Childrens Rustic Furniture

Small rustic children's chair and footstool made from local maple wood. This chair was designed and built in the Wilderness Creations workshop. It's cute, isn't it?

Hickory Rocker

It's another hot day here in New England, which we have been enjoying immensely.
I just unloaded an Old Hickory order this morning from the truck. I wanted to let you know that we have brand new Old Hickory products in, on top of the inventory we already had in the gallery. We've got a beautiful High Back Rocker with a leather seat and upholstered back. It is a great combination with the Weschester-congnac leather and Yukon-02 fabric, which has bear and moose and a wonderful color combination. The finish on the rocking chair is Tahoe Bark/ Rustic Finish. In addition we received a Pocono Floor lamp (TB-PF) with a Mocha shade, and a Lantern Pendant Light (RB-RF). These items are fresh from Old Hickory Company and will get a lot of attention, so come on in and take a look before they are gone. I will get a picture up shortly so you can see the new items. As I mentioned, we have quite a few other Old Hickory pieces and offer they're entire catalog at discounted prices.
Hope to see you soon!

Lodge Bar

Hickory Barstools with leather seats at a long bar. Hickory Pub tables with solid wood tops.

Interior Decorating for Your Lodge, Business, Cabin or Cottage.

My wife Tasha is an interior decorator who specializes in the rustic style. This is what we know and what we sell, so she is focused on incorporating the rustic and Adirondack styles into homes and retreats. From small cabins and cottages up to large lodges, inns, or restaurants, Tasha can help tie it all together with great furniture, accessories and color schemes. Give Tasha a call to get started, there is no charge for the initial consultation. If it doesn't seem like a good fit then there is no obligation. Wilderness Creations can add little touches here or there, or take on the entire project from start to finish. Make your home stand out from the crowd and make it your special sanctuary. Rustic interiors can change the entire feel of a home or retreat, for the better. Call, email, or stop by our gallery to check out some of the furnishings and accessories that can enhance your space. Tasha@RusticFurnitureGallery.com

Cedar Furniture & Earth Day Sale

Spring has arrived, actually it is more like summer today. I just wanted to throw out a quick reminder that we are having a sale today and tomorrow where you recieve 10% off but we also give 10% to charity. Our new cedar furniture has arrived and looks awsome. This stuff will last and look great! Come on in and check it out and get an extra 10% off the already low prices. Enjoy the weekend!

Caring for your rustic furniture.

Rustic/Adirondack Furniture pieces can be very intricate with lots of hard to reach spots and sometimes have rough bark left on. The first thing some people think about is that it must be so hard to clean. Well, compared to a straight edged, flat furniture item with no character, yes it can be. Rustic furniture lovers don't dwell on this aspect. What they see is something unique and artistic that will bring a special character and feeling to their home. Do you want furnishings that are truly original or do you want the same old thing as everyone else in the neighborhood. I like originality and I like to have furniture that is durable, useful, and artistic. I also like the tie to the outdoors and the natural shapes that come along with the rustic style. So, I guess I'm willing to have something that may be a little harder to clean in order to get all those other benefits. The rustic pieces that we have really aren't that challenging so it is a little sad for me to think that someone would be scared away from Adirondack furniture because it may be hard to clean. But the truth is that they just aren't seeing it the same way and they don't appreciate it the same way, which is fine, everyone has their own tastes.
So how do you clean this type of furniture? The smooth parts and tops can be cared for like anything else, with dusting and regular cleanings. It is good to know the finish because you may care for it differently depending on if it is a urethane, a wax, or an oil, etc... If there are roots, branches or other tight spots you can dust and use a thin, soft brush that can be pushed into the holes. Find one that has soft bristles all the way around so that it can get into spots between the woods to get at dust and webs. For Birch bark you want to be careful not to peel any off, especially if it doesn't have a finish over the bark. Lightly dust with the direction of the bark. You can try using compressed air to bow off loose dust as well but make sure it is a low pressure and test it first, so that you don't blow off any of the bark. Their are small cans used for computer keyboards and so forth that can work well. Again be careful not to catch any lose pieces that may be curling up.
The bottom line is that rustic furniture can be kept up and properly cleaned, and it is not that difficult. You need to get to know each piece of furniture and take your time so that you are making it better instead of hurting it somehow. Get creative with the utensils you use. Perhaps a tool that is for another purpose would work wonders cleaning your special piece of furniture. In the end it is worth any extra effort to have a beautiful piece of unique furniture in your home.
Enjoy and Go Rustic!

Earth Day

Happy Earth Day Everyone!

Wilderness Creations will be holding an Earth Day Sale, now through Sunday. We will be offering 10% off plus giving another 10% of the purchase price to the Rainforest Alliance charity. We have chosen this charity this year because of the important work they do to protect the amazing rainforests around the world. Ecosystems that are crucial to our planet. To me, Earth Day is an important reminder to take care of the natural resources that we have been given. There are alot of important causes in the world today, but caring for our planet and working to solve problems like global warming are at the top of the list. We have to change and we have to start living more sustainably, in order to even have a chance to work on the other issues. This sale is a great way to save on wonderful rustic style furniture as well as raise money for a charity. Natural Rustic Furniture can be a great way to bring nature indoors and remind yourself everyday of the natural beauty that surrounds us. We hope to see you soon. Please take some time today to think about what Earth Day means to you and how you can make a change for the good. Drive a little less, turn out some lights, cut down on waste, or just enjoy a nice walk through the woods.

Take care and thank you for your support.

Gallery Hours: wednesday through saturday 10-5, sunday 10-2, monday tuesday by appointment.

Rustic Cedar Furniture

The shipment of Cedar Furniture has arrived! Yesterday we unloaded a full pallet from a large truck and today I have been assembling the furniture. We got some great Adirondack chairs as well as a rocker, settee, occasional tables, cedar log chairs, and more. The cedar furniture can be stained or sealed how you would like it, or you can just let it weather naturally. It is rugged, rot resistant, and beautiful. It is a great choice for your porch, deck, or other outdoor living space. We've got a set ourselves that we have by the pond to relax and enjoy the surroundings. We've got a great selection of Cedar outdoor furniture in right now, but if there is something that you want that we don't have in stock we can usually get it within a week. Our last order arrived two days after we ordered it, so you'll have your items quickly so that you can start enjoying them right away. You can come into the store to see all of the options and try them out or you can order online at www.RusticFurnitureGallery.com
Summer goes quickly so make the most of it and enjoy the outdoors.

Old Hickory Rustic Furniture

We do have some new Old Hickory pieces on the way! We also have some beautiful items in stock at this time, including a Woodlands Sofa, side tables, and coffee table, all with solid oak. The finish is Tahoe Bark, Rustic Finish. Also in stock is an Old Hickory kitchen island with birch accents and a solid oak top (it is the 48" island). It features cabinets with pull out shelves as well as exposed shelves, drawers, etc... A child's buckaroo rocker, 2 two hoop chairs, mirrors, lighting, and more, all in stock. Coming in we have a high back arm chair rocker with leather seat and upholstered back, as well as a Pocono Floor Lamp, and a Lantern Pendant Light. These items won't last long so please contact us if you would like to come in and see them or learn more about them. Of course, we offer the complete catalog of Old Hickory Furniture at great prices. Items ordered from the catalog are built just for you. We can have items delivered directly to you, anywhere in the country, or they can be picked up or delivered from our gallery in Dublin, NH. Old Hickory has a reputation for quality and lasting beauty. Come into our route 101 gallery to view Old Hickory Furniture or look online at http://www.rusticfurnituregallery.com/home.php?cat=55 . Feel free to call or email with any questions.
Have a great day!

Cedar Furniture

Cedar furniture has long been a great choice for outdoor furniture because it lasts so long and looks great. Northern White Cedar is naturally resistant to rot and insects. We have got Cedar furniture for every room in the house as well as extensive options for outdoors. It is a great time to get new furniture for your porch, deck, or other special outdoor living area because you can enjoy it all spring, summer, and fall long. Some of you are lucky enough to be outdoors, enjoying the yard, all year long. Our Cedar furniture is beautiful and comes with a five year warranty. It comes unfinished so you can choose your own stain or sealer or let it gray naturally. Cedar furniture is also a great value. Compared to some other wood types it is very reasonably priced, and it will last. Our first shipment of the season will be arriving within the week! Come on in to see just what I'm talking about. Outdoor dining sets, chairs, benches, swings, rockers and so on. They are all available through Wilderness Creations. If we don't have the item in stock it usually ships within a day or two, so you won't have to wait long to be enjoying your purchase. For more information or to check if the truck has arrived, you can call me at 603-563-7010.

Go Cedar!

Spring!

It finally feels like spring is here! It's still chilly at night but it is great to see the sun here in New England. The flowers are coming up and things are turning green. People are gettin gout and the mood somehow improves. I hope you are also enjoying good weather and looking forward to a great spring and summer.

Making Rustic Furniture

Are you interested in making rustic furniture? Wilderness Creations is offering one on one instruction (or come with a friend). Together we can design and build a rustic piece for your home or yard. We will gather materials, and create a fun and useful item. Tools will be provided Cost will depend upon the project and the time and materials required. Typically, a day long course will cost approximately $100. per person. If you have an interest in this then send me an email to discuss it further, or stop by the gallery in Dublin. Scheduling is flexible.

mark@rusticfurnituregallery.com

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone. I hope you have a great weekend!

An extra 20% off!

Receive a coupon for 20% off your next purchase! We want to improve and make the shopping experience better. Please give us your feedback on our website and we'll give you a coupon for your input. It will only take a few minutes but helps us tremendously to know what people are thinking and what they like or dislike. Link to www.RusticFurnitureGallery.com and let us know your opinion. This offer is good until 6/30/09.
We thank you for your help!
Mark (owner)

Safe and Healthy Products

By the way, check out Todd"s company, Vermont Soy. He has been into organic farming and soy products for many years and his Vermont based company now has lots of great offerings. Made in Vermont with locally grown crops.
I am also excited about a new poly finish that is made there in Hardwick as well. Vermont Natural Coatings has a very low voc finish for floors and furniture. I will be using this finish and write more about it soon. It is safe and "green", learn more about it at their website.
Making small changes and using safe and healthy products like these make a big difference, for your health, for the environment, and for your community. Be well.

Friends

I was reminded today of just how fast time seems to go by and how important friendship is. It can be easy to get caught up in work and news and things that can be unhealthy. You have to make yourself get out and enjoy life and do the things you love to do.
This morning I pulled into work, luckily a little early, and there was a delivery van in front of the store. I raced in to catch the van before it left. When I pulled up I saw a familiar face get out of the drivers seat. It was my old friend Todd who I haven't seen in probably ten years. I have through the years kept up to some degree with what he has been up to, through his brother and others. But it made me realize that that isn't good enough, I should make more of an effort with friends and not just tell someone else to tell them that I say hello. Anyway, it really made my day to catch up with someone I hadn't seen in a long time. He is one of those people that this is how it goes. I'm sure you have someone like this, that you don't see for a decade and then you run into them and it is like only a year has passed. I once picked up Todd hitch hiking in an area out west that I had never driven before. I thought the person looked familiar and turned around and it was him, someone I knew from 2,500 miles east in Massachusetts. It happened again when we wound up playing hacky sack at a concert in Vermont. It is people and occasions like that that make life interesting and special.
Friends and family really are what matter most. You can't remind yourself of that too much. When things seem annoying or work is a total pain, think of some of the people in your life that are important to you, and give them a call or send an email, it might just cheer you right up.

Buy Local

Supporting local businesses has tremendous value. Within a small town or community a business, whether it is large or small, is very important. They hire local people, pay taxes, support local charities, and genuinely care about the community, because it is not only where they work but where they live as well. Raising families, owning homes, using services and so forth. These days, a local business may not need too much support, because they do so much online, but there are many of us who do rely on sales in our physical store location. Of course, value, selection, and quality are all important decisions in a purchase, and you need to get products or services that you desire. If those aren't offered locally then you have to look elsewhere, but I think it is important to look close to home first. Check the phone book, the internet, and perhaps most importantly, ask neighbors and friends. Then you may get first hand information as well. So, when possible, buy local. Even if a product is slightly more expensive, it may come back to you and your community in other ways, while perhaps also making more sense environmentally. Have a great day!

Maple Swivel Bar Stool

This is a swivel bar stool with back, made from solid Maple. I made this for a good client who gave it to her husband as a gift. It has a thick Maple seat and the Maple logs were gathered locally.

Outdoor Cedar Furniture

Spring is coming and it is a great time to get outdoor furniture so that it can be enjoyed all summer long. We have a great selection of Cedar furniture from a company that is dedicated to quality. They believe in their products enough to give a full five year warranty on them. Cedar is the perfect choice for outdoor living because it is naturally resistant to rot and insects, and has a great log furniture look. These pieces come unfinished so that you can choose the stain that is best for your particualr circumstances, or you can let it turn to a nice silver gray color, naturally. We've got tables, chairs, benches, lounge chairs, adirondack chairs and more. In addition you can choose Cedar for your indoor needs as well, for any room in the house. The pricing is great, for furniture that will last for many years. I remember my family bought some cedar furniture when I was young, and some of those pieces are still around. I can't say they were properly cared for either. It has probably been close to thirty years since those items were purchased! Now if that is not a good value then I don't know what is. If you figured out a cost per year on those items it would be a pretty tiny number. The Cedar furniture is not fully assembled so that the shipping is easier and less expensive. You only need a few tools and a little time to put them together. If you purchase from the gallery,in our local area, we offer staining, assembly and delivery for an addtional charge. Cedar furniture is an excellent choice for outdoors. We've probably all had outdoor furniture made from pine or some other wood that just doesn't last. Why get something that is only going to last a few years?
If you are looking for a different appearance then check out our extensive selection of Hickory outdoor furniture, or our line of recalimed Teak. Visit our showroom to see all the great outdoor options or visit us online at http://www.rusticfurnituregallery.com/
The great weather is coming so get ready. Happy Spring!

Tough Times

Visitors often ask us how we're doing? Of course, what they mean is how are we holding up in this ongoing recession, as a business. The answer is that we are doing well and we did grow again in 2008. Certainly not as much as I would have hoped but we are lucky to have been in business for almost six years and we have clients that we have developed a strong relationship with. It is always comforting to know you have support in tough times. Like most people, we have cut costs and spending where we can, both as a business and personally. The good news is that when we come out of this challenging economy we will be even better off, because we have had to take a close look at how we run our business. Wilderness Creations plans on getting through this period and being stronger and better than ever. One thing we haven't changed is our commitment to customer service and how we treat those that we work with. We have always, and will always treat our clients with respect and offer them the best service and best value possible. So, in these tough times we wish everyone the best and thank you for your continued support.

Books on Rustic Decor

We have recently added books to our website! This selection will continue to grow but check out the great choices we've got so far. All of the books are related to rustic living, log homes, cabins, green building, rustic furniture and other related topics. Most are filled with incredible photos and informative content that will really get your own creativity running. You'll find authors that are well known in this area, such as Ralph Kylloe, Robbin Obomsawin, Esther Schmidt, and more. Visit http://www.rusticfurnituregallery.com/home.php?cat=135&sort=orderby&sort_direction=0&page=1

Large sofa table made at Wilderness Creations, LLC. Made from a Pine slab and featuring a unique Aspen log cross brace. Oil finish.

Cottage Decor

To me, there are many things that fall into the rustic furniture category, and that is why I use that term to describe what we offer. To someone not familiar with the term rustic furniture it could create an image of just old, worn down items, I don't know. But to me it is the best umbrella term for cabin furnishings, log home furniture, lodge decor, cottage furniture, log furniture, twig furniture, Adirondack furnishings and so forth. People that have interest in these things are the people who appreciate (usually) rustic furniture overall. The lakeside cottage owner who spends their days outdoors and wants there place to transition seamlessly between indoor and out, are the ones that enjoy this type of furnishing. So far, I don't know of a better way to sum it up for all those different people with homes in different places, that like the log, more natural form furniture, than rustic. If you've got a term that encompasses all of these things better then rustic, please let me know.

Choice and Selection

Having great choices is important when you go to buy something. You want to be able to compare products, not just for appearance but for quality and craftsmanship. We carry furniture from many companies so that we can have the pieces that will work for our clients. I enjoy seeing and showing the work of other crafts people because there are so many good rustic furniture companies out there. It allows us to have products made from many different materials and from different designers and creative points of view. When we find companies that we like and feel that their products are of the best quality then we stick with them. Because we continue to look for solid, unique furnishings we sometimes come across items that we don't feel meet the Wilderness Creations standards. When we make that determination, we will not continue to carry such products. For example, it has taken us years to find a really good cedar furniture company. There are a lot out there, but some don't have the quality that we demand and others don't have the value that is so important. So, we move on. Now we have found what we believe will be the perfect fit for Wilderness Creations, both in the gallery and online. I will write more about this within the next few weeks. Some would say we should focus on one design or one company, but the problem with that is that one answer does not fit all needs. Our clients have different tastes and different style homes, yet they know that our focus is on the rustic style, not just the hickory style, for example. So, if it is barn board, pine, Amish, hickory or some other type of rustic/Adirondack furniture, we can help. Thanks for reading and have a great day!