Keep it Simple: An Interview with Joe Lanza

Third-generation woodworker and architect Joe Lanza understands the value of simplicity. “Good design doesn’t call attention to itself,” he says. But it’s hard not to take notice of one of his designs. In an interview with FineHomebuilding.com, Joe explains why, for him, adherence to one specific style just wouldn’t work.

What is your approach to cabinetmaking? What do you do first? 

JL: I try to keep things simple as much as possible, but I don't always succeed. Sometimes even simple projects can get very complicated very fast. I'm always looking for easier ways to do things and for superfluous steps I can leave out. I especially like details that make things easier to build.

Who or what are your design influences? Who inspires you?

JL: I like a lot of different things. My father was a builder for a long time, and he still makes furniture. His father was a woodworker and metalworker who helped set up the original shops at Sturbridge Village. So my first and (probably still) biggest influence is the traditional New England vernacular. Then there are the usual suspects: Shaker, Arts and Crafts, Frank Lloyd Wright, all the great modernists like Marcel Breuer, Alvar Aalto, etc., and of course, there are a lot of great designers and craftsmen working right now. I haven't had a really original idea yet, and I don't expect to, so it helps to have a broad range to draw from.

Do you have any signature design elements, things that really identify a piece as one only you could’ve made?

JL: I don't have one particular style. And, I think good design doesn’t always call attention to itself. Every project is different. My first concern is always what a house or room will feel like to be in. I consider space, light, and scale first; then function; then materials and style. As far as what things end up looking like, I try to design to please my clients first. My own tastes vary a lot, so I can always find some common ground. I do have some semi-standard details that I use a lot.

If you had to pick a first love, would it be designing or building?

JL: Building was definitely my first love and learning the craft was exciting. Then I became more interested in design.  When I realized there was a lot more to good design than I understood, I decided to go to architecture school. I still love to build, but now I see it as the final step of the design process.  For me, a design isn’t finished until it’s built.

Do you have a favorite material?

JL: My favorite material is Baltic birch plywood. I like the fact that it’s the same stuff all the way through, and the exposed edges look cool. It can do almost anything, and I’ve made whole kitchens out of it: cabinets, doors and drawers, even counters. It makes great shelves and stair treads too. I’ve even glued it up and carved it for furniture parts. It’s also great for making jigs and fixtures.

And there was a long period of time where I used curly maple whenever I could, but for the past few years, I've been on a walnut kick.