Journal
The Edo Collection
Lasting from 1603 to 1868, Japan’s Edo period was a time of great cultural growth and dedication to craftsmanship. This era was noted for peace and stability, as samurai set aside their swords and embraced philosophy and art. Artists and builders valued balance, restraint, and respect for their materials, turning simple materials such as wood, ink, and paper into lasting works of beauty through careful carving, layering, and finishing. The architecture of the time reflected these values, with every part having a clear function and authentic beauty emerging from honest construction. A torii gate. The wide horizontal lines of torii gates, the strong wooden frames of temples, and the repeating patterns of traditional buildings all show a belief that beauty comes from structure, careful proportions, and precision, rather than added decoration. The Edo Bench Inspiration Behind the Edo Collection Introduced in 2006, the Edo Collection by David Moser was inspired by a profound respect for Japanese architecture and craftsmanship, particularly the wabi-sabi ethos, which values the authentic beauty of handmade objects. Instead of simply copying decorative details, Moser drew from the structural principles and traditions of Japan’s Edo period, blending them with modern American furniture-making and the Thos. Moser style. The result is furniture that looks both timeless and modern—unique, understated, and true to its roots. Above: The Edo Stool Form Built From Structure Architectural shapes are a key feature throughout the Edo Collection. Angled supports evoke temple gateways, and wide horizontal surfaces seem to float above well-designed bases. The Edo Trestle Table exemplifies this idea, with a sculpted base that looks light but is very stable, allowing chairs and benches to fit easily underneath. Similarly, the platform bed’s low height creates a sense of calm in the bedroom. Each piece stands out for its clean lines, thoughtful design, and simple, natural proportions. The Warmth of Natural Materials The collection also reflects the Japanese love for simplicity and authenticity. Rather than overpowering the material, each design highlights the natural qualities of sustainably sourced North American cherry and walnut. The grain, color changes, and warmth of the wood are integral to the design. Sharp edges, smooth lines, and careful proportions further bring out the beauty already in the material. The Edo Chair is a prime example, blending Japanese design, Scandinavian modernism, Shaker style, and American craftsmanship into one unified piece. Details in Design Throughout the collection, a signature square tenon joint reflects traditional Japanese methods. Edo chairs, with their gently carved crests inspired by torii gates, offer both comfort and sculptural beauty. Each seat is deeply carved to bring out its shape and provide ergonomic support, while the natural finish enhances the wood’s grain and color. Above: The Edo Bed and Studio Dresser A Shared Philosophy Although inspired by Japan, the Edo Collection is unmistakably Thos. Moser. Each piece is handmade in Maine with traditional joinery and sustainably sourced North American hardwoods. Instead of copying old designs, David Moser brought forward the values behind them—clarity, craftsmanship, and careful proportion—into furniture made for modern life. Almost twenty years after its introduction, the Edo Collection still feels current, its roots in timeless architecture proving that good design and honest materials always belong in the home.
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The Argonaut
Home Owners: Elizabeth and Stelios Theofanidis Interior Designer: Alexandra Theofanidis, Studio Alpha Interiors Architects: Graham Architects and Richard Moody & Sons Construction Location: Kennebunkport, Maine At the beginning of 2020, we all took a step back. We paused, reassessed, and headed into an unforeseeable future. Interior designer Alex Theofanidis took this time to step back nearly 50 years to begin redesigning her future. In the 1950s, Alex's grandparents immigrated to the United States from Greece to pursue their medical studies and begin a new life. They worked incredibly hard and ultimately made a comfortable life for themselves in Connecticut. In the early 1970s, they began looking for a vacation home on Cape Cod. However, years before, her grandfather had obtained his medical license in Maine and had always wanted to return. They traveled to Kennebunkport and immediately fell in love with the Maine coastline. Alex's grandmother, an astute observer, was the force behind purchasing the oceanfront condo. Seeing the location, she found the developer and handed him a check. When he told her the place was not for sale, she said, 'Call me when you change your mind.' A few months later, the development went under, and that is how they landed their seaside getaway and where Alex's story and our interview about redesigning her generational summer home began. The Ellipse Lounge Chair & Ottoman paired with the Shaker Round Stand What was it like redesigning a generational beach home? Did you have any pushback from family members? The greatest challenge of redesigning the home, from my experience, was the pressure I put on myself for everything to be perfect. Of course. I have this pressure with every project I work on, but it's different when you're looking for the 'Wow!" reaction and approval from your entire family. Thankfully, we don't have a huge family, so I didn't have to field a lot of opinions. Luckily, I understood what the space needed from years of observation, which gave me a good foundation for my vision for the project. But they say your parents will be your most challenging clients, which couldn't be more accurate. The Bowback Stool in walnut. What were some of the “Must-Haves” for the renovation? We had a few years to think through what was necessary for this renovation before construction started, so the list of must-haves was quite long. It ranged from completely opening the entire first floor to installing the Toto Neorest in the primary bath. Since the project was a complete gut redesign, there was unlimited potential for what we could do with the space. This, of course, was incredibly exciting for me. As the designer, my must-haves centered on designing fully custom millwork throughout the project, from creating a chef’s kitchen to optimizing each space. As our family grows, maximizing the number of beds also falls under that category, which is why we knocked down walls on the 3rd floor and vaulted the ceiling to create a multi-use bunkroom floor for all ages. I have known Thos. Moser furniture before I even entered the world of interior design. I have always admired the craftsmanship, attention to detail, and respect for natural wood. My goal for every project I have in Maine or New England is that there is a Thos. Moser piece because I believe the designs evoke a true essence of New England style. -Alex Theofanidis The Bowback Stool in walnut. Why was it essential for you to celebrate Maine craftspeople with your furnishings? I find that an essential part of my role as a designer is to celebrate local artisans and styles of any project’s location. I find it quite lucky to have projects in Maine because it’s not hard to find incredibly talented local craftspeople. Ultimately, I’m fortunate that I’m able to celebrate Thos. Moser’s incredible design and craftsmanship in this project. Thos. Moser furniture was a must-have when developing the furniture package for this project. It was initially a lot of back and forth with what pieces we wanted to go with. I knew I wanted the Wishbone Table and the Bowback Stools from the get-go because of their simplistic design and true craftsmanship. It wasn’t until we visited the showroom in Freeport that we added the Pencil Post Bed, the Ellipse Lounge Chair, and Ottoman. I wish we could have added more to the order, but there was a budget I needed to abide by. What is your favorite room in the home? The sunroom is one of my favorite rooms in the home. Initially, my parents wanted to knock down the wall between the living room and the sunroom to create one large room. I forcefully pushed back on that and suggested glazing the wall with upper windows and a French door to optimize the views but create a functional space for someone to watch TV in the living room and another person to relax and read a book in the sunroom on the Thos. Moser Ellipse Lounge chairs as they gaze onto the vast Atlantic Ocean. I feel so incredibly grateful that this project was my first project going solo. Not only was I able to ultimately lead the design of a full gut oceanfront property, but I was also able to create something that my whole family can enjoy for generations to come. What is your fondest memory of being at the beach house? I have so many fond memories that it’s hard to choose one. However, the one I’ll share is more of a sensory memory than a story. It’s of my grandfather cooking in the 1970s dark, inefficient kitchen on the yellow enamel appliances that the home used to have. He wasn’t that amazing of a cook, and he worked so much that he didn’t cook that often, but it filled the home with so much warmth and love when he did. My one goal is to replicate that spirit with the new space. And I only hope both my grandparents would be proud of what I created from their investment. Cumberland Dining Chair and Wishbone Extension Table in walnut. The capstone of Alex’s design was to celebrate the home with a custom newel post, created by Kyle James, at the foot of the stairs. Her goal was to create a design that was simple yet timeless. When she started discussing the approach during construction with the project manager, he suggested looking into applying a mortgage button to the top of the post. She immediately fell in love with the idea. They had ‘1973’ inscribed on the button to commemorate the year her grandparents purchased the home. Of course, the mortgage is well paid off on the home, but it felt important to her to create a symbol of appreciation so that future generations can understand the history of their little house by the sea.
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Set for Summer
Complete with classic New England architecture, cedar shakes, and a Maine-made weathervane, customer Chris T.’s home blends his passion for boating and Maine artisanship. Initially, the 6,500-square-foot “Eagle Loft” was built to store his two Hinckley yachts during the off-season. It wasn’t until the project was well underway that Chris decided to add the living quarters to enjoy the area and entertain guests during the summer. A bay of open windows invites the iconic Acadia National Park coastline in with dappled views of the Bear Island Lighthouse through a lush canopy of heirloom maple trees and cool salt breezes from the Somes Sound. Above: The Eagle Loft Chris’ affinity for Maine and fine craftsmanship started in the late 1960s, as a 12-year-old, when he spent his summers visiting his aunt and uncle in New Gloucester, Maine. He vividly remembers those summers when he climbed aboard the Greyhound bus in Boston bound for Maine. One of his favorite summer adventures included tagging along with his uncle to visit his friend at his “workshop.” This was the first workshop in the old Grange Hall. Recollecting his younger years, Chris says, “As a Boston city kid, I was amazed to see furniture being made and refurbished by hand. It created a lifelong interest in following the success of Tom’s furniture over the decades.” As time passed, Chris watched the business grow. Moser was a natural choice when it came to furnishing the Eagle Loft. Every element was thoughtfully planned, designed, and executed. With the main living space situated among the trees, he wanted furniture that reflected the surroundings and exuded Maine ingenuity and craft. When speaking of the table and chairs, Chris notes, “They were the first pieces of furniture I selected for my new home. I’ve admired his furniture for years—the pure craftsmanship, a combination of elegance and comfort, drew me to his designs.” I've admired this furniture for years— the pure craftsmanship, a combination of elegance and comfort drew me to his designs. -Chris T. Chris’ space was made for gathering with a table set for summer soirees after a day on the water. The solid walnut trestle of the Wishbone table anchors the room, and the Eastward Chairs’ hand-sculpted seats invite people to gather and take in the view. At one luncheon, he recalls, “It lasted for hours; it’s a testament to how comfortable Tom’s wooden chairs are.” While family and guests appreciate the fine craftsmanship of the furniture, Chris notes that he delights in showing the maker's signature to guests on every piece- “it always wows them,” he says. The fine art of boatbuilding and furnituremaking shares a symbiosis that enriches the space and the lives of those who visit the Eagle Loft. For Chris, this kinship of craft has created a childhood dream home where he shares meals with friends around a table and chairs designed by a man he met as a child, whilst gazing upon a harbor steeped in a rich history of boatbuilding.
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Designing a Dream
At age 32, Michelle was at a crossroads, searching for something that would fuel her creativity and passion for helping people. “It was time to reinvent myself,” she says. She wanted to help people enjoy living through color, texture, shadow, and light. As a child, she says, “I organized my closet by color and methodically placed each toy in the perfect position.” She knew she wanted to be a residential interior designer. Several months later, she applied to a design school in Chicago. “While in design school, I got on the mailing list of several catalogs. I was bombarded with design and home decor magazines, but I remember getting the Thos. Moser catalog. I was blown away. I didn’t know furniture could look like that. When I received that catalog, I began flipping through the pages and created a list of everything I wanted for my dream home. I marked up the catalog with little tags on the top as I didn’t want to ruin the pages with ear folds, and I even had a plastic sleeve over it to protect it,” she says. “In my first rendering class, the professor said we should bring our favorite catalogs to class to find inspiration. I knew the Thos. Moser catalog was the one I wanted to bring and the Lolling Chair was the perfect specimen to use for my study. I carried my Thos. Moser catalog with me back and forth all semester for inspiration. I just loved the form and playing around with it. I remember the first sketch was in charcoal. It was terrible, smeared, raw, and looked nothing like the finessed form I saw on the page. The next one was in pencil, and I remember adding different layers, textures, and color, and by the time we got to the final rendering, I still really loved the chair.” Above: Lolling Chair & Ottoman with the Square End Table with Drawer With each line she sketched and retraced, she deepened her connection to her brother and his passion for woodworking and furniture design. “My brother, Ryan, was a furniture student at the Rhode Island School of Design while I was in design school, and I knew he would love to see the Thos. Moser designs, too,” says Michelle. “I thought it would keep him motivated about furniture design and to believe that something like this could be his future… it worked! I remember telling my husband I was sending him the catalog, and he said, “You’re not going to send your brother some furniture catalog, are you? He’s going to get made fun of.” Michelle says, ” I sent it anyway. When Ryan received it, he called me and said, “I got this really fancy catalog.” I said I know, I sent it to you. Ryan geeked out over the designs just as much as I did. As young designers, it gave us something new and exciting to connect over.” As time passed, Michelle eventually started her own design company, and her brother followed his dream of furniture-making. Over the years, their family suffered significant heartaches and celebrated incredible achievements. Through all this, Michelle and her brother have held on to their mutual passion for fine furniture and design. “It says a lot about your company that my family’s shared joy and influence of design came from that catalog, and we’re still talking about it some 20 years later. I still get a kick out of thinking about my brother carrying around that catalog on campus and taking it into the woodshop. It’s crazy how life is and how powerful memories can be," says Michelle. There is never the right time or "enough money," but there are incredible memories of her brother surrounding that catalog and the hours spent putting pencil to paper as she manifested her dream chair. "The form and the look of the Lolling Chair are just timeless," says Michelle. “It says a lot about your company that my family’s shared joy and influence of design came from that catalog and we’re still talking about it some 20 years later.” Now, two years later, Michelle says, “I received the new catalog in the mail and instantly had a smile on my face. The cover looks exactly like 'my chair.' She says, “What’s not to love? Considering I purchased the chair and ottoman “sight unseen,” which I have never done before with any furniture, I was pleasantly surprised at the comfort and elegance in real life. Sometimes you sit on a piece of furniture, and after a while, it’s not comfortable; that’s not the case with this beauty. I love the brass bar mechanism that raises and lowers the seatback, and the adjustable neck-support pillow is the icing on the cake. I have my Lolling nestled in a corner near my fireplace. It’s cozy and comfortable, and it’s my favorite place to unwind. I still can’t believe she’s mine!” “Talking with everyone at Moser and taking a trip down memory lane is the best thing that has happened to me this year. The Lolling Chair had been sitting in my cart for over a month, and I’m glad I reached out to you guys. It’s been my Christmas miracle.”
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The Anticlastic Curve
In 2014, aboard a ferry from Portland, Maine, Thomas and Mary Moser headed 185 nautical miles northeast to Nova Scotia. On the morning they were due to disembark from the ferry, they sat down to enjoy a light breakfast. But it wasn’t the scenery that caught his eye; it was the simple cafeteria chair he was sitting in. The steel and plastic chair felt as though it molded to conform to Thomas’s back. “It wasn’t bad looking, but it was strictly industrial and not very well-made. However, it was incredibly comfortable, particularly in the way it captured my back. That was what impressed me,” recounts Thomas. Above: Mary Moser on their trip to Nova Scotia. The chair was incredibly comfortable, particulary in the way it captured my back. That was what impressed me. -Thomas Moser Above: Auburn Stool in cherry A Chair Inspired by Ferry Rides & Pringles Several months later, Thomas and Mary visited an exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum, and Thomas noticed another chair featuring a similar curvature to the back. The shape, known as an anticlastic curve, is created when two curvatures move in opposite directions from a given point. The convex curve, which arches upwards, runs along the longitudinal plane. In contrast, the concave curve, which dips downward, runs along the perpendicular plane, creating a shape that moves from its center in opposite directions, horizontally and vertically. Thomas took time to thoroughly digest this extraordinary shape, especially when he noticed it in everyday items, from jewelry to architecture and even Pringles! He began sketching a design he hoped would ultimately transpire into a wooden chair offering the same flexible experience as the plastic cafeteria chair. When applied to the backrest of a chair, Thomas discovered that the anticlastic curve perfectly mirrors the curvature of the human back. Supporting the lumbar in two directions, the chair’s solid wood back sits below the shoulder blade and terminates just above the lower back, creating a chair that indeed mimics the flexibility Thomas found in the plastic chair. To create this shape from solid wood, three staves of wood are joined together, clamped in place, and allowed to cure overnight. From here, the rough form of the anticlastic curve begins to appear through refined handwork. When the chair's back has received its final touches, the craftsperson perfects the fit into the legs, creating a sweeping monolithic structure that appears as though it is sculpted from a single piece of wood. The Anticlastic Curve: Unexpected Inspiration. A Pringle may be the last thing that comes to mind when thinking of design inspiration. However, when popped from a can, the similarities are striking. It’s hard to pinpoint the true inspiration that would breathe life into the Auburn chair’s design and its anticlastic back— perhaps it was divine intervention, a lifetime of studying familiar shapes and forms, or the perfect lunchtime accompaniment. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, which is what Thomas saw in the metal and plastic cafeteria chair. But, for a chair that Thomas designed in his eighties, he honed in on this vision and created perhaps, in his words, “My most comfortable solid wood chair yet.” Above: Auburn Chair, Eastward Table, & Wing Hall Table
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Building Beyond Time
“I was overwhelmed by the amount of tools he had,” Nate Blackwell, craftsman at Thos. Moser, since 2023, recalls. As he and his father unlatched the door to his grandfather’s woodshop, they discovered stacks of old woodworking books with dog-eared pages and scribbled notes. The walls were lined with an encyclopedic collection of perfectly placed hand tools. Power tools and machines stood frozen in place from the last time they had been used, and piles of rough-sawn lumber were stacked against the walls. Nate’s grandfather, a self-taught woodworker, was enamored with the Shaker style of furniture making. He loved the simplicity of the designs and prescribed to the Shaker notion of using local wood, often building pieces in apple wood, maple, or oak. “The more character, knots or wormholes, the wood had, the more likely my grandfather was to use it,” he says. His grandfather was a prolific furniture maker, building chairs, dressers, side tables, bookshelves, and the dining table for his home. It's about making something out of nothing... creating form out of raw materials. -Nate Blackwell During the early 1970s, his grandfather joined a local woodworking club that met in New Gloucester, Maine. The club would get together every month to have coffee and talk shop. It was in this group that Nate’s grandfather met Tom Moser. Tom’s business was still in its infancy at this point, and, ever the student, Tom saw the woodworking club as a place to learn new techniques and approaches to working with wood. Nate recalls a story his aunt shared with him, saying, “There was a trestle table that my grandfather was working on and just couldn’t get it right. He mentioned this project in the woodworking group, and Tom told him to bring it to the Grange Hall shop, and they would work together. As Tom had more space and tools, Nate’s grandfather happily accepted the offer, and they finished the table together.” Nate doesn’t recall the extent of Tom and his grandfather’s friendship, but knows that the few times he spent in the Grange Hall shop and those woodworking club meetings were meaningful to him. It's not just about the technique—its about the artistry in shaping it. Above: The Grange Hall Workshop in New Gloucester Nate’s journey into woodworking began in his grandfather’s workshop. “I grew up in my grandfather’s wood shop, mostly just bothering him,” Nate laughs. “I remember holding things while he clamped or did a glue-up, but I was mostly sneaking away from my parents to get an A&W Root Beer. We were never allowed to have a soda as children, but when I helped my grandfather, he would let us have a soda. The smell of root beer still brings me right back to my grandfather’s shop.” Above: Nate works on shaping the arm of the Thos. Moser Continuous Arm Chair After spending a decade in agriculture, Nate decided to carve out a new career. He still wanted a job that allowed him to work with his hands, and when the opportunity at Thos. Moser arose; he knew he had to take it. As an integral part of the chair department, Nate creates the iconic arms of the Thos. Moser Continuous Arm Chair, in addition to building a vast catalog of chairs and benches. “It’s almost like sculpture,” he says, drawing from his background in 3D art. “There’s something incredibly satisfying about working with your hands to bring out a shape in the wood. You take a raw material, something square, and turn it into something graceful and functional. It’s not just about the technique—it’s about the artistry in shaping it.” Above: Photographs of his grandfather's furniture. When his grandfather passed, Nate salvaged much of the wood and hand tools from his shop, storing them away for a future he could barely imagine. “I never would have guessed I’d end up using his tools like this,” he says, “But here I am, using them to make furniture in the same style that inspired my grandfather’s work.” Above: A small collection of his grandfather's tools. The tools, the furniture, the techniques—they all carry a piece of him, and I want to keep that alive. -Nate Blackwell While it’s clear Nate is passionate about his craft, his emotional connection to his grandfather's tools runs deep. “Using his tools, it feels like he’s right there with me,” Nate shares. “They’re not just tools—they’re part of his legacy. When I look at the furniture I’m making now, I can’t help but think about how proud he’d be.” That feeling of connection extends beyond the tools themselves. For Nate, the idea of heirlooms has taken on a new meaning. “I’ve got pieces of his furniture in my home. My parents have more,” Nate says. “It’s not just furniture—it’s history. It’s his history, and now it’s my history.” Every piece I build, I think about how it might one day be passed down. Its about leaving a lasting mark—just like my grandfather did. For Nate, working at Thomas Moser isn’t just a job; it’s a continuation of a family tradition. “I’m building furniture that’s going to last,” he says with a smile. “And I’m doing it with the same tools my grandfather used. It’s like we’re building together, even though he’s been gone for years.” That sense of a family legacy is not lost on him. “When I signed my first piece of furniture here, it felt amazing,” he says. “Not just because I was proud of the work, but because my name is now on something that could last generations—just like the pieces my grandfather made.” Above: Nate's Grandmother and Grandfather.
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The Thos. Moser Continuous Arm Chair
When Tom Moser embraced furniture making, he revived the Windsor chair with a modern design that became iconic for Thos. Moser.
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The Harpswell Chair
Tom and Mary Moser didn’t fall in love with Maine the typical way. Before the arrival of their second son, they packed themselves, a tent, and a few provisions into their car for a long weekend. Being unfamiliar with the area and exhausted from a day of driving, they pulled over for the night and pitched their tent. Much to their chagrin, they awoke to a man’s voice saying they were blocking his driveway. Instead of being curt, the gracious man helped them move their tent aside and invited them to stay. They stayed for four days, and nearly thirty years later, they planted their roots on a spit of land not far from where they landed on that first trip to Maine. Above: Table Minimus - Oval & Harpswell Arm Chair with Back. Developing A Classic Around 1990, Tom strolled down the driveway to his Harpswell workshop and began working on a new chair design. He created a round chair with a quarter-round back, but he wasn’t happy with the initial result. After a bit more tinkering, the rounded seat became a U-shaped seat. “Eventually, I added a curve and tapered back leg,” Tom recalls. “And one day, I discovered that the round cafeteria chair I began making in my shop a few years before had morphed into this very pleasing piece.” The new design’s most magnificent appeal was an exuberant back carved from a solid piece of wood that intentionally displays the wood's natural beauty, where no two are alike, revealing the mark of an heirloom. Eventually, the chair would incorporate an upholstered slip seat that rests directly in the chair’s frame and an often-requested upholstered back. Above: Tom Moser in his workshop. From Humble Beginnings to Dignified Design Aptly named after the location of his home studio, the Harpswell Chair was introduced in 1992 and became an instant classic. Its modest cafe chair design and refined details bring quiet distinction to any space. The versatility of the durable Harpswell Chair has made it a favored choice for countless family dining rooms, community colleges, and Ivy League libraries. In 2008, the Harpswell Arm Chair would be selected as Papal seating and chosen as the signature piece to grace the George W. Bush Presidential Center in 2013, where, during the dedication, five living presidents would be comfortably seated. Above: The Harpswell Chair at the opening of the Presidential Library and the chair for the Papal visit. Incorporated in 1758, the town of Harpswell boasts the longest coastline of any town in Maine. This rugged coastline, purchased with a pound of tobacco and a gallon of rum, has cultivated generations of self-sufficient families who worked with their hands; fishers, farmers, shipwrights, and now, a furniture maker. From the humble beginnings of a simple cafe chair to a dignified design sought after by Popes and Presidents, the Harpswell Chair is a natural fit for every home and any occasion. The expressed growth rings found in the crest celebrate the weathered-tested years of a strong tree and embody the spirit of a community nestled along this section of granite coastline known as Harpswell. Tom and Mary Moser at their home in Harpswell.
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