Tom Joyal built his first boat at age 13- and yes, it did float. A year later, he had mastered the skill, and had his own 18' houseboat. Building and design is in Joyal's bones. His great-grandfather and grandfather were masters of the craft, and his mother translated the gene into creating beautiful pieces using fabri … Read more Tom Joyal built his first boat at age 13- and yes, it did float. A year later, he had mastered the skill, and had his own 18' houseboat. Building and design is in Joyal's bones. His great-grandfather and grandfather were masters of the craft, and his mother translated the gene into creating beautiful pieces using fabric and architectural pieces as inspiration.

Joyal now builds custom furniture using his inspiration- salvaged wood. He finds this wherever he can, whether its antique furniture, old homes, or barns that he has dismantled.

After is initial forays into boat-building, Joyal spent time building and renovating houses. Clients continuously asked him to make things look old and loved. Joyal found himself spending unnecessary time to make newly purchased wood appear to be worn and 'vintage.' The Old House Parts Co. was born with the mission of making the abundance of beautiful old wood available to all. Joyal had found his true calling. As his desire to emphasize a strong belief in American ideals became reality, he found that what he was doing was also helping future generations, as the merchandise he was 'reclaiming' was, in fact, part of a greater recycling process. As the business has grown, it has become important for the company to embody a 'green' approach, as these classic American parts and pieces are not just beautiful, but are thoroughly responsible.

Now, Joyal is creating functional, unique, high-quality furniture using an old, richly colored patina. Pieces look two-decades old, as if they have been loved for years. Each detail is scrutinized over- from the finish to the hardware- with the client's style in mind. The pieces are all constructed using reclaimed wood, of course. Joyal finds new inspiration in this wood each day, and will continue to salvage, reshape, and recycle this old wood for decades to come.

Make a trip to Kennebunk, Maine, and keep an eye out for Joyal driving around town. It won't be hard to spot him- his license plate reads, 'oldcrft.'

By Grace Joyal
Freelance writer