Maker Spotlight
MW Design Workshop
Meet Josiah Zukowski of MW Design Workshop
MW (Master Woodworks) Design Workshop crafts stunning purpose-built installations in homes and businesses across the country—from custom staircases and railings to doors and cladding. For The Westman, they crafted an impressive fireplace surround, the crown jewel of our cozy Parlour.
We caught up with Josiah Zukowski, the company’s president and fourth-generation craftsman. He shares the story behind his family’s passion for bringing complex statement pieces to life.
Tell us about MW Design Workshop and its specialties.
My father, Alex Zukowski, sold his beloved Les Paul in 1985—the year I was born—to start a woodworking business in Salem, Oregon. Initially, there was an emphasis on stairs and millwork. However, as stairs became more modern, we added glass, followed by metal.
We’re unique on the West Coast in the construction industry, specializing in stairs and railings. We can handle the entire scope of a project. Not many companies can handle all the materials in-house. It’s like a playground for us.
We are passionate about making beautiful showpieces for people’s homes and places where people can share experiences together.
What did your work entail for The Westman?
We worked closely with LRS Architects to create a brass Art Deco fireplace surround in the hotel’s parlour that reflected the building’s heritage, but is cleaner than could have been executed at the time.
As the centerpiece of The Parlour, the fireplace surround features a three-dimensional, ziggurat-style design, crafted from raw satin brass. We felt this was a great choice by the owners to put in this space.
Rather than a high-performance, durable material that remains unchanged over time, brass will patina. The metal will evolve and oxidize as conversations happen around it.
What else did your team work on for the hotel?
At some point in the building’s history, a driver hit the original railings out front. We took 3 of them back to the shop. Honestly, we weren’t sure if one of them could be salvaged due to its state. However, a member of our team worked diligently to solder and machine it. He successfully straightened it back out, fully restoring it.
We improved the installation to be more solid, while also aiming to match the nearly 100 years of living history. We restored the patina to its original starting place.
As an Oregonian, what do you love most about our state?
Everything is here—beach, mountains. The best thing about outdoor recreation is it’s all so close. You can surf and snowboard in the same day. In fact, I’ve done it.
I’m an active member of the cyclocross community and racing. There’s a big race in Bend for Halloween each year. Riders dress up in costumes and race in mud. You’d have to go to Belgium for anything else like that.
Oregon has all the stuff you want, with a major metro area, but just outside it’s super community-oriented. I have roots that go deep up and down I-5 and Hwy 22, from Bend to the coast.
What are 2 of your favorite spots in Bend?
I love Spork when the sweet corn is in season. And Phil’s Trail for Mountain Biking. Where else can you ride to like that from downtown?
Of course, Bachelor and backcountry Sister’s wilderness are special. As are the lakes behind Bachelor. Bend is a base camp for my favorite kinds of recreation.
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