For this week's Shop Small Saturday Showcase, I am really excited to share this one with you because this one was a first for me! Normally, I find these amazing makers and creators at shows around Southern California and share lots of photos of their finished products with all of you. However, when I spoke to Ad from Treeline Woodworks, he invited me to take a look at the amazing shop where they craft their pieces, plus their nearby lumberyard. The wannabe woodworker in me was so excited! :)
You'll see in the interview below many of the pictures I took during the tour. Believe me when I say there were ten times as many interesting items to photograph, but I could not possibly fit them all here. For example, in the lumberyard collage of pictures, you will spot a church pew sitting on top of a wood pile. That pile of wood was actually reclaimed from a set of church pews that were being torn down. There were sets of school bleachers, fence posts, and all kinds of interesting objects that the wood was being sourced from. It was amazing!
Last but not least, my readers are being treated by another generous shop owner! One of you will win a beautiful State Cutting Board (you'll see it in the widget below), and ALL of you can utilize the 15% off promo to their entire store. That translates to: you can buy 15% more... at least!
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Tell me a little bit about yourself!
I'm an engineer by education and designer by disposition. From machine class in college to making things out of wood for friends or my loft, I've enjoyed building things for a long time. My interest in working with reclaimed woods is fairly new, a handful of years, I'd say. As a fabricator, I'm always learning about more materials and trying to incorporate them into my designs and what we have to offer.
Where did the name of your store come from?
Treeline has been a favorite word for long time. I'm a sucker for the outdoors and adventures with reckless abandon. Treeline is the highest a forest can grow up the side of a mountain before conditions get too harsh for it to survive. So in a way, it's the natural limit for forest. I'd like to do good work and there's always more left to learn, so I'm striving to reach my treeline.
Why did you start making goods for Treeline Woodworks?
There a lot of things I'd like to make and as much custom work we do, I enjoy flexing my creative and designer muscles. So whenever we have some free time on our hands we dive into a collaborative ideation process and experiment with product we can design and make ourselves.
What is your favorite item?
The Skyline Coat Hanger is one of favorites. I came up with the idea and basic workability one morning. Cut some pieces on the CNC that day and experimented with assembly. We had something functional by the next day and knew it was something worthwhile. Give it a few more weeks of refinement, and voila — the Los Angeles edition was done. I consider it an ode to my city.
What is your most popular item?
It would have to be the walnut and maple striped cutting board. It's clean and simple.
Where do you get the inspiration for your work?
A lot of places — I believe in a collaborative effort at design. Sometimes I just wake up with an idea or it simmers in my brain for a few days as I tackle the rest of the business and can't give it the time it needs. My clients teach me a lot, as do my employees, there a handful of design blogs I check regularly.
What makes your store unique?
I'm probably not the best person to answer this. What do you think? What makes us different than any other woodworking outfit? Feel free to drop me a line and tell me — ad@treelinewoodworks.com
Diane's note: I would say say that their use of reclaimed wood is amazing! In fact, let's say you have a specific project in mind that you want done. You can choose a specific wood, or style, or even color! Seriously, the piles are organized neatly in the lumber yard, and you can buy as much or as little as you want. There's absolutely no minimum, so even the casual hobbyist can source beautiful reclaimed wood!
What is the toughest part about making your goods?
Probably finding that maybe there is a part that I can't build in-house. I don't much enjoy outsourcing part of the process. Sometimes it makes sense but mostly I don't like it because then I have to wait on it to get back so I can continue with the process. It's nicer when we can walk 20 ft and use an entirely different machine and build the part we need to keep prototyping.
Do you take custom orders?
Absolutely. That's how we started, actually. We make a lot of one-off pieces for home owners, new families, restaurants or even stores. Typically it takes 4–6 weeks to get the project done and delivered. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Sometimes people know exactly what they want and I just build it, most times we design it together, pick the materials and then I build it. Either way it's an enjoyable experience for me because I get to see someone get exactly what they wanted in a piece that didn't otherwise exist in the world.
Where can I see more of your work and buy a gift?
So many places!
treelinewoodworks.com // Shop & What We Make sections
treelinehomegoods.com
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Aren't the items absolutely lovely! When I went through the woodshop, I saw so many amazing in-progress projects! For example, I took a picture of one custom piece (but just didn't have space for it here) that combined the lines of a vintage sideboard with reclaimed pieces of wood. Definitely, an interesting design and concept that was right up my alley! Then, when I walked through the lumberyard, all of my reclaimed wood dreams came true. I had visions of new projects dancing through my head. Lastly, I stepped into the showroom and was wowed yet again by all the creative items they make with wood. Simply gorgeous!
As I mentioned, Ad is offering 15% off in their shop if you use the code "VINTAGELOVE" at checkout. Make sure to use that after entering the giveaway! The prize is a state cutting board as pictured below, and the contest is open to U.S. and Canadian citizens. And as always...
Good luck!
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