Nine designers work socially distanced wonders with wood

Karl Harkness, the owner of Iron Oak, a custom furniture fabrication shop located in Shockoe Slip, has a lifelong passion for building. From a young age, he enjoyed disassembling and reassembling objects. This interest continued even as he pursued a business degree at Virginia Commonwealth University. Six years prior to establishing Iron Oak, Harkness began crafting furniture. As the demand for his custom pieces grew, he officially opened Iron Oak in 2014 to cater to this increasing clientele. Iron Oak provides a comprehensive turnkey service, involving a collaborative process with each customer. Harkness and his team work closely with clients to understand their specific vision for a piece, then develop a strategy to bring that vision to fruition. Their initial focus is on the functionality of the furniture, incorporating elements such as adjustable feet or electrical plugs when necessary. This ensures the piece is perfectly suited for its intended space, whether for a designer or a homeowner. The company's objective is to create durable furniture that will endure over time and effectively serve its purpose within the environment. The business specializes in crafting distinctive statement pieces, with a particular emphasis on dining room tables and bar cabinets. Iron Oak's manufacturing process utilizes locally sourced, reclaimed wood and metal, aligning with a commitment to sustainable practices and local resources. Their work spans both residential and commercial sectors. Notable commercial projects include the design and construction of clothing display units and a cash register desk for Jackson & James, a men's clothing store in Scott’s Addition. They also produced picnic tables for the outdoor patio of Gelati Celesti Ice Cream on Boulevard and barstools for a new brewery in Scott’s Addition, showcasing their versatility in different commercial settings. A key advantage highlighted by Harkness is Iron Oak's dedication to lifelong maintenance of each piece they create. This commitment stems from their local presence, allowing them to offer ongoing support to their customers. If a client encounters an issue with a piece in the future, or if they desire a refinishing service, Iron Oak stands by its product and provides these services. This ensures that customers receive sustained backing for their furniture for many years after purchase, reinforcing the company's reputation for quality and customer care. #WhereToFindItGuide #Furniture #Makers #IronOak #CustomFurniture #Woodworking #ReclaimedWood #MetalFabrication

The global woodworking market, valued at over $765 billion, presents a significant opportunity for individuals with a passion for crafting and an entrepreneurial mindset. Wood accounts for nearly 30% of the worldwide handicraft market, indicating a robust demand for wood-based products. This article explores various woodworking projects suitable for online sales, categorized by their application: home and decor, kitchen and dining, and outdoor and garden, as well as children's items and gifts. It also provides insights into the profitability of different projects, essential tools, and strategies for selling woodworking creations online. For home and decor, popular woodworking projects include wooden signs, picture frames, wooden art, and furniture. Wooden signs are versatile and can be customized for indoor or outdoor use, making them ideal for beginners, with low costs and easy shipping. Picture frames, also suitable for beginners, can be crafted from reclaimed wood, reducing material costs. Wooden art ranges from simple cutouts to elaborate sculptures, with costs varying based on complexity and materials. Furniture, while requiring intermediate to advanced skills, offers significant market potential, with wood products claiming almost 40% of the US furniture market. Costs for furniture can be moderate to high, but options like furniture flipping can reduce initial investment. In the kitchen and dining sector, wooden kitchen products such as cutting boards, coasters, utensils, and serving trays are highlighted. The kitchenware market is projected to reach over $25 billion by 2027. These projects generally require intermediate skills and moderate costs, with pricing varying based on material inputs. Wood boxes, from storage crates to ornate jewelry boxes, are another versatile project, with beginner-friendly options and low startup costs, especially when using repurposed materials like pallets. For outdoor and garden enthusiasts, birdhouses and planters are viable options. Birdhouses cater to a growing market of recreational birders, with projects ranging from beginner to intermediate skill levels and low to moderate costs. Planters, easily made from wood, can range from small succulent holders to large garden boxes, requiring beginner to intermediate skills and low to moderate costs. Wooden surfboards, while requiring advanced skills and higher material costs, address the consistent demand for surfing gear and offer an eco-friendly alternative to foam or plastic boards, allowing for premium pricing. Repurposed and scrap wood projects, such as planter boxes, decorative signs, and coffee tables made from wood pallets, offer a sustainable approach with low costs, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers willing to pay a premium for such products. For children and gifts, wooden blocks and toys are popular. Children's blocks, made from wood scraps, are beginner to intermediate friendly and low-cost, though they require adherence to safety standards for non-toxic finishes and appropriate sizing. Wooden toys, ranging from simple blocks to puzzles and chess sets, tap into a $40 billion annual market. These projects are intermediate in skill level and moderate in cost, with strict safety regulations requiring a Children's Product Certificate. To ensure profitability, it is essential to understand profit margins. Furniture brands, for example, typically have margins around 28.5%. The article identifies custom furniture, home decor and accessories, wooden toys, decorative wall signs, and birdhouses as high-margin items. Basic woodworking tools include wood, glue, handsaws, CNC machines, power drills, mallets, and safety gear. The process of selling woodworking projects involves choosing a trending product, identifying the target market through local research and craft fairs, building an e-commerce website, listing products with high-quality images and compelling descriptions, and driving traffic through marketing strategies. Utilizing analytics to improve business performance and exploring diverse sales channels, such as online marketplaces (Etsy, eBay), social media storefronts, and local events, are also crucial for success. Shopify is presented as a platform that facilitates online sales by offering tools for website building, payment processing, inventory management, and multi-channel selling. #WoodworkingProjects #OnlineBusiness #CraftsForSale #Ecommerce #HomeDecor #WoodenFurniture #DIYCrafts #SmallBusinessTips #SustainableCrafting

This article showcases six distinct interior design projects by local Rochester designers, highlighting their unique approaches to transforming living spaces. Each project demonstrates how designers blend client needs with creative vision to achieve functional and aesthetically pleasing outcomes. Bob Breissinger, owner of Designers Library, details a kitchen remodel in a Perinton ranch house. The original kitchen was dark and enclosed, prompting a complete overhaul. Breissinger's team removed soffits, gutted the room, and eliminated a wall between the dining room and den to create an open floor plan. This transformation allowed for two islands, a 36-inch stove, a prep sink, and various ovens. White perimeter cabinets, white and amber-gray granite counters, and glass-fronted, lit cabinets contribute to a light and airy feel. Walnut-stained oak floors were matched to existing den floors, creating a cohesive look. The project dramatically changed the home's feel and functionality, making it ideal for cooking and entertaining. Ayse Lewis, an interior designer based in Canandaigua and Rochester, shares her personal project: an 800-square-foot cottage on Canandaigua Lake that she transformed into a 2,000-square-foot, two-story home. Lewis, who always envisioned living on a boat, retained the original footprint due to legal requirements but maximized the lake views with numerous windows. Her design features a non-traditional nautical theme, incorporating colors from nature with touches of red and black. The master bedroom offers spectacular views, with a black-and-white zigzag rug evoking waves and pinkish-yellow lighting creating a sunset ambiance. The all-white, open-plan kitchen takes advantage of the lake views, designed to let natural outdoor colors infuse the space. Lewis emphasizes meaningful design that balances aesthetics with practicality, especially for a home frequently visited by grandchildren. Margit Jacobson, an interior designer and senior project manager at Leighton Design Group, discusses designing a grandchildren's suite in a Canandaigua Lake house. This project creatively utilized existing architectural elements like a pickled-wood ceiling, wood floors, and sloped roof angles to create specialized children's spaces. Jacobson focused on making the room functional and whimsical. She designed a reading nook with a daybed and open storage in a corner, alongside Dutch doors concealing a playroom. A built-in desk with a continuous paper scroll for art projects and a metal board above it offers creative outlets. The closet was converted into a nursery with wallpaper, built-in storage, and a chandelier, transforming it into a magical space. Jacobson highlights the satisfaction of seeing children actively engage with the room as intended. Robin Muto, owner of Robin Muto Interiors, addresses the challenge of merging disparate aesthetic preferences of a husband and wife in a Pittsford home. Muto, an interior and lighting designer, navigated the couple's preference for French Country (feminine) and industrial urban (masculine) styles. Through inspiration photos, she discovered common ground in the color gray and a rustic, warm aesthetic. The project, a whole-house interior design completed in two phases, prioritized the family room as a stylistic anchor. Muto opted for simplicity, focusing on color and texture rather than elaborate patterns. Elements like plain natural linen drapes, a traditional English sofa in linen velvet, a shabby-chic linen sofa, an industrial coffee table ottoman, and burgundy chairs were combined to create a handsome yet inviting space that satisfied both partners. Heather DeMoras, from Heather DeMoras Design Consultants, recounts the renovation of a 1901 Queen Anne home in Canandaigua. The goal was to preserve its Victorian charm while updating it for modern living. DeMoras conducted extensive research to ensure period appropriateness, incorporating Victorian and Arts & Crafts styles for a more casual feel. Period hardware, lighting from Historic Houseparts, and Bradbury & Bradbury wall coverings were selected, with colors inspired by the home's stained-glass windows. The kitchen was expanded by integrating the butler's pantry and a smoking room, featuring hidden appliances and custom cherry cupboards. Bathrooms incorporated Carrara marble, hand-painted subway tile, and oil-rubbed bronze fixtures. In the bedroom, a fabric matching the wall-covering was used for curtains around a bay window, creating a cohesive and anchored look. Jason Longo, founder of JDL Design, shares a career-defining project with a client in Henrietta. This client, a positive and resilient woman, sought a light, efficient, and eco-friendly home with warm colors after her husband's passing. Longo, who went full-time with his design company around this time, collaborated closely with her. The project involved improving the entry by creating a foyer and separating it from the new dining room (originally the living room) with a wall. The great room became the new living room. Longo reconfigured windows, added walls, and installed a flat wall of windows with an alcove in the dining room, alongside built-ins and an arch-top alcove. In the living room, square windows were replaced with a small arched window above a tiled fireplace, flanked by new windows. The client's trust allowed for significant structural changes. Longo reflects on her profound impact, as she validated his work and inspired him, even as she battled terminal cancer during the project's completion. #InteriorDesign #HomeRenovation #KitchenRemodel #LakesideLiving #ChildrensRoomDesign #VictorianHome #DesignChallenges #ClientRelationships #SpaceTransformation

Brazilian architect Paulo Kobylka has unveiled his latest design collection, dubbed ‘Gusset,’ which draws inspiration from structural timber elements commonly found in construction. The collection explores innovative ways to enhance the resistance of wood while mitigating its inherent weaknesses, particularly focusing on the longevity and stability of wooden furniture. Wood, a staple in construction for centuries, is extensively utilized in various capacities, including pillars, beams, roofs, frames, coverings, and furniture. A recurring challenge in wooden furniture design, especially for chairs, involves the susceptibility of joints between legs and seats to breakage or disengagement over time. To address this structural vulnerability, Kobylka delved into the principles of structural engineering, specifically the design of wooden trusses. Trusses are structural frameworks composed of triangular units, featuring straight elements connected at points known as knots. To secure these knots in wooden trusses, either screws are used for tightening the fitting ends, or gusset plates, which are metallic plates, are employed to reinforce the wood pieces, thereby increasing the rigidity of the entire structure. Kobylka’s ‘Gusset’ collection reinterprets this gusset plate concept for furniture design. The design integrates turned wooden legs, which are precisely fitted into tubular metal profiles and then securely screwed. This method significantly enhances the strength and durability of the joints connecting the backrest, seat, and legs. The combination of a metallic structure with solid wood components results in a collection that is both strong and robust. The ‘Gusset’ collection features a range of seating options, including a chair (PK12), an armchair (PK13), a double chair (PK14), and a sofa (PK15). Each piece is meticulously handcrafted by local workers, emphasizing quality and attention to detail. The metallic elements of the furniture are constructed from carbon steel and finished with automotive paint, ensuring durability and a polished appearance. The solid turned wood components are crafted from jequitibá, a native tree of the Brazilian Atlantic forest, known for its aesthetic appeal and structural properties. Customers have the option to choose from various finishes, including a natural look for the wood with a matte polyurethane varnish, an ebonized version, and upholstered seating options. This versatility allows for customization to suit different aesthetic preferences and interior designs. The collection’s emphasis on robust construction and timeless design aims to provide furniture pieces that are not only visually appealing but also built to last, effectively tackling common issues of wear and tear in wooden furniture. #FurnitureDesign #WoodenTrusses #StructuralEngineering #HandcraftedFurniture #PauloKobylka #GussetCollection #JequitibaWood #IndustrialDesign #SustainableDesign