Local furniture maker Max Isles partners with his wife ’ s interior design business , Isles Interiors .
around a dining table , but they aren ’ t mass-produced or the right size for the table . This is where Isles come in to either design a new furniture piece or re-create an item that fits the area , as well as the personal taste of the client .
“ Usually , by the time I get involved in this , the designer or customer has already decided they want a custom piece and have a general idea of what they want it to look like and where they want it to fit ,” Isles says .
Notably , in the last couple of years , demand for custom furniture has spiked due to supply chain issues that have reduced stock and increased wait times at traditional furniture stores .
“ During and since the start of COVID , the lead time to get furniture supplied has become long and created shortages , which has also propelled the custom business ,” Isles says .
However , Isles says he believes that most furniture makers are “ not doing it to get rich .”
“ It ’ s a passion . It ’ s a challenge ,” he says . “ You are always learning and improving . There ’ s great sense of achievement and , when a client cries because they love what you have quite literally put blood , sweat and , very nearly , tears into , there is no price you can put on that .”
He recalls a client who did cry when he delivered a walnut dining table that was reminiscent of a piece by George Nakashima . At first , Isles thought the client didn ’ t like the table , but soon realized these were tears of joy . After much time discussing plans for the details of this table — the design , dimensions , thickness of the legs , table top and finishes — it was exactly as she had envisioned , and this was just what she needed during the chaos of an extensive home remodel .
“ The table was delivered and what had been an empty space was now , in her opinion , the perfect
A live-edge walnut and oak coffee table ( above ) and walnut canopy bed and nightstands ( below ), both by Max Isles
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : JESSICA BODAS ; LANE DITTO ; CHAD MELLON
54 NEWPORTBEACHMAGAZINE . COM