-poor that I began to grow this passion. Imbued with the DIY attitude of my rural upbringing, I set out to build my own bookshelves. I bought a few boards, a sanding block, a handsaw, and a square. I borrowed my father’s screw gun and hammer, and spent my evenings after work building two matching bookcases.

These bookcases probably would have received failing grades from any shop teacher.  They are not square; they have crude joints; and one of the shelves is too short.  I’ve come a long way since then, but I still use these shelves. There was a particular type of joy and pride I felt from taking raw materials and turning them into usable pieces of furniture. It was also a grounding activity at a time of change. I have no idea why, at 22 (and broke) I thought it wise to spend the money buying tools and materials when I could have bought bookshelves at Walmart for half the price…but I don’t think I would have found this passion in the Home Furnishings department.

Since then, the time spent learning to build furniture and make home repairs has grown more into a sense of freedom. Being able to design and build something that does exactly what you need it to do is empowering; even more so when you can coax beautiful hardwoods into pieces that will last a lifetime.

My friend Shawn created a video that tells a bit more about me and shows me at work.