Blender might not be CAD, but with the right workflow, it can become a powerful tool for precision design — even for real-world woodworking projects. In CRAFTSMAN, CG Cookie instructor and professional carpenter Sascha Feider reveals his complete pro

You never know who you might meet on a plane. Four years ago, ELLE Decor A-List designer James Huniford, known as Ford, began chatting with the gentleman across the aisle. Both have children, and both spend time in the Hamptons, so they had a lot to talk about. The man mentioned he was hoping to buy land in the Hamptons for a vacation house. Huniford encouraged him and handed over his business card. But after landing, the designer gave no further thought to the encounter, so he was surprised when, several months later, the man’s wife called.The couple, who had rented in the Hamptons for years, had found an idyllic site on a peninsula in Sag Harbor, private but close to town. Though their city home is traditional, they chose William Reue, a New York architect known for crisp, modernist geometry, to design the house. He conceived of a three-story home with six bedrooms, large enough for the couple and a parade of guests, including their four grown children and their partners. Landscape designer Edmund Hollander, renowned for projects such as the public garden at the Kennedy Center in Washington, was brought in to envision an environment worthy of the setting. Pernille LoofEven before the foundations were poured, the couple invited Huniford to the site. They made it clear that they didn’t want either a conventional shingled beach house or a stark white box. “They told me, no trends,” he says. “They wanted a sense of playfulness. And they love color.” The man’s wife explained exactly what she wanted: “A house where I feel like I’m on vacation every time I step inside. And even when I am inside, I want to feel like I’m outside.” In some ways Huniford was an unexpected choice, since he is not often tapped for sleek, contemporary interiors. But he proved to be a wise one. He has an eclectic eye that can discern the beauty in a rusted tool or an old road sign, in rough-hewn beams or a clunky Victorian washstand. He juxtaposes these disparate elements with clean-lined furnishings, in restrained but never cold spaces. Over the past two decades he has designed apartments and country houses for a variety of people in the worlds of finance, media, and entertainment, including Broadway producers Jeffrey Seller and John Gore. “I never doubted that [Ford] was the right person,” the wife says. “I knew the house would be beautiful. Some people were surprised at our choice, saying, ‘That’s not his style.’ But so what? A good designer always has more up their sleeve than people think.”“They told me, no trends. They wanted a sense of playfulness. and they love color.” —James HunifordHuniford immediately knew water would be central to his conception. “The light is extraordinary,” he says. “The reflection off the water inspired the palette of saffron, green, and blue.” For inspiration he looked to French modernism, especially the simple, sunstruck variety in the South of France, exemplified in Eileen Gray’s 1929 house in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, and the nearby beach cabin Le Corbusier built two decades later. To soften this home’s geometry, Huniford filled the rooms with craftsmanship, incorporating both vintage furnishings and commissioned items. The dramatic wood staircase was based on one he had spotted at an antiques dealer on the Left Bank in Paris. The den’s paneling is inset with butter-fly joints evocative of iconic designer George Nakashima’s woodworking techniques.Huniford divided the huge living area into zones, creating a sense of loft living at the beach. Wit and color are equally evident: in the dressing room’s postmodern “Queen Anne” chair by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown; in the kitchen’s gold-streaked stone, which the designer dubs “Cy Twombly marble”; and in the powder room lined in Yves Klein–blue parchment.Huniford’s good fortune on this project extended beyond the initial chance encounter. These clients let him stretch into new territory, more colorful and contemporary. “They pushed me,” he says. “And they trusted me.” ◾ This story originally appeared in the Summer 2025 issue of Elle Decor. SUBSCRIBE

Here's what we looked at this week:When marketing trumps product design: A digital camera with fake analog controls becomes a crowdfunding smash. This ATMO drone from Caltech smoothly transitions from flight to four-wheeling. In Germany, in-curb EV chargers have been rolled out in a pilot program. They're 99% reliable.This unique recessed handrail feature, designed by Adjaye Associates.Industrial design firm No Picnic makes even telecommunications gear look good.The Archibald, by industrial designer Leo Salzedo, is a convoluted towel radiator made from a single steel tube.Whirlpool's retrofittable, rotating lower-level dishwasher rack improves accessibility.Industrial designer Nik Bentel's Loopy Chair, inspired by bike racks.Sky View's smart design feature makes transparent stargazing tents practical.Architect turned product designer develops the Kara Pod, a countertop air-to-water device that also makes coffee.Engineer Patrick Schlott fixes old payphones, re-installs them in public places and provides free calls.Japanese specialty woodworking tools: A Knot Remover kit.Far cheaper, pellet-based industrial 3D printing from Pollen AM.Square's new handheld reader, created in collaboration with industrial design firm Huge Design.Peter Donder's mysterious and beautiful robotic chicken feet.The Macaron, Mavimatt's quirky furniture piece with a hidden table surface.This heavy-duty steel media cart is by Modern Industrial Furniture, founded by a tech worker turned furniture designer.Hyundai's incredible WIA autonomous robot parking valets.Industrial design case study: Y Studios designs a laptop privacy shield.

When crafting objects or structures out of real wood, knots are part of the aesthetic. But particularly demanding clients might find them objectionable. Enter this Knot Remover kit, from Japanese tool manufacturer Star-M. First you drill the knot out with the tapered bit. Then you attach this thing, which is essentially a giant pencil sharpener, to your drill.You select a dowel of the appropriate size and go at it.Pound the dowel in with glue, flush-cut it, and you're good to go. (No idea why they don't include a shot of the completed process.)

Lyse Martel is a Berlin-based “Color, Materials, and Finish” (CMF) designer and strategist in the mobility and consumer electronics industries. Her work combines craftsmanship and emerging technology to shape design strategy, drive material innovation, and create new sensory experiences. Lyse is fascinated by design’s power to shape how people feel and act. She believes design can foster emotional connection and wellbeing at a time when AI and automation are making their way into many new consumer product experiences, from the car to the living room. Below, Martel explores the emotional dimension of circular design and how the CMF field is evolving to meet the global challenges of circularity and sustainability. Fast Company: Please introduce yourself to our readers.Lyse MartelLyse Martel: I’m Lyse Martel, a CMF designer and design strategist, working primarily in automotive and consumer electronics. CMF, which stands for Color, Materials, and Finish, is about how a product looks, feels, and connects emotionally. So my work focuses on those elements as well as on strategy, brand identity, and sustainability. Although I mainly work in automotive and consumer electronics, CMF can apply to many different areas. Over the years I’ve worked with brands like Bang & Olufsen, Hopium, and NIO. And most recently I was directing a circular design project at Volkswagen Group—designing for circularity from the start with a large team of designers from different disciplines. How did you find your way into this field? It was step by step. My love for design was always there, even before I knew what to call it. It was shaped by my family’s craftsmanship, as well as my own curiosity for shapes, textures, colors, and sensory experiences. On my father’s side, I grew up around a lot of woodworking and carpentry. And on my mother’s side are generations of tailors. So that gave me an appreciation for textiles and textures and detailing and crafts. And I’ve always loved illustration and drawing and building small architectures with natural elements—everything that could involve materials and aesthetics. And I think that brought me to materiality and storytelling and eventually to CMF design. Were you able to find an educational path that encouraged your interests? I went to a specialized high school for applied arts and design, where I grew immensely as a creative person, and had a teacher who supported me and saw my potential with conceptual thinking. At university another teacher encouraged me to apply to a design internship in the automotive sector in Paris, and that’s how I formally entered the CMF design field. I was immediately drawn to the innovation and complexity of using material and color to shape the brand identity for a mobility project. [Photo: Lyse Martel]How do you stay on top of trends in color and material?Much of it is intuitive, but we also learn to connect the dots and see trends. I’m very much inspired by psychology and by what’s going on in the world—anything that could possibly impact human experiences and emotions. I’m paying attention to developments in architecture, interiors, digital and physical design, and material innovation. I’m also looking at global trends that have nothing to do with the design industry, including culture and the natural world. Nature plays a big role because you can look at how light interacts, how materials evolve with time, the functioning of ecosystems, and agriculture. I’m also very interested in how CMF design intersects with concepts like wellbeing and happiness, so I follow influential practitioners like Ivy Ross from Google, and Susan Magsamen, who works on neuroaesthetics, and Carol Gilligan, the psychologist and philosopher. Could you share more about neuroaesthetics? Neuroaesthetics looks at how design makes people feel: how beauty and art and design influence our brain, and how things like color, textures, light, and sound make us react cognitively or emotionally. We know that certain visual experiences will calm or excite us, while others make us feel uncomfortable. Designers can leverage those insights to create more meaningful and intuitive interactions. I’ve always been fascinated by how design makes people feel, and neuroaesthetics gives us the scientific reasoning behind those ideas. For instance, when I’m working with color and material for a car interior, I can decide to craft a more calming atmosphere with natural materials, or use soft lighting or a color gradient that can guide the user’s eye. I can think about how textures and tactility will influence the user’s feeling of comfort, or their perception of product quality or durability. When it comes to sustainability, there are a lot of materials that may not be readily acceptable to a user. In that case it can be helpful to lean into the authenticity of that material, perhaps by making it warmer or softer, or relating it to nature through colors or grain. So if we can somehow elevate or upscale the experience with that material, then we can start to shift the mindset to embrace sustainable materials or choices. Earlier you mentioned your work in circular design. Could you share more about that? Circular design is rethinking how we create and use products. It means designing for longevity, adaptability, and regeneration. We seek out the right materials, we design for easy reuse and repair, and we try to ensure that the product stays in circulation for as long as possible. Longevity is the number one criteria, because the longer you use a product, the less impact it has in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and other waste metrics. With circularity do you encounter pushback from industries that simply need consumers to keep buying more stuff? It does clash with short-term profit models, so it’s not easy for businesses to embrace it completely. But there is momentum for circular design, which is driven by consumer expectations, tighter regulations, and a growing recognition that resource efficiency is also smart business. I’ve seen mobility and consumer electronics firms try out concepts like modularity, repairability, and designing with disassembly in mind. Neuroaesthetics seems to be a strategy for tapping into people’s innate preferences for certain colors, materials, and finishes. But could also instigate behavior change, by tapping into the emotional layer of circularity? Absolutely, it can be surprisingly comforting, even if the materials are unexpected. When designing a circular product, you’re often working with waste, like a polymer that’s meant to circulate between cars. The challenge is making that material feel good, both emotionally and physically. What works is embracing the material’s character, maybe it has a soft texture or a slight irregularity, like a grain or uneven thread. Or it comes in a natural color that feels ultra-fresh. These little details shift the focus from what it is to how it makes you feel. You might not even realize it’s recycled plastic, but it just feels right. Sometimes, a car interior can feel like a cozy cabin, all because of the right textures and tones. That emotional layer is what really connects circularity.How could neuroaesthetics help make people comfortable with something new, like self-driving cars? It’s really about how shapes, colors and textures support the digital experience; all the micro-details working together to help the user feel at ease. I’ve been testing self-driving vehicles recently, and it’s surprising how much the environment impacts your reaction. In one case, the layout was minimal, with just the right number of buttons, and that simplicity helped me relax. But I also tested a car that was entirely gray, and it felt dull and dated. Light tones or soft gradients, something that evokes a sunrise or sunset, can go a long way in making the space feel more inviting.With automation, trust becomes a key part of the brief. How easily will someone understand what’s happening? Are they okay letting go of the wheel? That’s where CMF design needs to be fully integrated. I have to work closely with the interior and UX designers so that everything speaks the same language. If I propose a soft, natural palette and the shapes are cold or aggressive, it creates a disconnect.[AI Image: courtesy Lyse Martel]Can you share how you use AI in your work, or how AI factors into the CMF design process? It’s part of my creative process in that it helps me visualize materials, colors, and sensory experiences I’m considering for a project. It’s a great way to communicate an idea visually, and also to put it out there so someone else can pick it up and build on it. So for me, it’s really a tool that helps us be more precise in how we express and share ideas.There are also really promising use cases in circular design, where AI can help us map local resources and integrate them more intelligently into products. For example, there’s a lot of bamboo in China, linen in the north of France, or paper waste around Berlin. So what can we do with that knowledge? We can see where materials are available, but also think about how to reduce waste, predict life cycles, or imagine new reuse scenarios. Anything that involves localizing or optimizing can be supported by AI.And as the digital world increasingly shapes the physical one, I think there’s real potential in using these new, hyper-sensory AI-generated visuals to inspire physical experiences. Neuroaesthetics helps us design for emotion, and AI can help translate those emotional cues into visual concepts that, when made real, feel meaningful and multi-sensory. Do you ever get any pushback for the decisions that you or your team might make as CMF designers? Sometimes there’s a strong reaction to a particular color or material choice. I remember working on a concept car called Eve, developed with a strong focus on emerging markets and innovative design languages. I proposed an exterior in a rose gold tone, which could be read as pink. That sparked some discomfort in the room. I think it challenged certain expectations of what a car should look like, especially in Western automotive culture. But in China, rose gold is often associated with refinement and quality. It’s not seen as gendered in the same way. So for me, it was an opportunity to bring a fresh, culturally relevant aesthetic into the project. I understood the hesitation, but that’s part of the role. Sometimes CMF invites us to gently shift the visual language and open up new emotional possibilities.[Image: Felix Godard Design]Are there certain colors and finishes that are timeless and others that are more transitory? In the last decade we used a lot of neutrals, like beige and gray. Many brands also decided to shape themselves around their core colors—“our black,” “our white,” etc. And they would build up from there to include more exciting colors into their identity. Today I see those approaches being challenged. Gen Z is coming in and they have other ideas about what’s fresh. In the past few years we saw a lot of yellows. Recently, dark reds have been popping up everywhere, and they’re a powerful, timeless choice that adds richness and sophistication. These colors grab attention and can work well, but we need to be mindful of their relevance for long-term products.I believe there is still a need for that core timelessness. You might use black as a core color, but you might tint it blue to make it more interesting or less intense. When I was at Bang & Olufsen, we often discussed how to stand out from typical black consumer electronics. For a more lifestyle-oriented, subtle design in the home, why not use gray?[Image: courtesy NIO]Are you ever surprised when a particular color takes off? The latest Pantone color of the year is a brown-beige shade, which honestly surprised me. I’ve used warm grays before when I wanted to give a product a cozier, inviting feel, but this one doesn’t feel as fresh to me. I’m not sure it resonates with the moment in the same way other trends do. I love when a heritage brand takes an unexpected turn, like the paper company GF Smith, which recently rebranded with vibrant, poppy colors and introduced a bespoke, rounded sans-serif typeface, GF Smith Homie. I like to see they are brushing off the history to embrace different values and just be human. They want to stand for inclusivity, so they’re going to speak up about that and make sure it’s seen in the brand.Where do you draw creative inspiration? It’s really what makes me burn, what is calling my heart. I also need to talk to people—not only creatives, but people from all walks of life. I enjoy traveling through my city and looking at how people live. I learn a lot simply from riding the train, overhearing conversations, and observing how the mood changes with the seasons. I also read the news and check out certain magazines. There’s one I like, Imagine5, that focuses on how to make sustainability joyful. It explores that from all angles and it’s very accessible. You don’t have to be a sustainability expert to enjoy it. [Image: courtesy NIO]Could you share some of the projects you’ve worked on that you’re most proud of? I joined the global smart EV brand NIO in its early stages, when the brand vision was still taking shape, and contributed to the initial direction of color, materials, and finishes as part of the design team. The objective was to align with their vision of “Blue Sky Coming,” so we had to come up with progressive aesthetics and human-centered design, which later evolved into design principles. Shaping that brand was extremely rich for me in terms of learning and collaborating with so many talented designers. I also led a couple of projects – one was the previously mentioned concept car called Eve. I had the opportunity to introduce more natural materials and different colors that were not commonly used in the automotive space.Introducing new aesthetics became an important theme for my later work with Bang & Olufsen, which was about connecting the dots between sound and material and design. And then more recently, the circularity project I’ve been leading for Volkswagen Group is really close to my heart. The brief was to introduce longevity, adaptability, and recyclability across all design touch points for Volkswagen. To that end we provided creative direction that considered everything from exterior design, interior, user experience, and materiality.It was an interesting challenge to find the emotional layer of circularity, while staying on brand for Volkswagen. Circularity has a lot of very technical aspects, but as designers we can make circularity tangible. How do you deal with mistakes or failure in the creative process? I view mistakes or failure as an opportunity to test more, to rethink, and to reframe. If a design doesn’t work, how can we regroup and find a solution that’s way more interesting and beyond the obvious? In the creative process there can be a lot of fear associated with going against the grain. What I’ve noticed is that if we stay in that fear space, we close ourselves off to opportunities. It’s important to be in an open space of creativity and curiosity. Allow mistakes and failure to happen. When there is joy in the process and a strong intuition, you produce better results in the end. What advice would you give to aspiring designers, but also anyone who wants to enter the world you inhabit? Great design comes from a constantly growing and inspired mind. Stay curious and know that inspiration comes from everywhere. Embrace your uniqueness, but also be able to evolve from that. Be open to change and to new perspectives. There will be tough feedback and creative disagreements, but the important thing is how you receive those situations. Maintain a mindset of abundance and try to see the positive in anything you do. Finally, as creatives it’s important for us to take time alone to recharge, to reflect, and to work on our magic. When you’re feeling well and thriving individually, your creativity also does. At that point it’s crucial to rejoin the collective, where you have a chance to collaborate and experience the diversity of perspectives that fuels creativity. It can be a tough road for aspiring designers, but I would encourage them to proceed with care and openness, and to leave their fears behind. 

"She wears this house in her clothes." That’s how designer Kevin Sawyers describes the woman who lives in this 1915 San Francisco home with her husband and two kids, explaining, “If you looked in her closet, it would very much reflect these colors.” The house had been owned by an architect and was in great condition, but it was lacking something. “It was nice, but it didn’t have personality,” Sawyers says. “And the colors were not cohesive.” So he aligned it with her personal aesthetic. Dramatic, refined versions of colors and shapes the owner loves compose a palette Sawyers describes as “lip-smacking and playful, but certainly sophisticated.” It manages to be all those things at once thanks to a very tight edit of recurring colors. The deep red of the wallpaper in the dining room reappears on the kitchen backsplash, the family room rug, and as the guest bathroom’s wall paint; the peachy orange of the kitchen island pops up again in the primary suite. Multiple doses of each strong color give the house the cohesion and whimsy it had been missing.The mouthwatering color palette says everything about this home.The palette may be powerful, but the real star of the show is the woodworking. Custom case goods and murals in white oak cover practically every wall, providing storage, built-in furniture, and repeated visual motifs. Unique decorative elements feel ultrapersonalized; mountain range wall murals were inspired by the family’s recent vacation to Switzerland. The woodwork also grounds the palette's bold colors and brings out their earthy side, creating an atmosphere that is joyful, stylish, and clean.Very few structural changes were made—only the children’s bathroom got a new floor plan—but the three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom home is completely unrecognizable from the real estate listing photos. “There was not a single surface that wasn’t altered, updated, or replaced,” Sawyers says.FAST FACTSDesigner: Kevin Sawyers of Sawyers DesignLocation: San Francisco, CaliforniaThe Space: Three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom home.ENTRYWAYA graphic, playful take on necessary organization.R Brad KnipsteinTrim paint: OK Coral, Dunn-Edwards. Cushion fabric: Designers Guild. Pegs: Finnish Design Shop.The 3D wall mural by The Meticulous Handyman, who did all the home’s custom woodwork, depicts Swiss mountains. A mix of open and closed storage—including graphic circular wall knobs—provides plenty of room for storing outdoor gear. LIVING ROOMA vibrant introduction to the home's ethos.R Brad KnipsteinPaint: Limelight (accents), Snowy Shadow (trim, walls, ceiling), Dunn-Edwards; Magenta (fireplace), Benjamin Moore. Sofa: custom, Kroll Furniture, in Maharam fabric.R Brad KnipsteinRoman shade: Custom in Schumacher fabric. Stools: Hickory Business Furniture. Rug: Etsy.Sawyers framed the fireplace in Heath Ceramics tile, inspired by the client’s collection of the company’s bowls. An arch painted onto the wall repeats the shape of the bookshelf and polka dot textiles, adding to the playful vibe of this central homework station. FAMILY ROOM & PLAYROOMA bold embodiment of flexible, family-friendly style. R Brad KnipsteinSectional: Floyd. Roman shade fabric: Zak + Fox. Armchair: Design Within Reach. TV console: Blu Dot.Wood slats provide what Sawyers calls “a hint of separation” between the kids’ playroom area and this space. R Brad KnipsteinWallpaper: Pierre Frey. Stair carpet: Abbey Carpet. Planters: West ElmThe stairwell mural depicts a nocturnal version of the Swiss mountains, also seen in the entry. A plush carpet and bold wallpaper lend themselves to play and creativity. KITCHENA funky palette lays the groundwork for cooking and connection.R Brad KnipsteinBacksplash: Wow. Pendants: Louis Poulsen. Stools: Design Public.To update the kitchen's existing cabinetry, Sawyers had it painted in Snowy Shadow and Mysterious Blue from Dunn-Edwards and had the hardware powder-coated to match. The palette is reinforced throughout the rest of the space, with light fixtures and even tile that mimics the hues. R Brad KnipsteinIn a tucked-away pantry, neon green floating shelves provide a moment of playfulness and levity. BREAKFAST NOOKStart the day off on the bright foot.R Brad KnipsteinRoman shade fabric: Pierre Frey. Cushion fabric: Designers Guild. Table: Finnish Design Shop. Stools: Nortstudio. Polka dot pillows: Cathy Callahan.Sawyers designed the banquette, noting, “You can work here, or pull up a cocktail table for parties.” The fluted detail that acts as a backdrop also reoccurs in the family room and primary bedroom.DINING ROOMA sleek spot to entertain in style.R Brad KnipsteinPaint: Magenta, Benjamin Moore. Ceiling light: custom, Pani Jurek, 1stDibs. Sconces: In Common With. Table: Design Within Reach. Chairs: Design Public.Sawyers applied the Lee Jofa wallpaper over existing wainscoting for an added dose of texture. The top of the wall is painted in Magenta by Benjamin Moore, echoing the palette used throughout the rest of the home. PRIMARY BEDROOMMore subtle colors offer a moment of respite and relaxation. R Brad KnipsteinPaint: Daytona Peach, Benjamin Moore. Roman shade fabric: Fox Linton. Wallcovering: Wolf-Gordon. Bedspread: CQC.LA. Armchair: Design Within Reach. Side table: Oroa.Softer tones make this space “a little more relaxing than the rest of the house,” Sawyers says. Soft pops of green echo the reposeful view outside the bedroom window. PRIMARY BATHROOMPunchy hues and durable materials bridge the gap between form and function.R Brad KnipsteinPaint: Reeds (walls), Rouge (vanity), Dunn-Edwards. Sconce: In Common With. Vanity: custom, West End Wood. Mirrors: Robern. Tile: Crossville. Hooks: Schoolhouse. Countertop: Concrete Collaborative. Faucets: Graff.Rounded mirrors recall the custom wood arch in the bedroom. A terrazzo-style concrete countertop brings a dose of retro funkiness to the room. GUEST BATHROOMtk dekR Brad KnipsteinSconce: Dutton Brown. Mirror: Etsy.The existing vanity in this bathroom off the playroom was repainted in Dunn-Edwards Mysterious Blue, repeating the lower kitchen cabinet color, while walls covered in Benjamin Moore Magenta connect back to the dining room. About the DesignerKevin Sawyers founded his San Francisco-based firm, Sawyers Design, in 2008. The firm's signature look is highly evocative and marked by rich hues, a playful approach to proportions, and unexpected use of materials and finishes. Kevin prioritizes collaboration, both with his own team as well as with architects, builders, and trade partners, resulting in spaces that tell the full story of who their clients are.SHOP THE SPACEMuuto Dots Wood Coat Hook$26 at Finnish Design ShopCredit: Finnish Design ShopLína Swivel Chair$3,195 at Design Within ReachCredit: DWRBlu Dot Dang 2 Door / 2 Drawer Console$2,995 at bludot.comWest Elm Marta Ceramic Planter$49 at West ElmFollow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

First built in the 1500s, Osaka Castle has been destroyed, rebuilt and repaired over the years. In the early 1900s one of the wooden columns supporting the castle's main gate, known as the Otemon Gate, rotted out at the bottom. Craftsmen patched this in 1923 with this peculiar splice:I know the photo quality is poor. Here's a better photo of an identical splice joint executed by craftsman Chris Hall:Image and work: Chris Hall Following World War II, this splicing technique had been lost. Japanese craftsmen in the latter part of the 20th century had no idea how this splice was installed.In 1983, the joint was X-rayed. The joint was reverse-engineered, and Japanese craftsmen (and eventually Western craftsmen like Chris Hall*) learned to make it again.Here's how the mysterious joint goes together. I've cued this up to the right spot:The joint is referred to both by its technical name, basara-tsugi, and colloquially as the "Otemon splice."It's one thing to see how it goes together; it's another to make the joint on-site. Imagine trying to chisel that thing out, upside-down, on the rotted column while it's in place. I imagine installation on-site is similarly fiendish; if you cannot jack the entire structure up, you'd need to remove foundation stones (in Japanese timber framing, the posts often rest on stacked stone pilings dug into the ground) to have the space to wedge the replacement part in.----*Chris Hall was a highly skilled craftsman who shared his knowledge on his website, The Carpentry Way, until his passing in 2020. Hall's widow maintains the website in Chris' memory. If you're interested in woodworking, I highly recommend checking it out.