Our Story | Handmade Furniture | The Old Wood Co.

“A close friend and mentor described sustainability not in terms of products or features, but in the quality of relationships; with employees, suppliers, or in our case, artists, and of course–the customer. It’s those sincere and close-knit connections that have proven to sustain our company through both the good and trying times.”

darren-bio

AN ENVIRONMENTALLY & SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS COMPANY

In 2007, founder Darren Green wanted to develop a different company—one that considered both environmentally and socially conscious issues. It was not a fad or a buzzword, it was the idea that businesses should care about the origin of the product they sell; the materials, the labor, all should be considered. Having worked in the home furnishing industry since 1999, Darren saw firsthand how quickly the Asian import market virtually destroyed the domestic manufacturing of the home furnishing industry, which has been so vital to the people of North Carolina. He realized what made a product special was the quality of materials, the uniqueness of the design, customization options, and high level of service.

“I set out to develop a company that could compete in the marketplace and also be immune to the onslaught of low-cost Asian imports. It is about giving people options, suggestions, and one-of-a-kind products tailor-made for their homes and businesses. I believe most people really care about and consider the origin of their purchases. It’s not always about who offers the lowest price, but who offers the highest value.”

LOCAL ARTIST DESIGN COLLABORATIONS

HOSS HALEY

Working as a visual artist for over twenty years, Hoss Haley’s work appears in multiple collections including the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, New Gallery of Modern Art in Charlotte, NC, and Blue Spiral Gallery of Asheville, NC. Fluent in various mediums such as paint and sculpture, Haley combines industrial materials such as concrete and steel to create bold pieces featuring his reverence for contrast and form.

Haley’s collaborative work with the Old Wood Company is an extension of his artistic versatility, highlighting his commanding use of metal. Combined with the custom finishes and unique character of reclaimed wood, Hoss’s artistry seamlessly blends contrasting materials for striking finished work.

TIM BARNWELL

To call him a photographer would be far too simplistic a title for Tim Barnwell. With more than thirty years experience as a professional photographer, Barnwell wears many hats outside looking through a lens.

As a photography instructor with almost a decade of experience serving as Executive Director of the Appalachian Photographic Workshops, and with prints in permanent collections at the Metropolitan Museum, New Orleans Museum of Art, High Museum of Art, Mint Museum, SOHO Photo Gallery and the Bank of America Corporate collection, Tim’s recognition for his craft places him in a special caliber Stateside and beyond.

Mr. Barnwell has spent years photographing for The Old Wood Co. forming longstanding friendships along the way.

MATTHEW WALDROP

The Old Wood Co. teamed up with accomplished blacksmith Matthew Waldrop of Northern Crescent Iron in Flat Rock, North Carolina, to create the Life Slab Table and other furnishings in the Life series. To create the base, Waldrop may spend five days shaping the pipe steel into a trunk-like form, a design and process he’s been honing since 2005 when he too was operating out of a studio in Asheville’s River Arts District. It’s how the two met and developed a symbiotic partnership, wherein Waldrop provides a high-quality hardware component and Green holds the vision for taking it to the next level. View Waldrop’s work at www.NorthernCrescentIron.com.

BRIAN FIREMAN

Artist Brian Fireman is influenced by the diversity of his medium, bringing inspiration from his world travels and love of wood into each design. A background in Geology and Architecture serves as the foundation for his current work as a nationally recognized furniture designer. Fireman’s intimate knowledge of wood seamlessly meets his formal training. Honoring the unique character of trees is a clear principal of Fireman’s trade, displayed in his use of live edge and careful joinery. His collaboration with The Old Wood Co. is a perfect match, as seen in the striking Shepherd collection. His pieces alone, and in partnership with The Old Wood Co., are part of a growing market appeal for lifetime furniture.

ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES

• Use of old, reclaimed lumber taken from structures deemed irreparable

• Water, whey-based and other nontoxic finishes

• Eco-safe and health-conscious oils and waxes

• Use of recycled steel

• Steel powder coat finishing method (zero VOCs)

• Recycled and mostly recyclable packaging materials

• Company-wide recycling and energy-efficiency efforts

• Use of 100% recycled paper on company literature

• Paperless accounting and bookkeeping system

• Donation of wood scraps and sawdust to local farms and businesses

• Use of LED lighting in 95% of the woodshop