About Carlos

From commercial spaces to yacht interiors to heirloom furniture, I've spent forty years designing and creating. Raised among educators, artists, and weekend builders, I discovered my calling as a maker early. At 12 I built a backyard clubhouse that grew large enough to catch the attention of city planners; you could say it became an early and unfortunate lesson in design best practices. My professional career began in a Chicago area picture framing shop and moved through the art world and carpentry before landing in the exacting realm of yacht interiors. A decade in Anacortes and Tacoma, Washington boatyards taught me uncompromising standards while crafting interiors for vessels up to 240 feet. 

In 2006, I launched Madera Furniture Company with the goal of crafting artisan-made custom furniture, cabinetry, and architectural elements for commercial and residential spaces in the Pacific Northwest. My goal has always been simple: combine architectural discipline with personal intention in every piece. Twenty years later, Madera's outstanding reputation throughout the region is uncompromised.  

I sold Madera in 2025, gladly passing on the grind of administrating a small business to return to what I always enjoyed the most: hand-crafting beautiful and functional pieces. My work incorporates solid woods and veneers along with metals and other natural materials. My style leans toward contemporary, however I will occasionally incorporate a rustic live-edge or a classic hand-carved detail. It's the free-flowing nature of the world around us that inspires me most.

So why Benchdog?  Two reasons: A bench dog is a traditional tool used to secure a work piece to the bench. Second and foremost, I'm a dog dad. A workshop without at least one shop dog falls short, in my book.