This CHERBAK project was born out of my experience rebuilding my childhood home. A wildfire destroyed my father’s gorgeous adobe home in the foothills of Southern California. At his request, I was tasked with rebuilding a suitable replacement. With insurance money in short supply, that meant learning and doing almost all the work ourselves. With the structure complete I found I didn’t want to stop, so I built the cabinets, and then the lighting and then, well you get the picture.
So lately I decided to turn my new-found love of architecture and building all things home, into a career. My work is really the combination of three things. My engineering degree brings steel and structure, while my architectural and construction experiences bring wood, warmth and home into the equation. To round it out is the love of art and creativity. I hope to explore this combination and that the result is as appealing to you as it is to me.
The hallmark of my work is the seamless combination of multiple materials into one refined, coherent piece. I like to find a way to bring all kinds of different elements together. Most obviously wood and steel, but also concrete, copper, glass and textiles.
I find my inspiration by experimenting with new materials and processes. Refined steel work and fine wood work are the foundation, and with a host of other materials, the possibilities are endless.
Nick Cherbak