Do You Know Where Your Home Furnishings Come From?

 

Vernon artist, Donna Scully's garden shed sits next to her art studio in Vernon, Vermont. From here she creates original paintings and home decor items with local materials, often reclaimed from old barns.

I got an email from our friends at Rainforest Rescue the other day. It was a request to sign a petition asking IKEA to stop clear-cutting Russian woods, many of which are old-growth forests and home to critically endangered species like the Amur tiger. IKEA's furniture and home decor supply chain "by no means embodies responsible forestry, as it promises its customers," noted the non-profit conservation group.

And that's the sad truth but with so much else to worry about these days I don't suppose many people think about where their furniture and home decor items come from. 

Unless they're Vermont Woods Studios customers, that is.  And for that we send a big "Thank You".

Many of our customers come to us specifically to purchase 100% American made furniture as an alternative to imported furniture made from illegal wood. 

So in contrast to the unknown origins of IKEA furniture, I thought I'd show you where some of the handmade furniture and artwork we sent to customers last week came from.  I was lucky enough to be the one to drive around town and pick things up from local artisans so I snapped a couple photos for you.

 

 

Chad Woodruff's furniture studio is in an old barn that he's renovated in Vernon, VT.  Inside Chad handcrafts some of the most beautiful mission and craftsman style furniture you'll ever see.

The first photo is of Donna Scully's garden shed which sits next to her art studio in Vernon, VT.  From there she creates original paintings and home decor items with local materials, often reclaimed from old barns.

The Tabouret tables below were handcrafted in this barn, home to Chad Woodruff's workshop.  Chad is one of our state's premier craftsmen of mission, craftsman and arts and crafts style furniture.  Typically he works in quartersawn oak, but we asked him to customize this table in black walnut wood and it came out beautifully, don't you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With tomorrow being the Fourth of July, maybe it's a good time for us to think about the origins of our "stuff". Is it Made in America or is it imported from unknown origins and illegal sources?

One of Donna Scully's paintings is shown here with Chad's Tabouret table.  I posted another photo of Donna's work last week. 

 

With tomorrow being the Fourth of July, perhaps it's a good time for us to think about the origins of our "stuff".  Is it Made in America or is it imported from unknown origins and illegal sources?

Customers often tell us that knowing (and seeing) where their furniture comes from  changes they way they feel about their home.  What do you think?

 

 

100% American Made Furniture from Vermont woods Studios