What a nice guy! Hauled all our purchases from Round Top Texas to California! Very trustworthy!

We love Bryan's work. He recently delivered our new kitchen table We already have the console table on the cable jack that is (currently) the first picture. He went above and beyond on that table making it both unique and tied in with the antique mirror above it. Bryan has a fantastic artist's eye combined with the skill of a master craftsman. Our new table combines industrial legs with the reclaimed wood style he's perfected. The table also incorporates just a hint of metal, making the piece striking. This is our 5th major piece from Bryan. I'm sure there will be more. read more

Its been a while since I actually came on back to yelp to write a review, however i felt it was time to get back to it after dealing with Bryan. Found his site and read the great reviews so decided to shoot him an email with a request for a custom planter box. Included a rough and i mean rough outline of what we wanted and he was able to measure it up and make a suggestion on a design flaw and told me we want to make sure it will last for the next 20 years. Solid. Anyway, it took him less than a week to complete even with a last minute request to add wheels to the bottom of the box and have it delivered (free delivery within 25 miles) Solid #2 We couldn't be happier with the craftsmanship of his work, the box is sturdy and everyone loves it. We will be back for more work for sure. If you need custom work done this is the place to go if you are in the oakland/piedmont/san francisco area. You wont be disappointed. read more

Bryan Appleton Designs - Custom planter box, less than a week to complete and be delivered. - Cabinetry Near Me

I have worked with Bryan on both professional and personal projects. In all cases he was a joy to work with. He is a truly unique artist with an amazing eye for repurposing materials and objects that many would consider junk. He makes them all beautiful. He consistently puts out quality work and is able to customize in endless ways, and he often accommodated much mind changing by me! He was a full service production and would deliver, install, and clean up. He's a very honest person and a true pleasure to know. Highly recommend! read more

My old custom kitchen Island had been bought on the cheap and was falling apart. I needed a new one, but none of the mass-produced ones met my requirements. So I decided to look into some custom furniture. I found Bryan on Yelp and gave him a phone. He was great on the phone and immediately seemed to have some excellent ideas. So I set up and appointment and met him at his shop and finalized a proposal. Bryan is professional and reliable. He's responsive. He is quite clever and he's full of fantastic ideas. We went over some options and settled on a design and he had me a formal proposal that day. It was about $200 more than the mass-produced options I was considering. The island was done almost a week before I expected it. And. I. Love. It. None of those mass produced options would have been made of such high-quality materials (structural steel, solid butcher block) or built as sturdily (the thing is solid as a rock). This piece could literally last hundreds of years if it is properly cared for. That, folks, is value. If you are not finding what you want in a furniture store, Bryan is your man. read more

What a wonderful experience!! I phoned Bryan Appleton after reading the excellent reviews on Yelp. I am starting my first organic vegetable garden and needed a raised planter box. There are many dimensions and prices on his web site (hooray for transparency) but I had to make things complicated. I decided I wanted a box similar to one I read about in a gardening magazine. No problem for Bryan. He made me a custom box of 4 ft X 3 ft @ 18" for only $250! The box is made from recycled redwood. Recycled redwood is the better choice for many reason's two of them being that the wood came from prior construction and was prevented from it's original land fill destination. It is a hardy old growth fiber, which means it will outlast regular second growth redwood (like you buy at Home Depot) by 20+ years. OK, now on to the gardening center to buy tomato plants... read more

TL;DR: Highly recommend; EXCELLENT value and experience. Great working with Bryan: Top-notch work specific to our job; clear and timely communications; straightforward, professional dealings; reasonable pricing yielding exceptional value. We've gone from having a usable but super sub-optimal mismatched table to a gorgeous custom piece in just a couple of weeks with no BS whatsoever. We couldn't be happier. THE JOB: We purchased a thick slab wood dining table from an overseas furniture maker that arrived just as we'd asked for it--except with a mismatched tabletop and base. The result was that the table was usable but we could only seat a few people around it because the base was too big--so we needed a new base/leg solution for the existing top. When the job started all we knew was that we needed something new; that it had to be able to be disassembled to get into and out of our space; and that we didn't have a ton to spend. But we didn't really know what we needed/wanted--wo we needed someone who knew what they were doing and was willing to engage with our specific situation. COMMUNICATION AND SCOPING: Bryan was the perfect person for the job. He responded quickly (which many competitors didn't), offered a couple of initial thoughts that indicated he'd clearly actually read my email outlining the job (which many competitors didn't), and asked to come see the table itself (which many competitors didn't). All of our communications since this first exchange have been similarly clear and quick. THE WORK: The ultimate end product--two wooden base/leg assemblies made of steel I-Beams--is attractive, functional, and up to the rest of our specs. We (literally) could not have dreamed up a better end result. THE EXTRA MILE: And Bryan and his team did more than just the main job: They fixed a growing crack in the table (which is tropical wood and so has changed in the Bay Area climate); refinished the top surface, which looks gorgeous; helped us deal with the old base, and took care of all the disassembly and assembly we needed, which was NOT easy, as this mfer is HEAVY. GREAT VALUE: And the pricing has been very reasonable, especially given the creativity of conception and expertise of execution that we needed. TAKEAWAY: Would work with Bryan again in a heartbeat. read more

Honduras Mahogany on 70s Bowling Alley mixed with industrial cart? Yes welcome to my home. I LOVE my new cocktail cart. I will begin stalking Bryan until my whole house is as cool, sturdy, recycled and beautiful as my tiny cocktail corner. read more

We looked and looked for a round table to work in a small dining area. Everything I found was either junk or overpriced. Since I do climate change work, I really wanted something made from recycled/reclaimed materials. Bryan and his team created just the piece--beautiful, well-designed, matched our specs and delivered on time. And, all for a fair price. If only all businesses delivered such a satisfying experience! Thanks, Bryan and team! read more

My wife met Bryan at the Grand Lake farmer's market one day and was really impressed with his work. A month or so later we have a new dining room table and bench that Bryan made just for us. In a another month or two we will have a custom hutch made for our T.V. Working with Bryan has been a great experience. Very friendly, easy to talk to, and accommodating. He invites you over to his workshop, which itself is a treat, and will take as much time as you need to make sure he's building you exactly what you want. Measurements, colors, designs, highlights, etc... He'll make suggestions and encourage you to do the same. Prices are more than reasonable, and the finished products are of the highest quality. And he even delivers the piece once it's done! Visit his website and blog for some great examples of his work. Seriously, 5 stars isn't enough. read more

Salvaged bowling lanes from Daly City + vintage steel trusses + Bryan's craftsmanship = awesome table at a fair price. We couldn't be happier with the custom dining table Bryan and his team created and delivered for us. If you're looking for solid furniture that will last hundreds of years and want to be involved in the design process, this is the way to go. Be sure to drop by Bryan's workshop in Oakland to check out the extensive cache of materials and get a feel for how and where these pieces are made. Bryan is easy to work with, gave us regular updates, and usually called to clear design and production tweaks before proceeding. Great experience overall and we will certainly look to commission more work from Bryan's workshop in years to come. read more

I found Bryan on Craigslist when he was here in the Bay Area. He was a consummate professional, VERY fair and a true wood artisan. I can't recommend him highly enough and we miss him down here! read more

Working with Bryan was awesome! He got our table done in less time than predicted and under our budget. He was a good listener and really inspired us. Our final product is so cool! A dining room table with a bowling alley top and hospital gurney bottom. It was our first big furniture purchase as new homeowners- really glad we found him! read more

Bryan Appleton Designs - Our new dining room table. Bowling Alley top and Hospital Gurney bottom. The wheels work! - Cabinetry Near Me

I cannot say enough amazing things about Bryan! I've been a loyal customer for years, snagging up custom pieces for my home at the Alameda Flea Market, always getting compliments from friends and home visitors at our eclectic collection. Recently we commissioned a custom piece and we are OBSESSED. Cannot say enough good things!! read more

not like Bryan needs ANOTHER 5 star review, but it is so deserved I have to write it! we wanted a really expensive table that we could not afford ... so instead, we had asked Bryan to produce a table that looked just like the apple of our eye for a price that we could afford Bryan helped us design the table and the select a stain - he built the table precisely as designed and delivered it by the date he promised another thing we appreciated about Bryan is that he was such a nice guy and easy to work with - he always got back to us at his first opportunity and always gave us as much time as we needed during our consultations in the end, Bryan exceeded our expectations and delivered a marvelous product saving us $1,500 read more

Bryan built us a redwood planter box and it turned out great. It's huge and very sturdy. It was made from reclaimed redwood, not the flimsy stuff you can get at most nurseries. It looks amazing on our patio and we can't wait to fill it with plants! read more

I came across Bryan Appleton at the Alameda Flea Market and loved his work. So when I was furnishing my place I made a trip to his studio and was blown away by the level of craftsmanship and vision that he good see in a piece of wood. I wanted a wood top and metal legs and he was able to quickly find the pieces that fit my personality. Him and his team were professional and helpful throughout the process. And every person that comes to my place comments on this table - great design and purchase. read more

Bryan Appleton Designs - Reclaimed Douglas Fir Table (top) with reused steel legs. - Cabinetry Near Me

We had an odd sized area in our kitchen we were looking to find a table for but couldn't find one in a store...we thought about a custom table but feared it would be prohibitively expensive. Then we met Bryan at the Alameda Flea Market and he said he could do what we were looking for a very reasonable price. Bryan's a very personable guy and was a pleasure to deal with. He had the perfect balance of listening to what we wanted and taking artistic initiative to make it look great. We met his at this studio and really liked the idea of using the old salvaged wood he has...it's unique, rustic, much higher quality old growth compared to new wood, environmentally sensitive, looks awesome and right there (we didn't have to go off-site to select the wood). It seems like it turned out to be more work than he bargained for but he continued to spend time on it; he really went above and beyond for us. We weren't totally sure how it would end up until we saw the final stunning product...we were thrilled! read more

Bryan is awesome. He made us a custom credenza that exactly matched what we'd hoped for and went beyond even. The work he does is extremely polished with an authenticity that's all his own. The stock of windows and pieces to choose from make it a no-brainer to choose his stuff over an even pricier vintage thing that would have none of the charm. And he was fast. Can't speak highly enough of his work and him. read more

I found Bryan through Craigslist and was impressed by reviews that I'd read as well as the passion he has for his work and the examples of his work on his website. Bryan made some custom planter boxes for me and they've held up great in our backyard - sturdy, well-sealed, and well-built. Perfect for the vegetables and flowers I wanted to add and they look awesome. Bryan was easy to work with and delivered them to my home. He's a little pricey but you do get great service and a great product. After all, it is custom stuff. read more

Met Bryan at the Alameda Faire, loved his work, and subsequently went to his workshop in Oakland where we talked, toured and brainstormed about my new kitchen table. His bowling alley wood was too light for what I had in mind, so he found some beautiful old wood from a 125 year old feed building in Petaluma, and stained it to match my other furniture. I could not be happier with the results. He was responsive, on-time, and on-budget. This will be only the first of a collection I hope to have him make for me. I recommend him without hesitation. read more

Bryan made me an incredible vintage wine rack! I couldn't have asked for a better experience and end product. He spent the time to understand exactly what I was looking for and kept me updated on progress throughout the process. He is truly passionate about what he does and it shows! read more

I am so happy with the planters Bryan made for our building! They look great. He was good at communicating with me through the whole process. He responded quickly to emails and text. He was helpful during the design process. He showed up on time to our appointments. I highly recommend him! read more

Bryan Appleton Designs - Beautiful custom planters by Bryan Appleton - Cabinetry Near Me

I ordered a planter from Bryan - it's gorgeous and solid. The price was more than I originally wanted to spend but, after checking some major nurseries and home supply stores and shopping online, I realized that redwood planters are pricey and that Bryan's prices are fair for the product he makes. Bryan was extremely easy to work with as well: responded to emails promptly, showed up when he said he would, delivered for free, and told me the background of the wood he used for the planter. On top of that, Bryan gave me tips on how to keep the wood looking good and how to restore my deck with just plain old elbow grease. He was such a pleasure to work with that I am also going to talk to him about building me a custom media/TV cabinet for my den. read more

My husband and I met Bryan at the Alameda Flea Market and fell in love with his work! Our first piece was a lovely narrow wood armoire made from reclaimed wood and accented with beautiful salvaged hardware and glass. We have since had Bryan build a dining room table, bench and a bar for us, and are eagerly awaiting our new custom built bathroom vanity. Bryan is a pleasure to work with. He is a wonderful artist, as well as a terrific carpenter. The quality of his work is superb and a great value. We will enjoy our unique pieces for years to come and feel good that we are able to help support a local craftsman. read more

My wife and I wanted a table that converted from a coffee table to a dining room table to go in our little SF apartment. We drew up rough designs (my mechanical engineer father-in-law told us they were NOT plans) and searched for a craftsman with the tools and skill to make our dream a reality. Bryan really hooked us up. He didn't shy away from a project that nobody had done before, and produced a gorgeous table with double rising top pieces and a hinged center leaf, all out of reclaimed wood. Our coffee table/dining table fits our needs and aesthetic perfectly. We can use it for just the two of us, eating at the couch; or for a dinner party (we've seated 6 people comfortably!), Thanks, Bryan. You ROCK! read more

I bought sturdy very large planter boxes made of re-cycled old growth redwood from Bryan. Big ones. They're well made and properly priced. Bryan communicated easily and did what he said he would do when he said he would do it. I like that. read more

I'm writing this after Bryan has informed me that my cabinets have been delivered. We had a very small space that we needed two large cabinets for and a friend referred us to Bryan Appleton. He invited us to his studio and it was immediately apparent this guy knows what he's doing and loves the process. Our dimensions were specific and he gave us exactly what we asked for. He kept us in the loop the entire time and if there are specific questions, he'll give you a call rather than risk doing it incorrectly. Bryan is a pleasure to work with and we are overjoyed with the beauty of our finished pieces. read more

I saw one of Bryan's pieces at an antique store in Niles and loved it. Then I saw Bryan at the Moss Landing flea market and as the saying goes "it was meant to be". Bryan created the perfect corner hutch for me with my asked for colors, antique doors and hardware...not only that but it was done before the promise date! Hope to get other pieces down the road sometime. He's a great guy and very easy to work with. Definitely visit his shop it is full of interesting things! Thanks Bryan read more

I just bought a large planter made out of recycled old growth redwood. Bryan is an excellent craftsman, the planter is sturdy, functional and beautiful, a most desirable combination. Bryan cares about his product and runs his green business with integrity. You may be paying more than with other recycled wood businesses out there but I bet you won't be getting the same quality, made with the same care, and he also delivered for free, I think it's an outstanding value. Thank you Bryan!! read more

Bryan created a cabinet/base for an old farmhouse sink that I had salvaged. Not only did the finished piece exceed my expectations, he went out of his way to finish it in time for the holidays (and guests from out of town).. A pleasure to work with! read more

Bryan was extremely helpful and a pleasure to deal with. He took my order and when I informed him I needed my planter by a certain date he delivered a beautiful product on time at no extra charge. Can't ask for more than that. read more

I purchased two six-foot long redwood planters and a patio table and benches from Bryan. All four pieces are beautiful and elegantly crafted, well exceeding my expectations. Bryan took the specifications and ideas I had for the patio table set and created a showpiece. He's given me instructions for maintaining the finish on all of the pieces, and I know they will continue to be beautiful for years to come. I absolutely love them! read more

Met Bryan at Alameda Antique Fair. After months of looking elsewhere, I knew I had to have the bowling alley dining room table. Craftsmanship is excellent, the lines are beautiful. Bryan helped deliver it personally and their service was great. read more

I have waited over a year to write this review, in hopes that with time I will feel better about Bryan's work. Yes, he is talented and makes interesting and unique furniture. Unfortunately he agreed to be the contractor on a cabin we restored in Sonoma. He has no skills being a contractor and he managed the project very poorly with the end result of not supervising the electrician and plumber who screwed up the wiring and plumping. Even the one portion he should have shined through, he put very little thought in coming up with creative space solutions, and Worst of all, he built a kitchen with faulty measurements, with the end result of delivering a product less than optimal. I have no idea how he had the nerve to make a kitchen like that and take wrong measurements. His time management skills where beyond worse and we had to do much of the coordinating work with vendors and installations. He is disorganized, distracted, and was absent from the project which is now costing us thousands of dollars trying to amend his mistakes. His only grace was providing the wood and connecting us with a master carpenter who actually built the house single handedly but received no support from Bryan. The project took double the time to do, and since he promises and under delivers, we had to let go of work he promised to do, such as furniture and a fence. In giving him my feedback, he did not even bother to reply to my letter or apologize or fix the kitchen. My recommendation to you: buy pieces of furniture from him but do not put him in charge of anything. read more

I met Bryan at the Alameda Antique Fair and purchased a truly unique narrow cabinet that I just loved and had to find a place for in my home. Bryan is very personable and I soon realized how amazingly creative and talented he was so decided that I wanted him to build us a custom bookcase, which would be the main centerpiece of our living room. Working with Bryan was such a pleasure. He was patient, professional, full of unique ideas, and took a great deal of time to be sure he understood what I wanted and worked with me until I was comfortable he got it! That said I had complete faith in Bryan's artistic abilities and vision, and in the end he completed an absolutely stunning piece of furniture, mixed with various elements of natural and painted wood, and antique parts. I could not be more thrilled. Bryan's prices are fair and reasonable. It is difficult to find the combination of a true artisan who is also easy to communicate with, smart, honest and professional. Bryan is all of these in one! I couldn't have been more pleased! read more

i met bryan at the alameda county flea market about a year ago. i was looking for the perfect piece for my new room in my new house and wanted it to be original and rustic looking...i ended up leaving that day with 2 items from him and nothing from anyone else! since then, i've purchased 3 more beautiful pieces..two of which he custom built/designed for me from top to bottom. he built this AMAZING bedframe and headboard from an old vicorian hearth that was salvaged out of a gutted home in SF. it is absolutely stunning. everyone's jaw drops when they walk in my room. i feel like a princess every night when i climb into it :) my experiences working with bryan as a designer/carpenter/builder have all been A++. he is super passionate about what he does, he works extra hard, and he is a kind, genuine soul :) i recommend him 100% to anyone who loves antiqued/salvaged/rustic furniture that is handmade and unbelievably reasonably priced. check him out at the local shows or on his blog! read more