I hear from friends that some of the catalog companies claim to use recycled or “reclaimed” wood in their furniture. That’s okay I guess, as long as they’re really doing it.

The wood in my furniture comes from old California. The first pieces I built were from a collapsed farmhouse in San Luis Obispo County. I also made some shelves out of what was once a friend’s back fence. I even tried using driftwood I found south of Big Sur, but it’s got a smell not everyone appreciates.

Though I have collected some great boards from the Central Valley and East of the Sierras, today I find most of my wood close to home. The Central Coast has been farm country for generations and there are still many dilapidated old barns and farmhouses hidden away. They have outlived their usefulness in one form and are ready to take on another.

Every piece of wood is different. And every piece of wood has a story behind it. I know it sounds presumptuous, but I think the stuff I make is about as soulful as furniture gets.