Perspective I/I/D/A continued

ISEC turned to Heppner Hardwoods of California for all the standing and running trims required. Heppner Hardwoods has been providing fine architectural woodwork for hospitality contracts for the last 25 years. Located on 5 acres, with their own mill attached to the lumberyard, they have one and a quarter million-board feet of imported and domestic hardwoods on site.

"Designers may not be aware of all the options in style and finish," said Larry Rhymer, Vice President of Operations of Heppner Hardwoods. "It is important to match wood grains to profiles and finishes."

Quartered Red Oak, which has a very dominant grain, needs a plain colonial cove crown or a simple pattern. The wood itself has such character that the simple crown frames it. Sycamore is another good choice for plain patterns. Hard white maple on the other hand is a denser, tighter grain that can carry a complicated pattern with more coves. The wood defines and complements the detail.

Installation of architectural wood elements is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle Excellent precision molding with tight tolerances improves the quality of the installation because no fitting has to be done – the pieces all match up perfectly.

Coming from a design background, Lorraine Heppner recognized the need for excellent quality architectural woodwork in high-end projects. "My career background, prior to taking over the management of the company in 1991, was in fashion," said Heppner. "I am often asked how that discipline translated into architectural millwork, and the answer is really very simple."