Jerzeegirl (if you are from NJ ... I just moved down here from NJ 3 years ago - lived in Hoboken and then in Glen Ridge). I spoke to both Millers Dutch Haus and Taters. Taters was recommended by my General Contractor -- but he has a habit of only recommending places where I think he receives a little something on the backend. Anyways, I liked the gentleman from Taters BUT he really is just a salesman without much insight on configuration or design. Additionally, he went silent on me for 2 weeks during the planning/pricing stage and then told me his delivery time for the cabinets would be 3 times longer than he first estimated because I "didn't order the cabinets last week". This turned me off and I started researching alternatives. On Gardenweb I had learned about Millers. I hadn't thought to contact them because they look like a furniture store ..not cabinet maker (and the furniture in their showroom is a bit on the old-fashioned side). I've been EXTREMELY PLEASED with Lee at Miller's Dutch Haus. He is a pleasure to work with and brought very good ideas to the table. The best part ...his pricing was actually less than Taters. I ordered all my pantry cabinetry (its a 12 foot by 7 foot pantry), mudroom (14 linear feet) and 15 foot window seat from him. Its scheduled to be installed 2 weeks from now ...so I can't comment on the quality of the cabinets yet but I can say it has been a pleasure to work with him. I also ended up ordering Conestoga cabinets for our 6 bathrooms from Brian at the CabinetJoint. Most of all because I was concerned about Florida humidity in a bathroom and wanted to ensure I was getting 'baked on' stains - so I never really planned to go w/ a custom cabinet maker for these. I had also spoken Rick at the CabinetAuthority BUT he really just wanted to give me a price and take my order ..where as Brian at the CabinetJoint was extremely patient and really really helped me 'design' out what the cabinets should look like. Note, both the CabinetAuthority and CabinetJoint are Conestoga resellers ...so they are 'selling' the same product. So if you want to go this route, I recommend CabinetJoint over CabinetAuthority - they'll meet each others' pricing so it really comes down to service and in my case CabinetJoint really shined in this department. I'm expecting my cabinets from Conestoga to arrive the first week in May ... so can't comment on quality of these yet either. I also need to find someone to install them (the downside of ordering online) ... so we'll see how that goes. If you'd like to speak on the phone, please send me an email and I'll be happy to chat. Also I can share photos and experience by mid-may ..at that time all my custom cabinets from Millers and my Conestoga cabinets from CabinetJoint should be in. My house is in Laurel Oaks in Sarasota ... so once they are in, if you want to stop by and see them, you are welcome to do so! Deirdre

Well, here's the breakdown: silk dupioni, $11 a yard, + S & H interlining $ 4 per yd + S & H lining $ 3 per yd + S & H Plus pinch pleat tape. There is an economy of scale that doesn't come into play in buying materials for one project. One panel (I'll go with 84 inches long, that's common), pinch pleated, ends up about 24 inches wide, costs about $64 in materials only, not including S & H. Or any labor. Seamstresses don't "sew to save money" any more. The prices some expect to pay for "custom" come to less than minimum wage. I've started asking folks what their budget is for a project, or, if they ask about it, I tell them to expect custom to run two to five times ready-made. For that price, one can have her choice of fabric and trim, (not just the safe, easily sell-able combos a manufacturer is willing to mass-produce) She can have throw pillows to co-ordinate. Most companies will sell you a separate valance, but when my customer wanted a false valance to compensate for a shortage of fabric, I could accomodate her. When she wanted the "running deer" motif in the tapestry centered in each throw pillow, I could accomodate her.

Most likely a reproduction built in China, as in the US, most manufacturers in the past 20 years has switched over to a square drive screws and use a staple with a thinner wire gauge. I have only seen this thicker crown staples used in China and other parts of Asia. They must use a thicker wire gauge staple because they use a lower grade of steel when manufacturing the staples. Also the marking is burnt in, something I have seen done in Asia also. Manufacturers in Asia have become proficient at knock-offs. But thats just my 2 cents worth!

Do you have experience with jupe tables? Do you find all the "joints" end up being crumb-catchers or do the pieces come together very tightly so it does not catch everything?