Gino Burelli has created the ultimate optical illusion. With the help of a plasma laser cutter and benefiting from the analytical views of two designers and the creative vision of two airbrush artists, Burelli founded the Benchworks, a company that creates five-foot-wide, auto-themed benches made from a variety of metals and designed to resemble any automobile that the customer desires.

The process begins with photos taken of the customer’s car from various angles, with special attention drawn to any notable markings or distinctive features that make the car recognizable among auto enthusiasts or the general public—a detail that Burelli says is crucial for creating bespoke pieces of functional art. "It’s a custom piece of artwork, so you’re trying to incorporate the distinct features and markings that are on the car into the design of the bench," he says. "Anything that is a distinct part of the car that is recognizable among the collectors, those are the things that you want on it."

Once the photos are taken, the designers use them to map out the shape of the bench, creating computer programs for the plasma laser cutter—a tool which Burelli acknowledges is the key component in making the benches a reality. "When you get into plasma cutting and the things that you can do with metal today," he says, "you can make anything that you want." The most common material that Burelli uses is steel and, as such, a standard five-foot-wide bench weighs about 250 pounds. However, because each bench is a custom design, any metal can be used and the dimensions can be tailored to the customer’s specifications.

A standard-sized bench (shown here) starts at $2,995, but larger dimensions and the extent of detailing during the painting process can increase the price by as much as $1,000. Being a Corvette restorer and a car collector, Burelli understands that such attention to detail is paramount, and he says it’s not uncommon for customers to want the finished bench to look exactly like their car, with every detail accounted for. "You can do a lot of shadowing, which will still give you the feel of what it should be," he says, "or you can make it crazy, if you want, with every little detail."

The most detailed designs are the ones that could pass for a real car from a distance, and that’s the appeal of the bench and, as Burelli explains, what makes it such a great fit for a car enthusiast’s garage or showroom. "There are details and graphics on all four sides, so they can free-stand or go up against the wall," he says. "The bench disappears into the design of the car, and that’s what we’re going for. They literally look as good as the car. It’s a really cool gift for the guy who has everything."

The Benchworks, www.thebenchworks.com