“I often seek the company of growing trees for spiritual nurture, balance of the soul and the emotional calm that has become increasingly necessary in our world.
Who I Am
My name is David Sentesy. Born and raised in Dundas Ontario, my Grandfather introduced me to wood, teaching me about care for the living tree. My father introduced me to the precision and planning of an engineer. These skills powerfully shape my life and my life’s work.
I attended Carleton University from 1967 to 1971 and graduated with an arts degree in History and English. Following this I moved to Toronto to continue my studies. Before I finished school there, however, I realized that what I loved was working with wood in the science workshops at Carleton – building a harpsichord.
I followed my passion. I began accepting woodwork commissions and worked largely with hand tools. Learning how to shape wood by hand has fostered an incredible respect for power tools, but much more respect for the tree. In 1972 I married and moved to Ottawa where I worked with an Italian cabinetmaker. Several years later, when due to demand he began to build with particle board veneer and plastic laminates, I left him and moved to a homestead in the Ottawa valley. I set up my workshop next to my home.
Trees are a unique flora. They provide our planet with lungs and filters. They moderate climate, build soil, shelter life, and provide food. The way we work with them preserves their beauty and wholeness allowing us to feel their strength and patience.
Our Work
Tea Table
Black walnut reproduction of a Canadian made candle stand circa 1820. Padded “snake” foot legs are dovetailed into an urn shaped centre turning. It is much polished with tung oil. (approximately $1500) [...]
Chess Table with Drawer
This is a small chess table for keen players. The playing surface is inlaid maple and rosewood. The drawer is shared through both sides and the inside is felt lined. The primary wood is [...]
Bath Server
This case work is designed as a bath server for linens. It is a rustic interpretation of Louis XV design elements carefully proportioned and carved in Butternut. Surfaces are worked with edge tools by hand [...]
Queen Anne Table and Chairs
This set was built as a chess and gaming table. I used local black walnut for the rich dark colour and strong grain. The top is inlaid with a board made of maple and [...]
Campbell’s Fence
Decorative panelled entrance posts made for a Victorian house in the grand style. The large urns are copies of those found at the doctor’s house in Upper Canada Village. The swans elicit the river front [...]
Hickory Chairs
We chose hickory here for its great strength and elasticity. It can be worked in small sections and in small curves. It is a frame chair, using rectangular mortise and tenons. These make a [...]
Roundtable Gaming Table
This gaming table has hand carved cabriole legs in the Queen Anne style. It has felted cup slides for each player. The top is made from one plank of Brazilian Mahogany and the legs [...]
Fireplace Wall
This fireplace wall reconstruction, in full dimension clear pine, was designed using drawings by Julian Smith and consultation. The door panels have unique bolection mouldings. The gallery is on full round beaded posts. It is [...]
Butternut Audio Cabinet
This has a frame and panel front door with a framed back without a panel giving it rigidity, good airflow, and easy wire access. Its pine feet allow good damping and easy levelling. [...]
Mantle Shelf
This Honduras Mahogany fireplace was built to replace a painted two-by-four. It includes paneled offset ogee brackets and beaded cornice mouldings, and bold dentils (see detail). The hearth and surround are of fine Italian [...]
Hickory Table
This table is part of a suite for a health centre. Hickory was chosen for its extreme hardness and beautiful colour. The detailing recalls asian roots of its owner with incurved legs but with [...]
Cherry Writing Desk
This piece is made of three frame and panel cherry cases. The top has brass inlays on the corners and high quality brass hardware is used for bails. The finish is made from many [...]
Carved panels
Description of carved panels The form of this panel is similar but the carving is my own design. It is based on celtic mandals and here worked on a fine piece of [...]
Trestle table
This is my standard trestle table. Its top unbolts and the wedges in the trestle can be driven out to allow easy packing. The finish is oiled with no stain then urethane coated. It can seat [...]
Salares Health Centre Suite
Asian styled butternut furniture for health centre waiting room. Set consists of 5 pieces including: Coffee Table, End Tables, Settee and Work Table.
Cherry Chairs
This chair was designed with a family heirloom chair in mind. It uses round mortise, tenons & pre-shrunk spindles for tight joints. The seat is woven of natural leather. The crest rail is from [...]
Dining Table & Corner Cabinet
This is an English refectory table of hickory with massive turned legs and low support bars.White sapwood was planned to show two strong bands on the top. Its sister table is square to form [...]
Mahogany Dovetail Chest
The design of this chest is from Germanic Canadian tradition. The upper chest sides are from a single 13″ plank. The top is from a 23″ wide plank, hand planed and fitted to allow slight [...]
Document Boxes
These dovetailed cases and drawers were made of Burma teak salvaged from the deck of the “Empress of Ireland” at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River. They were made to hold the effects [...]
Knife Box
Having fallen, the ground of the box was badly crushed lifting the veneer and splitting the substrate. Once these were repaired the veneer was re-layed and new pieces were fitted where required. String inlay was prepared by gluing up maple and walnut pieces then cut to fit. The French polish was restored as per the original.
Oval Coffee Table Pair
Here a pair of coffee tables from a single top answer the need for two nesting tables and a child height movable unit. The glass keeps it clean and allows view to the contents [...]
Ready to Talk?
Do you have a vision for a piece of furniture you’d like to be built?