A Vancouver artisan carves his niche

Kitchen design by Christian Woo. Mr. Woo has moved from furniture design to doing whole rooms. The projects lately have included interior work for two newly built west side Vancouver homes, one of which went for a record-setting price. The average Christian Woo kitchen costs in the neighbourhood of $50,000. For a condo kitchen, he estimates it to be around $35,000. And he’s busier than he’s ever been, fully booked to the end of the year.TREVOR BRADY

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'The kitchens I build do resemble the furniture I build. They are built to the same sort of specifics – they are not just production melamine boxes, but actually handcrafted kitchens meant to be used and meant to last,' says Mr. Woo.TREVOR BRADY

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Mr. Woo, who was born in Spain and raised in North Vancouver, spent his 20s working in the film industry as a set carpenter.TREVOR BRADY

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Mr. Woo's work, says friend and Governor-General Award-winning woodworker/artist Brent Comber, is a throwback to the old days of woodcraft. 'It’s kind of like when craftsmen used to do the flooring and wainscoting and a lot of the mill work, and if asked to do the furniture, they would,” he says.Trevor Brady

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ASDT Table by Christian Woo.TREVOR BRADY

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Mr. Woo has made his mark by being obsessed with details. 'I’ve made it difficult for myself and it costs me time, but I think I produce a better end product,' he says.TREVOR BRADY

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