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Upscale Bunk Beds Just One of the Treats of Master Craftsmenby KRISTEN ARMSTRONG, Staff Writer |
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| “Time for bed” - dreaded words
for many children, but for youngsters with custom-designed bunk beds
from DMK Woodworking, getting sent to bed can be fun. From a spaceship to a bibliophile's paradise, the sky is the limit for bed designs for DMK's three craftsmen. “You tell me what you want and [if] it's made of wood, then I can do it,” said DMK co-owner and carpenter Dan Webber in a recent interview. Webber, a carpenter with about 40 years of experience, along with expert woodworkers Oz Tombakoglu and Robert Miller started working together last summer on a country-cottage-style bunk bed. They worked in the garage of the family who enlisted their services, and “each morning was like Christmas” for the little girl they were building the bed for. With the fun and success they had with the country cottage project, they decided to start their own business, and have started working in a new facility in Marshall. Although Webber, Tombakoglu and Miller make sure the bed designs are “doable” from an engineering standpoint, they hand primary design responsibilities to the child whose bed it will become. “The chief architect is the child,” Webber said. “It's their dream we're trying to make come true.” Although the price tag for one of DMK's beds isn't cheap, the three business partners ensure that each of their pieces are one of a kind. “You're not buying something off the shelf,” Webber said. The cottage bed took about three months to complete, but Webber estimates that most custom beds will take from four to six weeks to complete, depending on the complexity of the design. Although beds are a big part of DMK's business, the company offers many other kinds of carpentry, casework and millwork. “We specialize in places to relax, entertain and study,” Webber said. “We're capable of providing entertainment centers, theater rooms, bars, cabinets and libraries. Gazebos, tack rooms, tree houses and patio furniture are other projects DMK can take on. DMK may be a young business, but the three owners are passionate about their work and want to continue doing it indefinitely. “I love the smell of sawdust,” Webber said. “I like tools, the feel and texture of wood. Every day is a learning experience I don't ever want that to stop. None of us do.” |
 DMK Woodworking wants children to use their imaginations to assist in the design of a custom bunk bed. The bunk bed above was designed for a child who likes to read, with many bookcases. |