New Grand Rapids Parade Of Homes kitchen photos.
Featured in Cosmopolitan Home Grand Rapids Magazine
January - February
2006 designer profile
Ingrained Talent
Written By Bridie Kent
If
it can be made of wood, Art Liebelt can create it: extravagant doorways,
simple sewing tables, modern shelving units-not to mention decks and
bedroom furniture. It may seem like a broad spectrum of creations, but
as Liebelt's young business--A.H. Liebelt III Enterprises--takes off,
he doesn't want to narrow his focus. "I don't want to limit myself," says
the wood- worker, whose knack and knowledge, combined with good old-fashioned
hard work, have led him to where he is today: following his passion
and creating one-of-a-kind pieces for clients in his Allegan, Michigan
workshop.
"Nothing
is stock or standard," Liebelt says of his creations. Neither is
the way this largely self-taught crafter got his start in the business.
After
graduating from high school, Liebelt began framing houses in exclusive
neighborhoods near his New Jersey home-town. "I knew from that
point that I wanted to be a carpenter," he recalls. "It just
came naturally to me." Soon, Liebelt began woodworking on his own,
remodeling kitchens and working on independent projects. After one semester
of college at the University of Wisconsin, he knew that the academic
life was not for him. He dove into his woodworking career, securing jobs
with high-profile designers in New York City, Washington, D.C., Long
Island and Miami. One of his more illustrious projects included the creation
of a bed set and rosewood television cabinet for actor Dustin Hoffman.
As
in his early days, Liebelt now works on a wide variety of commissions. "I
really don't have any 'typical' projects," says Liebelt, whose current
repertoire includes beds, desks, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, entertainment
centers, intricate entryways and ceilings. He has even crafted the interior
of another woodworker's shop. According to Liebelt, the most atypical
piece he's crafted is a 9-foot-Iong Italian lacquer dresser ...strictly
for lingerie.
While Liebelt says that working with wood--whether framing
homes or collaborating with designers--has always brought fulfillment,
it is operating under the A.H. Liebelt III Enterprises label that gives
him the most satisfaction. As his own boss, Liebelt gets to work closely
with his customers to bring their ideas to life. He begins with an initial
meeting to get a feel for what the customer envisions. "It's a really
personal experience," Liebelt
says. "I try to put their personality into the piece."
A visit
to the home or office where the piece will go is a must for Liebelt,
who says most clients already know what they want when they meet with
him. On the rare occasion that clients have little direction for their
project, Liebelt has them thumb through magazines to pick out photos
they like. The pictures aren't necessarily of furniture--they can be
of a unique building or any type of architecture, as long as they speak
to the clients. More often than not, says the woodworker, those initially
undecided customers are the most awestruck by the final product.
After
brainstorming with his clients, Liebelt takes the ideas to his drawing
board. He drafts the designs for his projects by hand, opting not to
use the computer technology available to designers and architects within
his trade. Not only is it more enjoyable that way, Liebelt says, but
he also has more control over the design.
When the initial sketches are
complete, Liebelt brings them to his client to get their feedback. "When
I present my drawings, I always tell customers, 'Don't be afraid to
hurt my feelings. Now is the time to make changes."' Once clients
choose a plan, Liebelt sets to work in his shop, where he uses antique
tools like a late 19th century planer and a retrofitted jointer to get
the wood chips flying.
Once the piece resembles what Liebelt thinks his
clients had envisioned, he invites them into his wood shop to look it
over and make any necessary changes before
installation. Choosing not only the design
but also the species of wood and the many
staining and finishing options are integral
parts of the process, and at every level,
Liebelt gives his clients the opportunity to
lend their vision to the creation of these
extraordinary home accessories and accents. "Most of my customers
are people who can't find what they want in stores." Often, those
who commission one piece will come back
for more: repeat customers make up the
bulk of Liebelt's client base. One such
customer is Mark Cramer, who commissioned
Liebelt to create pieces for both his home
and office.
"The thing about Art is that he's very
conscientious," says Cramer. "His knowledge
and ability to take what's in your head and
put it on paper is really quite incredible."
Once a commission is complete, Liebelt
installs the piece himself. Being in control
from beginning to end-designing, building
and installing each of his creations-is part
of the beauty of design, Liebelt says. "That
makes it easy to overcome any obstacles
along the way."
Although Liebelt is a skilled and versatile
craftsman, he readily acknowledges what he
is not. "I'm not an interior decorator and I'm
not an interior designer," he says. "Some
people think I'll choose colors for their
walls. That's not my gig." It's not that Liebelt
isn't creative; he simply knows his canvas is
made of wood, and his focus is creating
distinctive pieces with one-of-a-kind flavor. "I
like my projects to look like they were, at one
time, a tree. They're very artistic."
Although Liebelt admits that
being in business for himself hasn't been easy over
the years, he has persevered because, with
his passion and talent for woodwork, he
always felt he had something unique to
offer. And although he may not be busy
creating commissioned pieces all day, every
day, the jobs he does, he does well.
His customers agree. "He's not
happy unless you're happy," Cramer says. "He's not
just a cabinet maker, but a designer, which is
very uncommon."
Welcome,
and thank you for visiting AHLiebelt.com, the homepage for AH Liebelt
III Enterprises. Owner and president Art Liebelt designs and builds
everything from wood shelving units and entertainment centers, to entire
kitchen cabinets and custom patios / decks.