Custom Furniture and Cabinetry with Stultz Woodwork

Jeff Stultz is a furniture maker specializing in custom furniture and cabinetry, working under the name Stultz Woodwork. Practicing since 2012, his work developed through years spent in a custom furniture shop on the California coast, where a focus on craft, production, and consistency helped shape his approach and design sensibility.

Based in Santa Cruz, California, Jeff creates pieces designed to live in conversation with their surroundings. His process is often informed by visiting the space where a piece will reside, allowing considerations of architecture, light, existing furnishings, and wood tones to guide each decision. Harmony and longevity are central to his work, from initial sketches through final finish.

In this Maker Feature, Jeff shares how his early experience shaped his practice, what he looks for in a wood finish, and why Osmo PolyX®-Oil Clear Satin remains a staple in his workshop as he continues to refine his craft and take on increasingly unique commissions.

Who are you and what do you specialize in?

Jeff Stultz of Stultz Woodwork. The majority of my work is custom furniture, I also do custom cabinets.

How long have you been practicing? How did you get started?

I started in 2012 when my wife and I moved to a small coastal California town – it has one blinking stoplight. While my wife had an interview at an organic farm, I wandered into a custom furniture showroom with a woodshop upstairs, one of only a few businesses in a town frequented by tourists on the weekend. I had been shifting towards woodwork for a couple years and I ended up working there for 7 years making all of their hallmark furnishings and custom commissions. It allowed me to learn rapidly from day one, focusing on craft, production, and consistency while allowing my own design aesthetic to gradually develop.

What inspires your designs and choice of materials?

As the majority of my pieces are custom, I prefer to visit the space where a piece will live so I can consider surrounding furnishings, architecture, light and wood tones. Even when that’s not possible. A sense of harmony within the environment is a primary goal.

How do you choose your finishes?

I want the wood to feel like wood, not be captive under a finish. I look for clarity, a natural sheen with a good amount of depth and of course durability. I start with appearance since first impressions are real and I want the piece to age well. A finish that’s easy to repair or replenish with minimal effort is a big plus for my clients.

What’s your biggest frustration when finishing wood?

In my shared shop airborne dust is inevitable, so I avoid anything that tacks too quickly or where the excess can’t be buffed off after application. Some finishes can be finicky, I want a piece to look flawless the first and only time I finish it, so ease of use and consistency are key.

What’s your favourite type of project to work on?

Any project where there’s a good open dialogue with the client. Working within a few clear parameters helps me balance proven principles ­with new ideas when they’re welcomed.

What do you value most in a wood finish?

Consistency, reliability, durability, and easy maintenance. Clients almost always ask about the finish, and it’s easy to extol the virtues of Hard Wax Oil, I practically become a member of the Osmo marketing team. Balancing all of these factors while looking great is what Osmo does best. Its why I keep coming back to it.

We’ve asked you to share some of your favourite pieces finished with Osmo, can you tell us what makes them special to you?

When a design goes from sketch to finished piece and everything makes sense in the end – proportion, the wood selection, the finish. Those pieces are incredibly satisfying and rewarding as a craftsperson. Solving issues when they arise is a part of the job.

How do you feel about maintaining Osmo-finished pieces?

I have a few pieces in my own home finished with Osmo that are approaching 10 years of use, and I don’t baby them. They hold up incredibly well. When I have delivered to repeat clients, I always enjoy seeing how pieces and I’m consistently impressed.

Favourite Osmo product?

Osmo PolyX Clear 3043 Satin without question.

Do you have any advice for someone entering woodworking?

Work for and learn from someone else if you can – a week, a few months, or several years like I did. Starting out alone without guidance isn’t for everyone. Finding clients and developing an aesthetic takes time, and steady work in a supportive environment is invaluable.

What tool can you not live without?

A thickness sander.

What is something you wish you knew sooner in your career?

Track actual time spent on projects to price work accurately.

Do you follow makers or brands online for inspiration? If yes, which ones?

I mostly look to the past, but I admire the consistency and variety of what The Joinery in Portland puts out. Dusk in LA is inspiring, very different from what I do, but I love it. Slow Woodshop is great too.

Where do you shop for finishes and materials?

When local businesses carry what I need, I like to build dependable relationships with them.

What are you most excited about this year?

I moved my shop back to Santa Cruz last year, so it was a rebuilding year. Now I’m receiving more unique commissions, and its exciting to have clients trust my aesthetic and craftsmanship. It feels like a good year for growth and refinement.

Find Jeff online and on location in Santa Cruz, California

Instagram: @stultzwoodwork

Website: www.stultzwoodwork.com 

“Drop me a message and visit the shop on the Westside of Santa Cruz, California sometime.” – Jeff Stultz, Stultzwoodwork

“My favourite wood finish without a question, Osmo Polyx®-Oil 3043 Clear Satin”

– Jeff Stultz, Stultzwoodwork