Noir Relief Sideboard
A walnut cabinet with hand-carved ebonized oak doors and a brass base. Every Noir is carved once, by hand, so no two are alike. The first one was built to hide a printer.
Built in Chicago
Lifetime warranty
Final approval before delivery
Nationwide white-glove installation
The Piece
The Noir Relief Sideboard began as a personal commission. Jerry Rodman was working at Hewlett Packard in Chicago when he built the first one for his wife. They needed somewhere to put the printer. What came out of the workshop was a walnut cabinet with hand-carved oak doors, ebonized black, sitting on a brass base. It was too good to be a printer cabinet. It became the first Statement Chicago piece.
The Wood
The shell is solid walnut. Not veneer, not plywood with a walnut face, solid walnut through the entire carcass. The figure varies board to board, running from straight grain to the sweeping movement that older walnut carries. The warmth of the wood against the black of the doors is the whole visual argument of the piece, and it only works because both materials are doing something real.
The Doors
Each door panel is solid white oak, hand-carved in relief and then ebonized black. The carving is done by hand, which means every Noir is different. The ebonizing process drives black deep into the grain rather than sitting on the surface, so the color and the texture read together rather than one masking the other.
The Base
The brass base is left unlacquered, so it ages naturally, warming and shifting over time toward the walnut rather than away from it. At 29 inches high, the solid walnut top holds artwork, a turntable, barware, or serving pieces without overwhelming the wall.
The Construction
Behind the carved fronts, Noir is built like the cabinet it is. The carcass is solid walnut, and the door and drawer faces are solid white oak, carved and ebonized. The doors and drawers run on Blum TIP-ON BLUMOTION hardware, opening with a light press and drawing themselves back to a soft, controlled close, so nothing interrupts the carved fronts. The drawers are dovetailed maple boxes, the interior carries adjustable shelving configured to what the piece will hold, and the back panel is veneered plywood for stability. The solid walnut carcass is built to accommodate the seasonal movement of solid wood. For delivery, the doors and drawers travel separately from the cabinet, both to protect the hand-carved fronts in transit and to make the piece easier to move into the room. Every Noir is built to order in our Chicago workshop.
Meet the designer and builder
Jerry Rodman
Jerry Rodman founded Statement Chicago and designs every piece we make. He left a corporate career to build furniture, and for years he built each commission himself. Today Jerry and his team of four build every piece by hand in our Chicago workshop, and he leads each project from the first conversation to the day it is delivered.
More about Jerry
Jerry started the business eleven years ago in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood, first as Bucktown Built and now as Statement Chicago. The shop is known for large dining tables and complex custom furniture.
Every commission begins with how you live and the room the piece will live in. Jerry presents three design options, refines the one you choose, and stays involved through delivery.
WGN featured his Ancient Kauri Dining Table, a ten foot table made from New Zealand kauri that was growing about two thousand years ago.
Built Around You
Every Noir is carved once, by hand, and never repeated. The pattern on yours will not exist anywhere else. The interior is configured around what the piece will hold and how the room will use it.
Carving
Every Noir is hand-carved, so every pattern is original. The carving is discussed and developed with you before work begins. The result will be yours alone.
Interior
Shelves, drawers, or a combination, built around what the space actually needs. Whether that is a bar setup, a media cabinet, a printer hutch, or open storage, the interior is designed around the use.
Size
The standard piece measures 60" wide by 29" tall by 19" deep. Custom dimensions are available. Describe the wall and the opening and the piece will be sized to fit.
Finish
2K polyurethane spray finish applied in our commercial spray booth, or hand rubbed oil finish using Odie's Universal Oil. Both are available on the walnut shell. The ebonized oak doors are finished to seal and protect the carving.
Available In
Client Experience
“I can’t say enough about the quality, craftsmanship, and creativity that he puts behind all his pieces. They are in a class of their own.”
Custom furniture client, Chicago
Before you order
What is the Noir Relief Sideboard?
The Noir Relief Sideboard is a solid walnut storage cabinet with hand-carved ebonized oak doors and a brass base. Every piece is built to order in our Chicago workshop, and every door panel is hand-carved once, meaning no two Noirs are alike.
Is there a version for hotels, restaurants, or offices?
Yes. The Noir Hand-Carved Hospitality Cabinet is the same piece specified for a public room, with interiors configured for host stands and back bars, finishes chosen for daily cleaning, and pieces carved as a matched family across a property. This page covers the residential sideboard.
How much does the Noir Relief Sideboard cost?
Noir commissions begin at $9,500. Final pricing depends on the dimensions, the carving, the interior configuration, and finish. Every piece is designed and quoted around what it will hold and where it will live.
What does ebonized mean?
Ebonizing is a process that chemically blackens wood by driving color into the grain rather than painting or staining the surface. On the Noir, the oak door panels are ebonized after carving, so the texture of the relief and the black of the finish work together. The result reads differently than paint, because it is.
Are the door panels really hand-carved?
Yes. Every panel is carved by hand by Jerry Rodman. Because no two carvings are identical, every Noir that leaves the workshop is a one-of-a-kind piece. The pattern is developed with you before work begins.
What wood is the cabinet body made from?
The carcass is solid walnut throughout. Not veneer over plywood, solid walnut. The figure and grain will vary naturally from piece to piece.
What is the base made from?
The base is brass, left unlacquered so it ages naturally over time. The patina will deepen and shift, moving closer to the warmth of the walnut as the piece lives in your space.
How is the cabinet built?
Behind the carved fronts, Noir is built like a proper cabinet. The carcass is solid walnut, the door and drawer faces are solid white oak, and the doors and drawers run on Blum TIP-ON BLUMOTION hardware, which combines push-to-open with a soft, self-closing action so nothing interrupts the fronts. The drawers are dovetailed maple boxes, the interior carries adjustable shelving configured to what the piece will hold, and the back panel is veneered plywood for stability. The solid walnut carcass is built to accommodate the seasonal movement of solid wood.
What are the standard dimensions?
The standard Noir measures 60 inches wide, 29 inches high and 19 inches deep. Custom sizes are available for commissions where the space calls for something different.
Can I customize the interior?
Yes. The interior is configured around the commission. Shelves, drawers, or a combination can be specified based on what the piece will hold and how it will be used. The original Noir was built around a printer. Yours can be built around whatever the room needs.
What finish options are available?
Two options for the walnut shell. The 2K polyurethane spray finish is applied in our commercial spray booth and provides a hard, durable surface suited to daily use. The hand rubbed oil finish using Odie's Universal Oil penetrates the wood and deepens with age. The ebonized doors are sealed separately. The brass base is left unlacquered.
How long does it take to build?
Lead time is 10 to 12 weeks from the time your commission is confirmed and deposit is received. This includes carving, ebonizing, finishing, and quality review before the piece leaves our Chicago workshop.
How is the Noir delivered?
The cabinet arrives as one piece, with the doors and drawers shipped separately to protect the hand-carved fronts in transit and to make the piece easier to move into the room. Our white glove delivery partners review access ahead of time and set the piece in place on site.
Who builds the Noir?
Every piece that leaves Statement Chicago is built by Jerry Rodman, a furniture maker who has been in business for 11 years, and his team of four carpenters in our workshop on Chicago's north side. The Noir was the first piece he built under his own name. There is no production line and no outsourcing. When you commission a piece, you work directly with the people who build it, from the first conversation to the day it arrives in your home.
Delivery
Every piece is built to order in our Chicago workshop, and delivery is coordinated directly with you once it is finished. We build and ship nationwide. Our white glove delivery partners review the access path, handle any assembly and set the piece in place in your home.
Care
Care depends on the finish. A 2K polyurethane finish needs little more than a soft, damp cloth; avoid harsh chemical cleaners. A hand rubbed oil finish benefits from a light coat of Odie's Universal Oil once a year, or whenever the surface looks dry. With either finish, use trivets under hot dishes, wipe up standing water and keep the piece out of prolonged direct sunlight.
Lifetime warranty
Every piece is covered against manufacturing defects for the life of the piece. We stand behind what we build.
Order yours
Tell us about your room.
Share the size you need, the wood you love, and how you will use the piece. We will size and quote it for your space and guide every step from there.