What can you imagine when you look up at a tree?
As I am returning to Michigan after attending a Hardwood Furniture Market, I am thinking about a couple of conversations that I had with some of the craftsmen. This market specializes in all American built furniture pieces which are crafted one piece at time with heirloom quality. Each piece is made to your specific sizes, woods species and stain color which makes it a unique piece of art!
As I spoke with one of the owners, he told me that he wants to see a wood lot thrive, so he purchases standing timber. People are surprised to hear that there is more hardwood timber standing today than there was in the early 1900’s, because they manage what is cut, ensuring more harvestable timber for future generations. They have deep concern for environmental awareness, planting thousands of seedlings, relying on alternative energy and leaving a low carbon footprint. They are very efficient with the use of the wood. Every piece is used. Smaller pieces cut off are sent to other factories for use in smaller items like boxes or toys and shavings are
used to heat the factory or given to farmers for animal bedding.
All of these factories work together cooperatively to ensure customers receive the incredible quality of a small, hands-on shop with the manufacturing power of a large one. Each of these builders work with other local builders who specialize in certain parts of the completed piece. One factory may just do chairs, while another does just tables. This way a larger shop deals with the logistics of building the final piece while others are supplying the components to complete it.
I am overwhelmed with the creativity these craftsmen offer, and the unbelievable beauty a piece of wood has! In the near future I will have some of these new pieces in stock: Dining
sets in wormy maple, or end tables in quarter sawn oak, pieces in solid maple and cherry, all in different wood stain colors.
So, if you have been looking for a quality piece and just haven’t found it, come in and let us help you design a piece made just for you! Next time you are in woods, gaze upon a tree and see what you can imagine!
