Commissioned pieces. All pieces below are one of a kind, but similar pieces can be made on request. These are just a handful of samples of our body of work, and we love a challenging piece! Got an idea? Contact us to talk about it! becky@sagenworks.com
Reclaimed Douglas Fir from a home in NYC. Metal legs, inset metal straps on top.
Walnut, cherry, and sapele alternate with a translucent smokey grey resin in this original Sagenworks design. Inlaid brass rods add asymmetrical accents, custom steel base.
Detail photo of woods and inlay
Solid ash 'mini' crib (mattress size: 24"x38") built custom for a tiny upper east side bedroom. Removable front panel to convert in to a toddler bed.
A second view of the ash 'mini' crib. Baby not included :)
A side table for a new born's bedroom. Working abacus and working wooden gears to entertain and to educate as she gets older and more awesome. One set of gears turns via a crank, the other by moving gears directly.
Solid Mahogany table, ply gears, oak beads.
Close up of crank driven gears
Close up of gears movable by hand.
Super fun custom piece- a front desk with ADA accessible counter, latched gate to keep dogs from making a break for it, and live edge maple top. Shelving and desk top on the back for equipment and computer.
Front view of the Chevron woodwork with a custom rustic paint treatment.
2" thick Guanacaste wood and custom welded steel legs.
Another shot of this piece in different lighting! Thanks to the client for this gorgeous shot!
Built in cabinets for a family of 4. Custom maple shelving and shiplap, purchased cabinets.
Custom cabinets and floating shelves for an amazing wine and whiskey room. Fluted paneling front, custom cabinets, maple top and shelves. I love this piece!
We were lucky enough to have our piece featured in a spread about the wine and whiskey room! Magazine: Dripping Springs Lifestyle, image by Kristen Hafner.
Beautiful custom oak cabinet, designed to fit in with customer’s already existing pieces. Glass doors styled and cabinet stained to match pieces from her grandmother!
The original design of the legs on this piece were particularly fun!
Top view of the table, with the awesome resin filled knot.
River rocks float on top of blue green resin on this coffee table. Live edge Elm, custom steel legs.
In- process shot of some of the metal work that happens in custom work.
Simple built in with fully adjustable shelves to make a huge visual statement. All custom built, maple counter above cabinets.
Ambrosia Maple in a classic shaker table. Left unfinished (no sealer) so the wood will patina naturally
Custom front desk unit for CF Second Wave. Live edge cedar top, pine, ply and steel construction elsewhere. Front desk needed a lot of storage and an integrated work desk behind it. Fun bowtie joinery to reinforce the beautiful cedar top.
Bow tie joinery
Progress shot of the mixed hardwood butcher block counter for Kate’s travelling counter. Ash, Sapele, Walnut and Maple.
Custom counter on wheels for a food vendor who travels to events! Beautiful mixed hardwood butcher block top, shelving underneath.
Closer shot of the finished piece.
Elm and metallic blue resin live edge side table. Custom steel base to match height of client’s couch.
Custom dining table for Alex and Alena! Live edge sycamore with prefabricated steel legs. Great starter piece, plenty of room to change the legs/ reshape the table as they grow and move.
Custom dining table for Alex and Alena, better shot of the gorgeous edging. Live edge sycamore, prefabricated steel legs.
Custom coffee table. Top is reclaimed Douglas fir with Brazilian hardwood edging from a reclaimed NYC park bench. Bottom shelf is reclaimed alaskan cedar from NYC water tanks. Steel legs. Project involved a lot of planing, and I made the shavings and scraps into a set of ‘roses’ for the client’s wife.
Whimsical recycle of wood shavings from previous table.
Steel and aluminum set pieces, custom commissions, and a few bits of fun!
All pieces designed and fabricated by Becky Sagen unless otherwise noted.
view from inside alley.
Custom gate for an alley entrance in Baltimore, MD.
Designer: Steve Baker, Wholly Terra Studios. Layout: Becky Sagen
Steel and stained glass.
Antique wrought iron lamp cages reclaimed from a building in Queens, NY. Made into side tables and painted.
The two tables, minus the glass tops.
Custom residential sign. House number sits over the porch light and illuminates number and glass at night.
Designer: Steve Baker. Layout: Becky Sagen
Steel and stained glass
The residential sign illuminated at night!
Arch constructed from three purchased scroll pieces, and many many fabricated ones.
'Spring Awakening', NYU. Designer: Mia Cook
Close up of one of the legs.
'Spring Awakening', NYU. Designer: Mia Cook
For an interior design firm. Their logo is an 'I' with 1/2 a red circle. Red circle was completed and carried on to other circles dancing across the transom windows. Casts gorgeous circles of color on the floor as you walk in.
Wholly Terra Studios, Baltimore, MD. Designer: Steve Baker
CrossFit Long Island City. Letters were all hand cut and welding 3-4" out from base for lighting to be installed.
Steel.
Crow Hill CrossFit. Letters all cut and worked by hand. Crow was built up mostly out of off cut from the letters.
Steel
Close up of crow
Close up of work done by hand on lettering.
For a music video, needed to hold the weight of 3 dancers standing on it. Steel.
Prop for a music video, needed to hold the weight of 3 dancers. Framing/ welding work only, finish work later done by others.
Because a keg fridge at a gym requires a particular style of tap handle..
Brushed steel, designed and fabricated by Becky Sagen
An interesting prop: 11’ banquet table had to be stood on by several opera singers, then collapse in the same scene with an actor operated mechanism. Production photos are the best photos of it, Opera Theater of St Louis 2011 season, photo credit to J. David Levy.
Welded aluminum stress-skin table, hinged aluminum legs with removable bracing. Set Designer: Bruno Schwengl
Shot with collapsed table. Opera Theater of St Louis 2011 season, photo credit to J. David Levy.
Welded aluminum stress-skin table, hinged aluminum legs with removable bracing. Set Designer: Bruno Schwengl
Various props from my 20 year stagecraft career, a few random pieces for inspiration, and past custom wedding gifts!
All items designed and fabricated by Becky Sagen unless credited otherwise.
Scrollsaw Fretwork clock. Customized by modifying an 'Alpine Clock' pattern. For Liz and Dallas DeForest.
1/4 birch ply, pendulum clock mechanism.
Refinished, then 1/4 ply scrollsaw fretwork panels added.
'Ragtime'- NYU. Designer: Jason Ardizonne-West
Made for funsies, out of Cherry.
Custom box for a ceremony involving a bottle of wine, 2 glasses, and letters written to your spouse, to be opened and enjoyed in 10years. The organic shape of this design was inspired by Dustin and Madeleine, two outdoorsy people who love the mountains.
Birch ply, white oak veneer, and Mahogany.
The back of Dustin and Madeleine's box, with a hidden spring magnet catch slot to hold extra stationary to write the next letters on.
Inside of Dustin and Madeleine's. Slot for letters, wine glasses, and supports for wine bottle.
This design was inspired by a couple who love to read, and really feel that their life 'is an open book of possibility'.
1/4 birch ply, walnut and birch veneer
Inside, with the slots for letters, wine glasses and a bottle of wine.
Custom box for the same letter/ glass/ wine ceremony. This for a couple that loves vintage looks and traveling!
Leather wrapped 1/2 birch ply, masonite details, brass hardware.
Rebuilt base so it would roll but support an actress and not move when climbed on without visible brakes. Welded base, birch facade and red oak veneer.
'Pelleas and Melisande', Opera Theater of St. Louis. Designer: Paul Steinberg
The table onstage; avec singer!
'Pelleas and Melisande', OTSL. Designer: Paul Steinberg
Center table is a purchased piece, Large and small replicas built for the eat me/ drink me scene in Alice in Wonderland where she grows and shrinks.
'Alice in Wonderland', OTSL. Designer: Allen Moyer
In progress photo :)
One in a series of three, these cute guys were a fun excuse to do some steam bending.
Second in the series of three. Steam-bent oak!
Reclaimed grandfather clock reimagined as a whiskey cabinet.
Projects that involved a wide variety of crafting/fabrication skills. Most of these were for theater work, but fun things can be made for your daily life!
All Projects designed and fabricated by Becky Sagen unless otherwise noted.
Organic design for custom piece.
Reclaimed window frame, reclaimed clear glass. Colored glass.
Wedding gift for Casey and Beth, a couple that loves tea. Dragonflies represent new beginnings.
Reclaimed window frame, reclaimed clear glass. Colored glass.
Designer's drawing for 2 plants. As a props artisan, you are often handed a drawing like this and told to build it. It’s really up to you how!
'Cossi Fan Tutti', Opera Theater of St. Louis. Designer: James Schuette
Completed Plants!
Foam, muslin, rubber, silk plant pieces, and LOTS of wire and paint.
'Cossi Fan Tutte', OTSL. Designer: James Schuette
The frame for the hands of a puppet for a 'giant' character.
Children's Show, NYU. Designer: Roy Howington
One of the completed hands. Metal rod, chicken wire, muslin.
The top head piece and left hand.
Children's show, NYU. Designer: Roy Howington
This was for an advanced prop making course I taught at CU Boulder Department of Theater and Dance. The project required students to carve an animal or animal part from pink foam, and then wire it to be a practical lamp. This was my example project I made one step ahead for students to learn from.
Design sketch and initial shaping. Pink foam, designed and built by Becky Sagen.
Progress point in the project- kraken tentacle has been carved, cut in half (not visible) and the channel for the wire has been set into the inside. Current materials are foam and clay
Finished lamp. The tentacle is gripping the light socket, and the mounting plate is designed to look like a porthole window on a boat. Example for an advanced prop making class I taught at The University of Colorado, Boulder. Carved foam, clay Rosco FoamCoat, latex paint. Final dimensions 20” tall x 8” x 9”.
Auctioned off for a charity event benefitting children and the arts in Richmond, VA.
Cherry and steel.
Designer drawing and research photo for a tree wagon.
'Carmen', OTSL. Designer: Paul Edwards
Skeleton and frame.
Aluminum, ply, wire.
In progress shot, covered frame with some latex cast bark applied.
'Carmen', OTSL. Designer: Paul Edwards
Close up of sheets of individually cast bark.
'Carmen', OTSL. Designer: Paul Edwards
Mostly finished, unpainted trees.
'Carmen', OTSL. Designer: Paul Edwards
Replica of a molded seat NYC subway car circa 1980's.
Ply, bendy board, steel grating.
'Marisol', NYU. Designer: Ariel Lacey
Because, why not?
steel
sits on the back of the toilet
Bathroom at work needed some personality
Weight bearing cannon. Purchased wheels.
'Daughter of the Regiment', OTSL.
Finished cannon onstage.
'Daughter of the Regiment', OTSL.
Fun little 1/2 snare drum pieces.
sonotube, plexi, ply, rope.
'Daughter of the Regiment', OTSL.
Commissioned stained glass piece.
Wholly Terra Studios, Baltimore. Designer: Becky Sagen
Not a costumer, but occasionally I do crafts.
Finished pieces enjoying their night out!
Poplar screen, lace texture, scrim fabric.
Student Show, NYU. Designer: Ariel Lacey
Just a few examples of paint treatments that can be applied to a residence or office! All work designed and executed by Becky Sagen unless otherwise noted.
This office needed a makeover to give it a better look to record podcasts in. We decided to go with a heavily textured plaster look in green.
Before the green plaster was added, we had a heavily textured white wall to start with. Awesome transformation!
This piece is also highlighted on our furniture page, but here is a close up of the 4 part paint/ stain treatment that we did to give it this specific rustic look. Perfect for Texas Hill Country!
This bedroom wanted an update with fun wallpaper and a lush, lively garden feel.
We helped find the perfect wallpaper, and suggested a few greens that would compliment it well. The client picked this cozy medium green that perfectly makes the wallpaper pop!
'Inlay Marble' look faux floor. Bonus: totally built that bench too!
Student Production, NYU. Designer: Carmen Chan.
Basically a classic ‘Italian Restaurant’ look. This is 100% a paint treatment on a 2’ x 3’ sample board.
Sample produced for stock scenery for a shakespeare festival.
Baltimore, MD
Made from antique lamp cages. After restoring/ build, before paint and finish.
After restoring and painting.
Adee wanted to transform the bedroom of the house they had just purchased; she came to us with a strong vision and a solid plan. She knew she wanted a dark, smokey, velvety feeling bedroom with Victorian-esque molding on the wall. She knew the color, the look, the chandelier…. but she didn’t know where the molding should go. What size? Where to buy? Wood or polyurethane? How does it attach, how do you cut it, and what is the best way to paint it??
Cue Sagenworks! I came in to teach her how to do a layout, point her at molding options and explain the differences. I taught her to paint molding, to cut it, attach it properly, and install the final chandelier. She was a rockstar taking on a big project right off the bat and it came out looking AMAZING.
As is when house was purchased.
WHAT A TRANSFORMATION!!! Scroll on for the journey.
Walls had a strong knockdown texture, typical in the texas hill country. First step was flattening the walls and priming them white! Then we took measurements so we could draw out the room in scale.
Preparation is the most important part! We drafted each wall of the room in scale to visual decide exactly where the molding should go. These drawings also became the master plan to order the correct amount of molding from, make a cut list, and also to reference exact measurements when we went to attach the molding to the wall.
Having a scale drawing can be a great visual tool to make sure the idea in your head and the plan you are setting in motion match!
We also used a chalk line to mark exact molding placement to double check it was what she wanted!! Here Adee is holding up one of the molding pieces that had already arrived.
Pulled from a longer video of me teaching tool safety and how to cut angles on a compound miter saw. She took to it like a pro!
Sometimes your ultimate plan of painting the molding first (pros and cons depending on the situation) gets only partly executed…
Final touches: put up the ceiling medallion and hang this stunning chandelier! Bonus- learning a bit of practical electrical work.
Debbie’s story is just cool. She has a LOT of cassette tapes, both from her own collection and some she inherited from her father. She wanted a funky coffee table that was mostly to display the cassettes, but also had a modern blue tooth compatible tape deck in it for times she wanted to listen to them. She knew she wanted it to fit in with her other decor, and she knew she wanted to use the legs off of several chairs she owned. What she didn’t know what exact size, how to determine materials, how the legs would integrate, and what to do about the top. Glass? Plastic? Hinged? Slides?
I came in and helped her decide required dimensions to hold her tapes, preferred dimensions for her overall look, and we went over all the options of materials and function for her preference and price range. Then she came up to our shop and built the table in 2 days!
A side view of the finished coffee table with Debbie’s family clowning around about it.
We started with a meeting, where Debbie and I looked at her living room, her general decor, and mapped out where the table would go. While there she showed me these chair legs and we worked them into the design.
It was a pretty straightforward table once we got the design together and ordered the lumber and the glass, so Debbie came up to our shop and we taught her all the tools she needed! Jig saw, compound miter saw, and the table saw.
Like most of our students, once she felt informed and confident, Debbie did an amazing job of cutting her table pieces and assembling with a great eye for detail!
Here it is! Stained and fully assembled with dividers for the tapes, tape deck, and 3 glass pieces designed to lift out for easy access in this particular design.
And there it is!! A funky, super fun table that is both functional and beautiful. We love quirky projects like this!
This is a work in progress! A new offering, we can do remote coaching on many projects. I spent a Saturday on facetime with Mary, who wanted to frame out her basement. No problem! She already had plans, so I sent her the tools she would need to buy and a lumber list to get started. It took us about 3 hours to learn the tools, the techniques, and build our first wall!! When her husband came home we put it up. Updates will be posted on our instagram, @sagenworks
Unfortunately I forgot to take screen shots of Mary and I while learning, cutting, and assembling, but this is the successful wall going up!!
Once the wall is in place we made sure it was plumb in both directions before attaching.
A little help on drill and driver bits, as well as some real time troubleshooting was helpful here.
One down!! Several more to go, which the family will do on weekends as they are able. Updates will be posted on our instagram!
A project that deserves it’s own portfolio page, this was one of my all time favorite projects during the two decades I spent working in theater and entertainment. From an incomplete pile of parts to working electric car onstage in 12 days. It was a beast of a project on a short deadline! All work done by me unless noted. Built at Opera Theater of St. Louis for a production of ‘Carmen’. Designed by Paul Edwards.
From zero to working electric car in 12 days. Finished project. I called her 'Lola'.
'Carmen', Opera Theater St. Louis. Designer: Paul Edwards
Day 1- received 3 things: 1) Pile of fiberglass body pieces.
2) Electric golf cart chassis already modified by Dick Shetley to the dimensions of the final car.
3) Designer provided research photo.
Progress, week 1.
In- progress, week 1
In- progress, end of week 1
In-progress, week 2
In-progress, almost end of week 2.
Final Product, 12 days start to finish. Aluminum framing, lumber, fiberglass, bondo, plexi, cintra, leather, etc.
All work executed by Becky Sagen except:
Modified chassis and running boards: Dick Shetley
Upholstery: Scott Rygalski
Working headlights: local 6 union electricians
Final paint: USA union painters
Lola's other side.
'Carmen', OTSL. Designer: Paul Edwards
The white 'top' was a structural seat for the opera singers to ride in on.
View of the electric car charging.