Thinking of a design for your custom Dorris Display...
A
display cabinet should compliment your knife collection in addition to providing
storage. A well thought out display will not take away from your collection, but enhance the way it looks. A custom
display that has been designed for your particular collection has many advantages. The first that comes to mind is that
it can be designed to hold your entire collection. Even large collections can fit into several matching cabinets, so that
when hung on the wall, become a collage that are fitted together for a unique look. The second advantage is the cabinet can
be sized to your collection as opposed to settling on one that is a predetermined size. If planned correctly, the largest
knife will fit as nicely as the smallest one. Another advantage to the custom cabinet is that it can be built from a particular
wood type that matches the decor in the room where you plan to place it. Some production line displays are pre-built in one
type of wood with stains to vary the color. The description states "cherry finish", or "walnut finish",
etc. The wood is exactly the same on each one with the stain being different colors. Building a custom cabinet from solid
wood of your choice is a great advantage. However, the most exciting advantage to having your display custom built is
the fact that there is no other one like it in the world. It was designed, drafted, built entirely by hand for your unique
collection and tatse.
Your display case or cabinet should reflect some of your personality just as
your collection does. Start with the shape or design. Choosing a custom display builder that will work with you through
the design portion of the project will ensure you get each knife displayed properly, and in a way that compliments each knife
inside the cabinet. A prebuilt or production case is very limited in what it has to offer. There is no unique style to set
it apart from the thousands like it that came off the same assembly line. Your personality should carry through to your collection
and the display with a design that is an extension of you, if you will, with your favorite wood, shape, color background,
knife rest material, custom engraving, etc.
The design should be one of beauty
yet something that is very functional, with easy opening doors allowing you access to your knives. A keyed lock on the door
is something that comes reccomended. Others will not be able to open the door and remove knives without you knowing about
it first. The cabinet shape, be it square, rectangular, long or short, should compliment your knife collection and not
"crowd" it together. In designing, leave enough room between each knife to allow it to be seen as the individual
piece of art that prompted you to buy it in the first place. If needed, order a second display cabinet to have enough room
to display larger collections in order to avoid crowding. Once hung on the wall and filled, you'll be glad
you did.
Wood
for your custom Dorris Display is available in a variety of species. From ash, cherry, maple, oak, walnut,
mahognay, hickory, and weathered barn wood that has been reclaimed. The wood type you choose will depend primarily upon
personal preference. You may want to match existing furniture, or go with a different wood type all together to create
a contrasting look in the room. For instance barn wood emanates a solid rustic look. A look that was at one time very
common on America's roadsides. These old barns are disappearing quickly as wind storms, and what some call progress, tear
them down to make room for the newer dwellings. The wood is filled with history, beautiful in a unique way, and much
older than many realize. Counting annual growth rings on old barn beams will show that many were several hundred years old
at the time of felling to build the barns. Most of these old barns were built in the 1800's and very early 1900's,
so doing the math based on the annual growth rings, shows us some of the trees were 100+ years old at the time Columbus
came to America in 1492. This means the wood is actually over 600 years old! If it could only tell us
all it has seen... days when only Native Americans walked this country. Many things have happened since they were
seedlings... great storms, wars, etc., and the trees stood there steadfastly on this undeveloped land. It was
cut to build a barn providing storage for a farmer at the end of teh Civil War, and did it's job for many years.
Now instead of letting it go to watse it is reclaimed to build a custom piece that will house your knives.
It will live on in another form, this time in the shape of a cabinet, for generations to come. I love barn wood.
Custom Dorris
Displays are available with velvet or felt backs offered in a variety of colors. The color you choose will be greatly
influenced by surroundings in the cabinet's environment, and personal preference. Walls, carpet, border, etc. all will
likely have an impact on the color you choose for the backing. Another important factor to consider is the material
used on your knife handles. For example, knives with black micarta obviously will not show up near as well against
a black velvet background as they would on red or dark red. Some styles are offered with wood backs, in place of
the velvet, to match the cabinet. Deciding between velvet and wood for the back will be primarily personal preference. In
our opinion, the velvet backdrop adds a look of elegance to your display and collection. It looks "rich", meaning
as if it were something you could eat, it would harden your arteries.
The overall result, whatever
model and design you decide, will be a beautiful cabinet having a high quailty finish that you have come to
expect on a quality hand made piece. The first time seeing your collection displayed in your new Dorris Cabinet,
you will see them in a whole different way. Your knives have never looked so good.
~Dale Dorris
