In homes where art takes center stage, furniture has to hold its own. It has to be a part of the story. It has to look cool. And you usually can't find it in a store.
For one client, with a distinctly-curated collection of eclectic visual and sculptural pieces of art, her objective was to complete her kitchen renovation with a table that made a statement.
"I wanted a ton of visual interest. I wanted the knots and the holes - all of the things that most people are turned off by when choosing a slab of wood," said Lori who lives with her husband and two Frenchies in Natick. "If it's not interesting, I don't want it in my house."
Lori had a table designed in her mind and on paper. Her wish list was specific: a sculptural table that would bring warmth and movement to the kitchen, while also complementing the surrounding artwork and aesthetics of her home. She wanted a bespoke table that would look like a natural extension of her stone island, but also had the flexibility to detach when she needed additional space.
Knowing what she wanted was only half the challenge. Finding the right person to build it was the other. She consulted with several carpenters, woodworkers and furniture makers in MetroWest but wasn't finding the synergy she needed. She found BirchBarn online, but Scituate was a bit of a drive from Natick. She wanted to be able to collaborate with an artisan on the project. She decided distance did not matter after her first consult with Matt Swanson.
"Once I had a conversation with Matt, I knew he was the guy," said Lori, who traveled to Scituate to choose the slabs of wood, puzzle piece them together in the workshop alongside Matt, and check in on progress more than once while the half moon table was constructed and finished.
Lori originally wanted to work with a single slab of rustic black walnut but sourcing, as well as the cost of that approach, was tricky.
"Matt took great care to hand pick planks that had knots and cracks and just lots of character," said Lori. "Wood brings such warmth to any space. We chose walnut for its deep rich tones and its beautiful grain patterns."
Between Matt's detailed-oriented approach and Lori's eye for design, the two worked together to intricately puzzle different slabs of walnut to make it look like it came from a single tree. Lori chose black epoxy to fill in the knots and create strong contrast.
Speaking with Lori you got the feeling that not only does she love art, but she also appreciates the process and the craft.
"I think of this table as art. For me, every piece of art tells a story, where it came from, who created it, and how it came to find its home. This table has a great story," said Lori. "From a hand drawn idea to a fun collaboration in choosing the wood, to Matt's artistry in bringing it to life. It is art. Matt has an exceptional eye."
When the table left the workshop last year it was clearly beautiful, but the shape was unexpected. From a vantage point of the workshop, we could see how the black epoxy lifted out so much interest and character, making it a really interesting piece. But it was a challenge to envision how the table was going to pair with stone as a separate, detachable piece of furniture.
During a recent visit, we had a chance to see the table in person and fully appreciated how Lori's vision and Matt's carpentry came together to create the most interesting space. One of our favorite parts of the job is to see how custom designs fit into different design schemes.
"In a kitchen, where everyone tends to gather, wood offers a level of comfort you can't get from stone. When you rest your arms against a wood table, the surface is always warm," said Shelley Swanson, co-owner of BirchBarn. "When you combine stone and wood in a design, they complement each other in a dynamic and unexpected way."
"The rich wood table adds a beautiful sense of warmth to the modern space, without taking away from the other design elements. I especially loved how the table connects to the island but can also be detached, creating flexibility and intentionality in the design. Details like this make a space feel both thoughtful and inviting, and photograph incredibly well."
If you have an idea for a custom project that's been swirling in your head or sketched out in a notebook, send us your notes and ideas for a custom quote.
