When I first came to the Pacific North West in 1976 I was astonished by my first impression of the madrone tree. It has thin red bark that peels paper-thin revealing the next layer beneath which is fresh green in color.

It reminded me of eucalyptus, which also sheds its bark in a similar manner. But I had never seen madrone before and when I first saw the lumber I was thrilled. Madrone is very dense and hard, short fibered and polishes up to an ivory smooth finish.

At a furniture show once a man told me that the word madrone means lady's leg in an American Indian language. I have never been able to verify this but the tree limbs are curvy and sensual and it makes a good story.

I have made a lot of furniture out of madrone and I find it goes particularly well in combination with purple heart. The woods are different in type with purple heart having a very open grain while madrone is very dense but the color combination of the two together is quite striking as shown in the Tahoe Table.