By Brian Lee
We live in a very small town. I believe that in order to grow in a small place you need to set challenges for yourself in order to grow as a person. This year I’ve challenged myself in a particular way.
my Furniture fight-
As a job I do two things; I rebuild old buildings in our downtown and I do woodworking. I love to make things. I’ll try not to get too sidetracked but I’ve always loved furniture. I’ve made a lot of custom built ins, cabinetry, storefronts, furniture but one challenge always gets at me.
I want to design a piece of furniture that I love and give people a chance to buy it. On the surface this seems easy to the casual listener but many roadblocks arise. Small batch furniture costs so much to make, is a super saturated and competitive market, and even if you could design a great piece, people have such diverse tastes that how could you find someone both willing and able to put down the money it costs to live off of making it?
These are the reasons I have for NOT making furniture. But that’s the trouble with any difficult dream. There are so many reasons NOT to try. I really hate that. So this year (actually about three months ago) I decided to work my way towards hosting a handmade furniture show that a few creative friends and I would put on. My personal challenge would be to make the pieces good enough to be a line of furniture, and I’m scared to even say this, but be for sale and available to order. (With the price out in the open!, GULP)
Here is my first piece that I’m happy with and is ready to order!
Photos/styling by Sophia Kirk
This entryway bench is made in Hillsboro by me! (Brian Lee Carpentry) It is Ash and genuine leather. Cost is $1400 and is made to order. Feel free to reach out to me on facebook or @ brianfrom78@gmail.com about lead times or other woodworking projects.
Challenge step one is done! The idea of challenging yourself is obviously bigger than this topic but would love to hear about how you are challenging yourself to grow.
More pieces are in the works and everybody involved in the POP-UP furniture show is hard at work at their pieces (the date of the show is not set but should be early this year)
Keep posted about when upcoming POP-UP furniture show at and my not-too-often posts about small town projects or woodworking stuff at my blog Small Town Cool , Brian Lee Carpentry, or my Instagram
ALSO, if you’re new to Small Town Cool check out a couple links of my favorite articles over the past few years-
It’s alive and It’s Alive 2– Hilarious video series about a wolf that hangs out in Hillsboro
The X wing– the story of how Hillsboro made the news when a few locals build an insane X wing fighter for the Star wars premier
THE MORMINO PROJECT-The story of saving this downtown Hillsboro building from emminent collapse.
JEFF DUNN NEON– a tour and video of local neon sign maker
A LITTLE BIT OF BIG CITY– an apartment reno that challenges small town stereotypes
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK– the renovation and startup of Blackboard Mercantile
SMALL TOWN AIRSTREAM ADVENTURE– I got to renovate and old airstream for local stylist
OPENING WEEKEND AT THE GOLD PAN– the story of Gold Pan Records
Big Blue– our biggest building renovation so far now EVI salon and Blackboard merc.
2017 ART POP-UP– Our pop up art show series we used to do in half finished downtown renovations
STRIPPING AWAY THE LAYERS– the very first moments of Tony Marcolini’s renovation of the Opera House Brewing Company
UNDERGROUND WITH BLACK RABBIT– an early reveal of OG’s Black Rabbit Coffee Roasters
DUNE ON PYRAMIDS– a secret underground show in the early days of the downtown revival
Small Town Cool. 