Rustic - Working with a Renewable Resource

Rustic and Adirondack furniture is typically made in a very responsible way. Obviously I can not speak for all builders or companies, but the industry tends to be environmentally responsible and caring for our natural resources. Like myself, many rustic furniture makers are outdoors people that love and appreciate nature. We are informed and want to see our natural resources protected from abuse. One of the best parts of the job is getting out into the woods and looking for materials for projects. It takes time to find a good piece and then to haul it out of the forest, but isn't the forest a great place to be? In most cases rustic crafts people use wood that is already down, or has been cleared or cut for some other reason than making furniture, thus giving it another "life" in a piece of art. Much of the rustic/Adirondack furniture you will find is made from smaller saplings, so even if it is cut from a live tree these saplings will quickly grow back. In fact they will probably grow back faster and with more shoots than before. I cut and gather my logs and sticks from my own land so I know exactly where it comes from and that it's removal will not have a negative impact on the forest. As I said, most rustic builders will share this caring for the environment and may have even been led to furniture making by first having a love for the outdoors.
Of course there is always room for improvement, whether it be with shipping and packing or the wood finishing materials that are used. It is hard to make a living and have no impact on the environment, but most rustic furniture makers are very conscious and will always strive to have a smaller "footprint".
Rustic style furnishings are not just a beautiful and useful choice but in most cases they are the choice that is also better for the planet. It is a win win, you get to bring in a part of nature to your home and the environment takes less of a hit, so that it can remain a beautiful and inspirational component of our lives.
For more information on the rustic and Adirondack styles of furniture, please visit www.RusticFurnitureGallery.com or call 603-563-7010
As always, feel free to email me at Mark@RusticFurnitureGallery.com


To learn more about eco friendly wood finishes please visit www.EcoWoodFinish.com

Wilderness Creations, LLC.

Rustic and Adironadack style furnishings for your home or business.
Visit www.RusticFurnitureGallery.com

Rustic Mirror

Lovely rustic mirror with twigs and reverse birch bark.

Flipping or reversing white birch bark produces a great rustic look. It appears as a nice orangy brown color which goes well with twigs, white birch and other rustic accents. Try it on one of your next rustic building projects and see what you think.

Spring is here!

It's a cold rainy day here in New Hampshire but we all know that it won't be long until the ground dries up and the sun feels hot again. We've seen the signs and soon the flowers will be coming up and everything will turn a beautiful shade of green. So now is the time to get ready, so that you can enjoy those warm evenings and make the most of your time off. This is the time to order furniture for your porch, deck, patio and yard. We offer a great line of sturdy Cedar furniture that will hold up in the weather for years to come. We also have options in Teak wood, made responsibly from recycled Teak items, such as buildings, fences and carts. Our furnishings can be picked up here at our store or drop shipped directly to your home or business. Mention this blog and receive 25% off, as a reward for planning early and ordering before the summer rush. This offer is good until April 10th, 2010. We're all looking forward to some great weather, and it's just around the corner! Call 603-563-7010 to order, or check out our website at http://www.rusticfurnituregallery.com/home.php?cat=148 and enter coupon code "cedar" at checkout.

Creativity

The rustic style allows alot of room for creativity. It can be considered an art form and there isn't really a wrong way to going rustic. Because it is free form, like nature itself, one can really let go and try new and sometimes bazaar things. I'm talking about furniture and accessories and built in items in homes and cabins. It can be overdone, in some peoples opinion, but if you like it than that is really what matters. I'm talking about crazy sticks and branches in your furniture and trimming out a door in bark and things of this nature. And the great thing is that alot of it you can do yourself and it won't cost much. For example, in building a vanity recently I thought of using some nice handles that I had for the cabinets. They would have matched well and looked great, but would they be unique and creative? I didn't think so, so I am creating some handles that are a combination of sticks from my yard and some left over 1/2" copper pipe. Two stick pieces with a small length of pipe in between. This will tie in wonderfully with the exposed copper pipes and the twig work accents. Sometimes it's my 3rd or 4th idea that I go with and that's OK. I also went for a walk and found a twig with a slight curve that I could use as the new handle for the medicine cabinet. I cut it so that there were v's and extra pieces so that it would stand out, even though it is thin and delicate looking. I attached it with small copper nails, again to tie it in with the surrounding components. So let yourself be creative! It is just one of the things that I love about the rustic style. The possibilities are endless and it's alot of fun to come up with little enhancements to your rustic home or getaway. Let me know if you have a project and would like some ideas because I love to think about these things. Go For It, Go Rustic!

In the Workshop- Vanity

The new vanity top has been installed and came out great! It has a wonderful, natural edge and quarter log back splash. A hand pounded look to the copper sink and exposed 1/2" copper piping make this a truly rustic vanity. Instead of fancy faucets there are shut off valves as the water controls. I simply spray painted the faucet handles to match the rustic bathroom project. The piping rises high up so that more copper is exposed and adds to the look. Rustic artist Jim Charanko did the plumbing on this project. But it is not done yet! The vanity base is being finished up with a laser inscribed scene on the doors as well as twig work that frames the raised pine doors. I will be sure to add a photo of the space when the project is complete.

For more information on rustic and Adirondack style vanities and cabinets, contact Wilderness Creations at 603-563-7010 or info@RusticFurnitureGallery.com

A better option for protecting wood

Vermont Natural Coatings being applied to rustic vanity top. This thick slab of White Pine received multiple coats of Polywhey, satin finish formulated for furniture. Vermont Natural Coatings is based in Hardwick Vermont and makes clear finishes for floors, furniture and exterior. They are safe, without toxic fumes and harsh chemicals. These durable coatings can be found at the Wilderness Creations store in Dublin, NH or at www.EcoWoodFinish.com

New Web Site for safe wood finishes

Wilderness Creations is proud to announce the launch of a new website dedicated to safe, healthy wood finishes. www.EcoWoodFinish.com is up and running and will be getting many new products added in the coming weeks. Featured on the site at this time is the complete line of Vermont Natural Coatings. These clear finishes are available in different sheens for floors, furniture, and exterior uses. These environmentally safe finishes are made from whey, a bi product of cheese making. They are safe, durable, easy to apply, quick drying, and fast to clean up. Our new site will be improving on a daily basis but I wanted to let you know that it is there and ready for orders. Vermont Natural Coatings are also available and in stock in our showroom, in Dublin, NH. For more information contact us at 603-563-7010 or email mark@rusticfurnituregallery.com Or visit our newest site at www.EcoWoodFinish.com Vermont Natural Coatings are made responsibly in Hardwick Vermont, USA. Coming soon to our gallery and to ecowoodfinish will be Natural Oils, Milk Paint, Waxes and More!