03 Apr IN THE WORKSHOP: UP TO THE CHALLENGE

Jaxon Ching, owner and operator of Willow Creek Woodworks, didn’t set out to own a full-service woodworks mill. In fact, his journey into woodworking was quite accidental. After graduating from high school in New Jersey, he joined the U.S. Navy. At one point, he was assigned the job of fixing up bunkbeds and cabinets in the barracks, which were stainless steel and assembled together with rivets. During the assignment, Ching realized he enjoyed working with his hands and appreciated using tools and tape measures to make each furniture piece meet exact standards.

Jaxon Ching, owner and operator of Willow Creek Woodworks, oversees the production of their innovative designs. | PHOTO BY SADEE CHING

After he left the service, Ching stayed in California and found a job at a fencing company, where he learned to work with wood. Later, he ventured into a different type of woodwork: cabinetmaking. Ching found a job in Napa Valley and quickly picked up the craft. On the side, he built furniture for his home, including nursery pieces like the crib and bassinet he constructed when he and his wife welcomed their first child.

Eventually, the family decided they wanted to live in a quieter environment where they could raise their kids. Lured by great fly fishing and the peacefulness of the mountains and rivers, they soon made eastern Idaho their home. Once settled, Ching took a position with a local cabinet shop. He thrived, not only building and installing cabinets but also working with clients and architects to perfect each order. Having become experienced with each facet of the business, Ching was encouraged by his wife to launch their own company.

The couple started Willow Creek Woodworks in 1997. As Willow Creek grew, the company established clients in various locations like Utah and Sun Valley, Idaho. But Ching realized the challenge of having clients located hours away; instead, he wanted to focus closer to home. So the team homed in on Jackson, Wyoming, where they had established relationships and which is less than 100 miles from their home in Idaho Falls. Today, the vast majority of their business is in Jackson. And they stay busy.

Bryan James, a principal of CLB Architects, works with Ching’s team frequently. “Every project is completely custom, and our clients expect the best possible products,” he says. “Jaxon honed the process at Willow Creek to elevate the level of engagement and communication to not only ensure the highest level of quality but that design intent is met and client expectations unique to each project are satisfied.”

Solid custom dovetail kitchen drawers show Willow Cree Woodworks’ attention to detail. | PHOTO BY SCOTT GARDNER

With horizontal planking, grainmatched for a continuous look, this kitchen range has a full marble surround and backsplash pockets that slide into the side cabinets, exposing brass shelving for convenient spice storage. | PHOTO BY SCOTT GARDNER

Willow Creek Woodworks focuses on creating custom designs that often integrate metal and wood. In Jackson, a contemporary Mountain Modern style is most in demand these days, with many clients looking for interior components like flat-panel doors with grain matching and veneers using materials like oak, walnut, and a variety of exotic and international woods.

“Every project is special,” says Ching. “We’ve had the opportunity to work with very high-end homes with very high-end architects. … They’re all special and unique.”

Since the company’s work is bespoke, they’ve been involved in some innovative projects, Ching says. For example, he recently crafted a pivot door made out of 5.5-inch-thick bronze that was 6 feet wide on the pivot. The team is up for just about anything. “We build things that are challenging, and that’s what keeps driving us,” he says.

James agrees that Willow Creek can craft even the most unique designs skillfully. “Jaxon never backs away from a challenge,” he says. “We push the limits with inventive design work, and he has always been an effective partner in pushing new ideas forward.”

A stunning blend of craftsmanship and modern design, this floating bathroom vanity showcases the natural beauty of white oak. Expertly handcrafted, its rich grain patterns and warm tones bring an organic elegance to the space. The seamless minimalist design enhances both functionality and aesthetic appeal, creating a statement piece that embodies timeless woodworking artistry. | PHOTO BY WILLOW CREEK WOODWORKS

While traveling in Ecuador, Ching was intrigued by the rich graining of the Saman wood he found. He brought around 50 slabs home and uses each carefully selected slab to create timeless pieces. | PHOTO BY SCOTT GARDNER

Over the years, Ching has gradually expanded Willow Creek’s wheelhouse so that his team can have agency over each element, ensuring the final product is exactly what they and their customers want. Five years ago, Ching branched into metal fabrication since many of his latest projects feature 15-, 20-, or even up to 30-percent metal. Having acquired cutting tools, waterjets, and additional tools and equipment, Ching now runs a full metal-fabrication shop in addition to working wood.

He’s also delved into exotic woods and offers a selection of live-edge Saman slabs he personally sourced from Ecuador. These hardwood slabs — with reddish-brown heartwood and pale-yellow sapwood — can be used for tables, benches, and bar tops. On a trip to Ecuador, Ching saw slabs for sale and worked with his cousin, an architect in Ecuador, to obtain the necessary licenses and permits. They eventually shipped around 50 slabs to his Idaho workshop, and Ching built himself an office desk made from Saman wood, which shares some characteristics with mahogany. He’s created Saman dining room tables and is also using it for a countertop in his home.

Willow Creek Woodworks has a full metal-fabrication shop with a waterjet cutting machine and many other tools that allow them to handle metal needs in house. | PHOTO BY SCOTT GARDNER

A Jackson Hole client loved the team’s work so much that they asked Ching to build the kitchen in their San Francisco home, located in the heart of the city on the top floor of a building with a very small elevator. Willow Creek Woodworks overcame the challenge to create a stunning kitchen with cherry, flush fine-line stile-and-rail doors an colored-glass countertops. | PHOTO BY WILLOW CREEK WOODWORKS

While the company started small, Willow Creek Woodworks employs around 45 people today, allowing Ching to take on bigger, more elaborate projects. He stays busy making sure each order moves along smoothly, overseeing a multiplicity of variables and components. “I’ve always been quality driven,” he says, adding that he strives to make sure that every client is satisfied and ends up with exactly the piece they set out to create.

Ching finds his work with Willow Creek Woodworks rewarding and says it’s satisfying to look back on the projects his company completes. “My favorite part is when the job is done, and I look at the completed house and can say to myself, ‘Wow, we did this.’”

Kristen Pope is a freelance writer and editor who covers stories about mountain living, science, conservation, travel, and the outdoors for a number of outlets; kepope.com.