Vermont Woods Studios - Eco Furniture Blog

Help Keep Vermont Clean and Green

I’m horrified that Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources’ (ANR) is proposing to establish All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) trails on state land.  I wrote a letter to the editor of our local Brattleboro Paper, The Reformer and also wrote to Warren Coleman, head of ANR.  I’m asking our friends and customers to do the same.  Here’s the situation, as I see it.

 

In spite of much research that’s been done to characterize the extent of damage that ATVs do to our environment, the political leaders at ANR trudge ahead in encouraging and expanding their use.  Even if you want to put science aside, plain common sense reveals that noisy, gas-powered ATVs are polluting our air and water, damaging our land and disturbing our wildlife.  No one legitimately disputes that.

 

Clearly ANRs decision is not about conservation.  We all know that expanding ATV use is bad for the environment.  The decision is about Vermont's economy.  In the short term, one might argue that it's good for the economy and will bring in ATV tourists from neighboring states.  

 

However, ANR must consider the negative, long term economic effects that go with such a decision.  Vermonters have worked hard over the years, and indeed generations, to establish a clean, green state that values environmental conservation over short-term economic gain.  

Vermont's green identity or brand, if you will, has great value in terms of tourism, green products and green businesses.  

 

Please urge ANR to consider the damage they will be doing to Vermont's green brand by increasing the use of ATVs in our state.  The long term consequences of such a decision will be devastating to the state's economy and wildlife, as well as to the quality of our air, water and land.  

 

There is still time to email ANR and say NO to Establishment of ATV Trails on State land.  Send your email to warren.coleman@state.vt.us today.  The deadline for comments is Monday, June 22.

 

Thanks for your help in keeping Vermont clean and green!

Entertainment Centers: Customizing the Dimensions

Everyone loves to talk about Furniture Trends.  Are Entertainment Centers getting smaller as our AV equipment shrinks in size?  Or bigger as we move toward consolidating our media, electronics, books and chotchky all into one space?  The statistics indicate we're going smaller, especially for people who live in Manhattan and other cities where space is at a premium. 

On the other hand, many people who have the space are looking for larger furniture to house their Big Screen TVs and conceal their media as well.

More importantly though, people want their entertainment centers to look and function exactly as needed.  Customized entertainment centers are becoming more and more popular as people discover made-to-order furniture specialists who are happy to add a few inches of width, or scale down the height of a cabinet, or add extra drawers, shelves etc. 

Why not get exactly what you want?  After all, your furniture is an investment that can enhance your lifestyle and help provide a calming, soothing atmosphere for you and your family.  Make the most of it!

Perhaps the only Furniture Trend you need to be concerned with is the one towards better adaptation to the features in your home and complete enjoyment of the precious time you spend there.

For more on customized furniture, visit Vermont Woods Studios.

Vermont Woods Studios Customers Rock! Thanks For Completing Our Survey.

We were floored by your thoughtful, helpful responses to our Vermont Woods Studios website usability survey (Click here ...it's not too late if you haven't participated yet).  THANK YOU so much for the feedback, suggestions, comments, ENCOURAGEMENT and general support for our green mission and handmade furniture.  

I thought you might be interested in some of the improvements we're working on in response to your suggestions:

*   Enhanced website design

*   Better search capabilities

*   Larger, higher quality photos

*   More photos of design details

*   Greater product detail, including dimensions

*   Better definition of sale timelines

*   Enhanced navigation with Quick Links at the bottom of each page

*   Darker text for hyper links

*   Larger fonts for product options

*   Larger selection of products

We're also looking carefully at our FREE shipping policy.  Many of you loved it and others felt like they would rather see lower prices.  This deserves a separate blog entry or two, so will save it for later. 

It's not an overnight process, but we hope to have a significantly upgraded website available by the end of the summer.  After that, we'll still have many improvements on our wish list for the next upgrade, but even so, we think you'll see a great improvement by this Fall.

If you haven't filled ou the survey yet, it's not too late!  Click here, share your thoughts and get a $50 gift certificate for use on your favorite piece of Vermont Woods Studios handmade furniture.  Thanks again for all your help!  Keep your suggestions coming.

Custom Wood Buffet in Curly Maple

How do you like this Custom Wood Buffet made with curly maple and live edge glass doors?  It was designed by a customer and based on the Jim Andrews Contemporary Asian Sideboard.  It's really unique, isn't it?  The posts have a dark espresso stain, but they could just as easily be walnut or even cherry, to suit one's taste or compliment other furniture in the room.  With pieces like this, I always wish I could see them in the customer's home.  I bet this one is gorgeous.  

You can get creative and design a unique, custom piece for your home too.  Any of our Fine Handmade Furniture at Vermont Woods Studios can be customized affordably to fit perfectly into your space and style.

We also offer ultra luxury custom artisan furniture, if you're looking to start from scratch on your own idea or vision.  Have a look at our Artisan Custom Furniture for examples, then give us a call.  You can work directly with our artisans to bring your vision to life.  It's a fun experience and the result is something you and your family will cherish for generations.

Happy Birthday Rachel Carson!

Rachel Carson was born on this day in 1907, just a few months after my grandmother was born. Now that I think about it, they had quite a bit in common.  Both women were born and raised in rural Pennsylvania and both had a passion for nature. 

Rachel Carson studied marine biology and became a prolific nature writer.  She was an important voice for conservation and environmental protection, particularly through her book, Silent Spring.  This and her many other books eventually led to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides.  Her work with grassroots environmental advocates led to the creation of the EPA.

I think she was among the great heros of the 20th century.

And so was my grandmother...to me anyway :)

Thank You to All of our Service Men and Women

We are finishing up our yardwork and heading out to the Lilly Pond with canoe and kayaks.  Many thanks to all of our brave men and women in the Service whose hard work and sacrifices enable us to enjoy the freedoms that make our lives so rich.  We are grateful.

Thanks also to Custers Bath Body and Beyond for the image in this post.

Enjoy the holiday and next time you see someone in the service, tell them THANKS!

A Penny for Your Thoughts (actually $50)

We'll be busy upgrading our Vermont Woods Studios website over the next few months and we'd love to have your feedback.  Things like: 

*   How did you find us?
*   What did you like and dislike about our site?
*   How can we make it easier for you to find what you need?
 
Of course, our goal is to offer you a more pleasant and efficient online shopping experience.

Taking this survey is quick and easy.  Just click here to start.

We value your privacy and assure that all responses are kept confidential and used for informational purposes only.

We appreciate your time and are happy to offer you a $50 gift certificate for your participation.  Thanks for your help!

Custom Writing Desk and Credenza

I thought this was a really cool design from one of our favorite furniture makers, Robin Chase.  It's done in natural maple wood with many hand-rubbed layers of a natural-synthetic oil finish.  It feels so good to run your hand over the top of it.

Robin was tasked with furnishing twelve apartments for visiting faculty at Dartmouth College.  His designs are simple, elegant and robust. I'll feature a couple other designs that are part of the same project.

Robin guarantees all of his furniture for the lifetime of the original owner.

Find affordable custom furniture at Vermont Woods Studios online furniture store!

Mother's Day is for Squirrels Too?

My mother has been (rightfully) accused of having the world's fattest squirrels in her yard.  I wonder why?  I was going to scold this one for her gluttony, but Mom reminded me that it was Mother's day and the squirrel probably needed that nourishment to feed her young brood. What a crock!  If I'm ever reincarnated, I want to come back as any one of the lucky, indulgent animals living the good life in my Mother's back yard ;)

Happy Mother's Day!

My neighbor and good friend, Larry Brown just sent me this link.  He and Jane have watched us raise our two sons over the past 12 years.  Must be they've gotten quite a few good laughs.  Could he be trying to tell me something?  Every mother of boys should check this out, http://tinyurl.com/d794au

Custom Trestle Table- Modern Contemporary Design

Here's another custom dining table built recently by a few talented Vermont furniture artisans.  I love the gentle curves and smooth lines of this table.

The customer brought his vision in as a hand drawing which was then transformed into this cool work of functional art.

Custom furniture is more achievable than you might think!  More luxury custom furniture pieces at Vermont Woods Studios.

Our Sustainable Wood Furniture Featured on Green Vitals Website

Many thanks to Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis of Green Vitals news blog, a leading online information service dedicated to providing greener and more efficient living.  Sandy featured Vermont Woods Studios furniture and our 15% For the Forest initiative in her column yesterday, May 4.  Visit Sandy's blog for a fascinating selection of green topics from fashion to energy to community, politics and more.

Unique Custom Artisan Glass Top Dining Table

I'm always amazed at the creativity and skill of our Vermont furniture makers.  This ultra modern, custom glass-top table was designed by a customer and crafted by an artisan with some pretty high end wood working skills.  It's quite tricky, actually to blend the curves at the base of this piece into a functional piece of art. 

We're fairly certain there will be a few theories of construction noodled out as diners enjoy fine food and wine over this unique dining table.  More luxury custom furniture pieces at Vermont Woods Studios.

A Refreshing Way to Help Rescue the Rainforest

Drink orange juice.  Seems like a reasonably easy way to do your part to help save the rainforest and fight global warming doesn't it?

Did you know that on average, an area of rainforest roughly the size of Los Angeles disappears every month due to illegal logging and development of farmland for crops such as soya or palm oil, or for cattle ranching?  This destruction of the rainforest accounts for 20% of global warming?

But YOU can help!  You can participate in the "Rescue the Rainforest" campaign.  Vermont Woods Studios has joined with Tropicana in this effort. 

Here's how it works:

• Register for the campaign and creat an account at Tropicana
• Click on Join a Team and select VermontWoodStudios
• Record the code on special edition Tropicana products (no purchase necessary)
• Log in to your Tropicana account
• Enter the code from your product 
• For every code you enter, you will help protect 100 square feet of rainforest and 
• You'll be entered into a sweepstakes and daily instant win game
• And you will be helping to secure land that could otherwise be sold to loggers and ranchers, land that could be cut down within the next 18 months, rainforest that is immediately endangered
• Read more about the initiative here.

Let's see how many acres we can save.  We'll keep you posted on our results. 

Join The Conservation Action Network

If you're interested in natural, eco-friendly furniture I bet maybe you'd be interested in finding other ways to help the environment. 

Everyone is busy and it's impossible to find time to do all the things you'd like to to help save the planet, but the The Conservation Action Network is here to help. 

It's an electronic advocacy network that provides concise information on urgent environmental issues such as endangered species, global warming, forest protection and fisheries conservation.  

With a quick click of your mouse, it's cutting edge information technology enables you to send a message to the "powers that be" (for example the president, members of Congress, state legislators, newspaper editors, corporations, foreign government leaders, and international agencies) asking them to take immediate action to protect the environment.  

Give  The Conservation Action Network  a try! It's a free and easy way for you have a say in the future of the planet.

Furniture For Small Spaces - Under Bed Storage

We've had a number of customers contact us at Vermont Woods Studios this week from Manhattan, looking for furniture for small spaces.  Today, I wanted to show you an under bed storage unit we recently made as a custom unit, but will now begin to offer as an option for any of our Cherry Moon or Vermont Made Shaker beds.

The unit in the photo has been customized to fit perfectly under the Cherry Moon Dovetail Bed.  It spans most of the length of the bed and half of the width.  You can fit 2 units under the bed (one on each side).  We haven't had a chance to update the website yet with this option, so please give us a call if you're interested in it.  888-390-5571.

Natural Furniture Makers Give Green Back to the Forest- Press Release

Vermont Woods Studios 15% for the Forest Initiative
as published on E-wire, April 16, 2009
VERNON, VERMONT, Apr. 16 -- Vermont Woods Studios, a group of fine furniture makers in Vermont, is giving back to the forest that supplies the wood for their craft.

From Earth Day on April 22 until the Summer Solstice on June 21, the company will sponsor it's 15% For The Forest initiative, where 15% of the profits from each sale will be donated to charitable organizations working to protect the forest environment.

"We depend on sustainable forests for our livelihood, and therefore, conservation is a fundamental part of our business," says furniture maker and co-owner, Ken Farabaugh.  "As stewards of the forest, we must try to counter-balance the threats of over-development, acid rain and climate change. If our forests are not sustainable, then our wood furniture business will not be sustainable either."

Organizations receiving donations all have a long history of success in forest conservation. "We're always excited to partner with them," Farabaugh states. "We've even named some of our furniture lines after their leadership.  For example, our Jim Andrews Natural Cherry Furniture Collection is named for the champion of the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas project, and the Roz Renfrew Shaker Furniture Collection is named for a Vermont Center for Ecostudies scientist who studies Vermont's migrating birds."

 A look at the Vermont Woods Studios website reveals many styles of natural, solid hardwood furniture, all handmade in Vermont from sustainably harvested and reclaimed wood. "We offer Shaker, mission, craftsman, modern and transitional styles in price ranges from affordable to ultra luxury," notes Farabaugh.

"Each piece is made to order and because of that, we do a lot of customization. If for example, someone wants a chest made a bit narrower to fit between two windows, or a table a little bit longer to accommodate extra guests, we can customize that affordably."

 Many times customizations are done at no extra charge which has helped to create a growing trend of people who are discovering the affordable luxury of customized, American-made furniture.

"Why not get exactly what you want," asks Farabaugh. "After all, when you buy furniture from us, it's got a lifetime guarantee. Your furniture will be around for generations to come, and you'll want it to be just right."

For more details call us at 888-390-5571.

Fifteen Percent for the Forest Initiative Launches on Earth Day

Been waiting to purchase that fine furniture you've been lusting after all these many months or even years?  Well, wait no more!  Here's a great reason to finalize your decisions and get your house in order today.

Vermont Woods Studios is launching it's Fifteen Percent For the Forest initiative and Eco Furniture Sale.  From Earth Day, April 22 until the Summer Solstice on June 21, 15% percent of the profits from all furniture purchased will be donated to charitable organizations working to protect the forest environment.

Choose which organization you would like to benefit from your purchase, including our favorites:

Vermont Center for Ecostudies
Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center
Northeast Wilderness Trust
World Wildlife Fund

Vermont Family Forests

Or suggest your own favorite.  As long as it is a bonafide non-profit organization, working to preserve forestlands, it's good to go.  Give us a call at 888-390-5571 for more details.

Start your shopping today!  It takes awhile to find the perfect furniture for your space, especially if you have any customization in mind.  The initiative ends in June.  What are you waiting for? 

Happy Easter, Captain Phillips and Family!

We are over-joyed to see that Vermont's own Richard Phillips has been rescued from Somali pirates by the US military and FBI.  Our best wishes go out to Captain Phillips and his family, and we send our gratitude to all the brave men and women who secured his release.  It is an especially Happy Easter today!!

Green Furniture Featured at Franklin Pierce University Earth Day Forum

Vermont Woods Studios has been selected to partner with Franklin Pierce University on their Annual Earth Day Forum in Rindge, New Hampshire.  The event takes place on Tuesday, April 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Pierce Hall.  It will include information on government and private sector incentives to live a greener lifestyle.  All events are free and open to the public. Reservations are recommended as seating is limited. Please call 603.899.4322 to reserve.

Franklin Pierce University is at the forefront of the green movement with recent sustainability initiatives including a conversion to wood pellet heating of campus buildings, elimination of disposable dinnerware in the cafeteria and initiatives of student groups such as the ECO Club, the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and the Small Business Advisory Group (SBA).  We hope to see you at the Forum!