About

Cavu Design is the meeting place of two passions: furniture making and fine art wood marquetry. Every piece is created to be both lasting and beautiful—something that feels as good as it looks.

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After more than 30 years in graphic design and advertising, I founded Cavu in 2000 in Austin, Texas. It all started with a search for a bedroom dresser. I wanted something solid and well-crafted, something with style and soul. What I found instead were flimsy laminates, shoddy construction, and high price tags. I thought, “If I want a piece that could be passed down through generations, I might have to make it myself.” I wanted furniture made the way it used to be made—crafted with care, built to last, and beautiful enough to make you smile just by walking into the room. That’s what art does for the soul—it lifts you.

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So I made a change. I began an apprenticeship with master furniture makers in Wimberley, Texas. Along the way, I met Spider Johnson, a master marquetry artist from Mason. Spider agreed to teach me the art, and I took to it right away. We soon became business partners, blending our skills to create one-of-a-kind furniture and public art pieces that combined traditional craftsmanship with intricate marquetry work.

Each piece I make is hand-built from solid hardwoods, using time-honored joinery techniques. The marquetry is made from thin, natural and dyed wood veneers, and I often incorporate materials like metal, custom glass, leather, fabric, or original fine artwork—whatever best suits the piece and the person it’s made for.

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These days, I’m exploring a beautiful and rare marquetry technique called Transparence, developed by French artist Georges Vriz and taught to me by Yves Gauthey. It creates a softer, more painterly effect than traditional marquetry, and opens up exciting new possibilities for storytelling through wood.

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If you have a question or a vision you’d like to bring to life, I’d love to hear from you. Let’s create something extraordinary together.