Being averse to both chemicals and confined spaces, when I hear the term "ammonia fused," my first response is to open the nearest window, or, even better, head straight for the great outdoors. But my reaction to Volk's smart White Lacquer Credenza is exactly the opposite, as the piece's inset ammonia fumed white oak door pulls are but one among several innovative features.

White Lacquer Credenza. Designed by Brian Volk-Zimmerman. Manufactured by Volk.

Volk's White Lacquer Credenza Offers Aesthetic Intrigue and Spacious Storage

The White Lacquer Credenza's singular style of hardware isn't the only feature that sends me off to my virtual encyclopedia. For once I found out that ammonia fuming refers to a storied method of wood finishing that darkens oak to a deep rich hue, I refreshed my understanding of the term "credenza."

In the past I've used the word interchangeably with "buffet," and occasionally even "sideboard," to refer to any horizontally oriented furnishing used primarily for storage. As it turns out, credenza is significantly more precise. The term has origins dating back to Medieval Italy as a derivation of "credence"-"possibly from the practice of placing food and drink on a sideboard to be tasted by a servant before being served to ensure that it contained no poison."

That's a long way of suggesting that Volk's White Lacquer Credenza is a distinguished furnishing with spacious storage and a broad, inviting flattop surface. As discerning eyes will recognize, the piece is oak through and through: from the white oak frame, to white oak veneer sliding doors, to the aforementioned ammonia fumed pulls.

Saving the best for last... the piece gets its name-and its aesthetic singularity-from the cool lip of white lacquer that frames the whole. The feature gives the piece enhanced textural appeal as well as the appearance of greater depth. But as it turns out, Volk's White Lacquer Credenza has sufficient depth as is. With spacious dimensions of 32.5"H 68"W 20"D, the piece will accommodate your prized possessions with aplomb-faster, in fact, than you can say "inset ammonia fumed white oak door pulls."

About the Manufacturer: Brooklyn-based Brian Volk-Zimmerman likes to keep things in the family. In fact, the designer owes his passion and vocation to an early find in the attic of his boyhood home. The simply constructed wooden side chair featured solid wood, traditionally handcrafted joints, and a fine finish. As it turned out, the piece had been designed and built by Volk-Zimmerman's great-great-great uncle. Ever since, Volk-Zimmerman has dedicated himself to producing classic handcrafted wooden furnishings with exciting and unusual contemporary details: "drawers lined with shirting fabric or ultrasuede; antique organ stops re-tasked as drawer pulls... the promise of Volk Furniture is that future generations will treasure the simplicity, care and craft embodied in each piece."