Where there’s a will there’s a way, so when Marty Poirier of Nature’s Knots began woodworking and couldn’t afford old cherry he found his own wood to work with. A long-time nature lover, Marty would search the woods and find logs along the stream during his fly-fishing trips. What began as a matter of convenience turned into Marty’s true workform and preferred niche, reclaimed wood decor.
Every raw piece of wood tells a story, according to Marty. Bald pieces disclose where bark fell off, tiny holes show that the tree was home to insects, knots unfurl where branches grew, and burls debunk loads of dormant buds. Imperfections typically lead wood to a hefty pile for the fireplace, but Marty finds ways to embrace the supposed flaws.
Pieces with character tend to have voids so in true Nature’s Knots fashion, Marty meticulously fills the holes with crushed turquoise to gorgeously contrast the grain and color of the wood. When the finished piece is sprayed with lacquer or sealed with polyurethane, the grain pops out of the wood and the turquoise glows.
Aside from his obvious infatuation with his artform, Marty excels in customer service. One of his favorite projects, jewelry box stands, prompts him to ask questions of what types of jewelry the woman wears. Does she have long necklaces? Chunky bangles? Hoop earrings? Silver or gold? What kind of room will it live in? All of these factor into the crafting of the reclaimed woodwork. He likes to know the end location of the work so it can be perfectly tailored to the Buyer.
Nature’s Knots speaks for itself. The success of his business has led Marty to outgrow his 450 square-foot workshop and begin the building process for a 1400 square-foot space, allowing his production to go up even more. While the possibilities are endless, Marty is extremely modest and simply hopes to get one partner in whom he can trust to help him out, and that’s as big as he wants to get.
So the next time you’re throwing wood into the fire to keep you warm on your couch, just remember that Nature’s Knots could have crafted you your next live edge coffee table, or intricate jewelry box.
Scroll to the right to check out some of Marty’s work, or start a project for your own reclaimed piece!
CustomMade
Latest posts by CustomMade (see all)
- LEEDing the Way - August 3, 2015
- Pollution Revolution - July 29, 2015
- 24 Eco-Friendly, DIY Wedding Ideas - July 27, 2015