About Westside Woodworks and Gary Silva:

Westside Woodworks is a one-man custom cabinetry and furniture shop located on the Westside of Santa Cruz, CA. Gary Silva has been building fine furniture and cabinetry for over 30 years. His personal approach, pride in craftsmanship and exquisite woodworking can be seen in architectural masterpieces throughout Monterey and San Francisco Bay areas. His cabinetry, carvings and fine furniture grace homes, restaurants, hotels and office buildings. He personally hand-selects his materials and approaches each project with the intention of displaying pleasing lines, balance and a myriad of joining techniques. As you peruse his gallery you will notice an absence of nails, wood putty and blemishes. He has studied the art of joinery techniques over the course of his 30-plus years as an artist and craftsman, and looks forward to difficult transitional situations that allow him to employ some of these joining applications, many of which have been “forgotten” years ago as woodworking equipment phased them out. There are also structural ideas recently engineered that ensure a visually pleasing and sturdy end result that will stand the test of time.

Throughout his career, Gary has had the good fortune of meeting and establishing excellent connections for the finest materials and hardware available. From jatoba to barnwood, he has friends that will call him first if a particularly choice shipment comes in. He personally goes out to his sources and hand-selects his materials. You can see that his skill, artistry and effort are consistent from project to project, and that taking those extra few hours to select the precise materials will give each project that little extra dramatic effect that pays off enormously in the end. By sequencing the grain, alternating and in-laying various types of complementary woods and finding just the right piece of wood for your particular project he can achieve just the effect you are hoping for and more.

As you browse the gallery, notice the blend of wood with glass, stone or even metal. Gary enjoys combining these materials to give things a splash of color or to change up the texture. He has taken up the same approach in cabinetry. He has used recycled materials and built very contemporary pieces. On the other hand, he has used some new and innovative materials such as Eco and bamboo products and fashioned old-timey “period” pieces, always using structurally sound joinery techniques throughout. This combination of “old meets new” (or “new meets old”) ultimately gives you the exquisite beauty you desire within the function you seek.

Whether it is a single nightstand, an elaborate entertainment center, a wine cellar or a full bedroom suite, Gary knows only one way to work- he is all in. The projects he builds are a reflection of himself and he takes all facets of his work seriously. While doing all site work he is acutely aware of his surroundings and takes extreme precautions to make his presence as unobtrusive as possible. He has been tooled up with the Festool system for years, which allows him to be precise and tidy, leaving a minimal footprint during the time spent in your home. He is flexible with site work, understanding that he is in your home. He makes every effort to ensure that he shapes his on-site hours in such a way that his clients can go about their lives as uninterrupted as possible. Installing on weekends can be arranged.

There is virtually nothing Gary can’t build. If you have an idea or a concept you can feel certain that he can build it and hopefully exceed your expectations. Just call!