Our process
From the first conversation to the final placement.
Every Statement commission begins with the client. We want to understand the way you live or work, what you are drawn to, and what the piece needs to make possible. From there, we develop the proportions, material, construction, and finish around you and the setting the piece will inhabit.
01 Conversation
We begin with you.
The first conversation is about more than dimensions. We want to understand how you live or work, what you respond to, what has been difficult to find, and what the finished piece should bring to your everyday life. Some clients arrive with a clear idea. Others bring references, a practical requirement, or simply the desire for something that feels entirely their own.
We listen first, then help give the idea definition. The room still matters. Its architecture, scale, circulation, and existing materials help us establish the right proportions. But the design begins with the people who will use it.
What helps us begin
- What you are commissioning and why
- How the piece will be used and by whom
- Materials, forms, or details you are drawn to
- Room photographs, approximate dimensions, timing, and investment range
3D design renderingDesign development
See the piece before it is built.
Once we understand what you want to create, a $500 design deposit begins a focused design engagement. It gives you the opportunity to experience how we listen, interpret, and develop a commission before committing to fabrication.
During this phase, we work through the proportions, form, and details with you, then confirm how the piece will fit and function in the room. You can review the renderings, drawings, and samples before deciding whether the design feels right and moving into the build.
What you receive
- Custom 3D renderings of the proposed piece
- Scaled CAD drawings showing its dimensions and placement within your room
- Material and finish samples selected for the project
- A guided review of the design, proportions, and next steps
Once the design direction is approved, the commission can move into final material selection and fabrication.
02 Design and Material
Your priorities guide the design. The material gives it character.
We translate the initial conversation into proportion, form, construction, material, and finish. Each decision is considered in relation to how the piece should look, feel, and function for you.
For highly figured boards or exceptional slabs, the grain, natural edge, scale, and available sequence may influence the final direction. We guide those decisions so the individuality of the material supports the original idea rather than overtaking it.
What you review
- Overall proportions and design drawings
- Wood species, slab, or board selection
- Base, construction, and functional requirements
- Finish direction and final proposal
Owner led
Designed personally. Built by our Chicago team.
Every commission is developed directly with founder Jerry Rodman and built by Statement Chicago’s small team of craftspeople. The people making the piece remain involved from the initial design decisions through final review.
That continuity matters. It allows material, proportion, construction, and finish to be considered together rather than handed from one department to another.
03 Build and Final Review
The piece stays close to the people making it.
Once the design and material are approved, fabrication begins in our Chicago workshop. Important decisions remain visible throughout the build, and the completed piece is reviewed before it leaves us.
Build
Material is milled, sequenced, joined, reinforced, and shaped according to the approved design and the realities of the wood.
Finish
The surface is prepared and finished in our workshop according to the species, intended use, and desired relationship with the material.
Approval
The completed commission is photographed and documented for final client approval before delivery is scheduled.
04 Delivery and Installation
The commission is finished in the room.
We review the access path before fabrication is complete, coordinate delivery around the project, and assemble the piece in place when required. The process ends only when the piece is positioned as intended.
Access planning
Doors, elevators, stairs, turning clearances, and installation conditions are reviewed in advance.
White glove delivery
Nationwide delivery is coordinated with experienced handlers familiar with substantial custom furniture.
Assembly and Placement
Components are assembled, leveled, and positioned in the room by the delivery and installation team.
Final walkthrough
The piece, finish, placement, and care requirements are reviewed before the project is complete.
Begin a commission
Tell us what you have in mind. We’ll help give it form.
Share the piece you are imagining, how it will be used, and anything you already know. We will guide the design, material, and next steps.