Favorite Projects of 2019

Favorite Projects

of 2019

The year was full of many projects. We find great joy in creating the custom furniture that you dream up. Here are a few of our favorite projects of 2019. Each one is unique, just like each of you.

Olive Tree Trunk Pub Table

This table right here….it’s a show stopper! In the planning stages of the custom project project, the customer stated that they want this piece to be a statement, something different from the rest of the furniture in their home. John showed them the olive tree trunk as an option. This became the natural choice. You see, they fell in love with the ancient olive trees that they saw on their recent trip to Israel.

When it was time to design the table, John knew that the table top had to be simple. The tree trunk had to speak for itself. Glass was the best solution and the table top supports were kept very minimal.

Heritage Walnut

Live Edge Dining Table

This dining table project was fun. The walnut slabs used to create the book match table have a family connection for the customer. They saved the wood from a tree that was cut down on their grandparent’s property. John worked with them to design a table base that best fit their modern style.

Let’s take this moment to talk about something. We are constantly asked if we can use some wood that has been stored in a barn for 50 years or a tree that was just cut down. There is a process that wood has to go through to make it suitable for furniture. It must be air dried for a period of time and then dried in a kiln. This process can take up to a year, year and a half. Even if wood has been air dried for 50 years, it still needs to be kiln dried to make sure the moisture content is right on the interior of the wood.

Reclaimed Oak Dining Table

While their new home was being built, the homeowner new they had to have a large statement dining table to fill this dining space. They fell in love with a dining table that was on display in the studio but needed to have it customized. This is what John came up with for them, altering the original design to accommodate the 9 foot by 6 foot table top. Wow. This is, definitely, one of the largest dining tables that we have created.

Custom Walnut

Dresser

This was a challenging, yet fun project for John. This dresser project all started when the customer provided inspiration photos. They could not find this style of dresser with the type of wood they wanted so they contacted us. I love the combination of the steel base with rich walnut wood tone and the modern, clean lines.

This piece was shipped off to California, along with a bed frame with drawers for much needed storage. You heard that right, it went to California. We work with a local company that provides home delivery all across the US. Keep that in mind if you have are in need of custom furniture. Getting the furniture to your home is no problem.

Thank you for supporting us. I’m looking forward to the projects that 2020 will bring our way.

Cheers,

~Kathy

Change is all around us

Change is all around us

Summer is flying by…it seems like we just celebrated our 5 year anniversary and that was a month ago. I hope you plan on soaking up each moment of summer that we have left, John and I are planning on it.

We are constantly creating and adding new creations to the studio. Here is a glance at what we’ve been up to lately.

Do you know what this flea market find was before we got our hands on it? A warehouse cart. Most of the warehouse carts we find end up becoming a coffee table but I had a different vision for this one. You see, it had those “ladder” sides on it when we found it and that gave me an idea…to transform it into a tv stand. That seemed too permanent so John helped me come up with a better solution. He created adjustable shelves out of locally salvaged chippy barn wood. This way it can be whatever your heart may desire: tv stand, bookshelf, kitchen storage, and the list goes on. When we put our heads together, you never know what will happen.

How cozy is this space? John used one of our reclaimed barn beams as a mantel for this makeshift fireplace. We went round and round with ideas for this space and this is what we came up with. The wall under the mantel was painted with chalkboard paint. Each brick was then chalked in to create the brick pattern. A little time consuming but I love the result.

We have a stock of barn beams to choose from to create a mantel just for your space and if we don’t have what your looking for, we’ll do our best to find it.

Are you a fan of sliding barn doors? This one features local barn wood with a special finish to show all the character. We love to use vintage track and hinges to finish off the look. Why would you want to use mass produced hardware when you can use vintage patina hardware like this? The amazing thing is that this door slides easily on the vintage track.

We would love to help you come up with a custom door design to fit your space and style. And of course, if you want to use reproduction hardware, we have a source for that.

Well, there you have it…a little glimpse into what’s new at Studio 4. Thanks for following along!

Much love,

~Kathy

Cheers to 5 Years!

Cheers to 5 Years

Time flies when you’re doing what you LOVE!

It’s amazing to think that John and I do what we love everyday here at Studio 4 Designs! How is it possible that 5 years have passed, just like that? June 3, 2014 was the date that changed our lives as we knew it. That was the very first day that we opened our studio doors to the public. We felt like we were releasing our hearts into the world on that day. We love to create one of a kind furniture and home furnishings, to put our own unique twist on things.

Needless to say, this has us browsing through old photos and reminiscing. Just look at the first photos that I shared on social media on that very first day.

It is funny for me to see how spread out our displays were in those first days. Another thing is the photo quality….or lack there of. Ha! But hey…we were just winging it and getting things done. So much has been learned over the years and I’m grateful that we weren't afraid to go for it.

The studio has definitely evolved and filled up over the years.

Because of this wonderful place, John has had the opportunity to work on so many custom projects. It is a true privilege to make your furniture dreams come true.

Thank you for being a part of our journey! We are thankful for each of you!

Cheers!

~Kathy

Hello March

Are You READY for Spring?

Okay, so it’s not just me, then…

These Ohio winters never seem to end, am I right? During these winter months, we take the time to put our heads down and create. John and I have been working hard to add some new furniture and decor to the studio.

What do you think of this reclaimed coffee table? The concept with this piece is multipurpose. It would be perfect to do homework, computer work, even eat your meal while watching a movie and, of course, it is a great place for your coffee cup and favorite book. John and I found the reclaimed legs at the last flea market we attended. The layers of paint were hard to pass up!

Around this time last year, I learned macrame. It was something that had intrigued me and I searched out tutorials to figure it out. These days with the internet, you can learn anything you want with the search bar. This year I have added an extra layer to my macrame wall hangings by incorporating weaving. It is therapeutic and I love it! It’s never too late to learn something new.

“To be Creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you Love life enough that you want to enhance its Beauty, you want to bring a little more Music to it, a little more Poetry to it, a little more Dance to it.”

— Osho

This console table features maple with a dark gray glaze and reclaimed cast legs. The shelf is a great place for extra storage. I can see this table being useful in a foyer or for serving food in a dining room. The uses are endless.

We have added to our camera collection this winter featuring cameras from the early 1900s to 1960s. Not sure what it is about cameras but I love to clean them up and find unique ways to display them.

Plan a trip to Amish Country to explore what’s new. If you aren’t able to shop with us in person, check out our Etsy shop and Facebook page.

Don’t worry. Spring is just around the corner! Until then, enjoy each day that you are given.

Cheers! ~Kathy