Deer in the Forest in the Hollywood Hills

About 10 years ago, I designed and carved a front door for some clients. It was a beautiful pine tree with hillsides in the background. Over the years they have collected Chinese art and many furniture pieces and asked if I could build a Chinese-style staircase. They loved their pine-tree-designed front door and wanted to bring that feeling into their home. 

One of the things I love about Chinese art, and Asian art in general, is their use of nature in furniture and architectural design. It captures just enough of the feeling of nature with very precise but simple details. Their home is up some very narrow streets in the Hollywood Hills just below the iconic Hollywood sign. I hoped to bring the peacefulness of nature into my carving on their staircase, to contrast their home in the hills with the very busy and very crowded city of Los Angeles surrounding their home.

I decided a pine forest with deer would accomplish just that. The stairs are made of mahogany because of it's fine grain and good carving quality. The carving is a delicate filigree style, and the trees and deer are carved on both sides of the staircase, so that where ever you are walking, up or down or on the first or second floor, you have full view of the tranquil forest.