5 of the Most Common Types of Cedar Trees

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 Riley Farabaugh

Search results for "cedar tables" — You can see that an internet search for “cedar tables” shows what appears to be multiple types of cedar wood. Here’s a breakdown of 5 of the most common types of cedar.

“Cedar” can be a confusing wood because most trees we’d consider to be cedar aren’t from the species cedrela. For example, Eastern red cedar, by its scientific name Juniperus virginiana L., is actually from the species juniper, as the moniker indicates. However, Eastern red cedar is the tree responsible for most of the cedar lumber encountered in furniture in the U.S.

Five of the most common types of cedar trees are covered below.

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This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.

10 Tips for Saving the Monarch Butterfly

October 3, 2019October 18, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on October 18th, 2019 at 02:42 pm

Saving the Monarch Butterfly | 2019 | Vermont Woods Studios — At Vermont Woods Studios we’re working on saving the Monarch Butterfly. As they leave VT on their annual migration to Mexico we share tips about how you can help monarchs avoid extinction. Hint: it’s all about the milkweed.

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5 of the Best Oil Finishes for Wood Furniture

August 28, 2019October 9, 2019 Riley Farabaugh

Last updated on October 9th, 2019 at 07:59 pm

wood-beds

Oil finishes are commonly used on wood furniture and kitchen utensils. Generally speaking, oil finishes are eco-friendly, food-safe, and non-toxic. They’re also easy to repair and produce a more textured grain pattern than many alternatives. They tend to be considered a more traditional finish, as oils have been used as wood finishes for thousands of years. However, oil finishes generally don’t offer the same level of protection and durability that you’d find with a lacquer or varnish.

Here are five of the most commonly used oil finishes:

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What Ever Happened to H.T. Cushman Furniture?

August 22, 2019September 17, 2019 Riley Farabaugh

Last updated on September 17th, 2019 at 08:59 am

Cushman Furniture: Brand Plate for Cushman Colonial Creations

The H.T. Cushman Manufacturing Company was founded in 1886 and spent close to 100 years building furniture in Bennington, Vermont. The company began by building coat racks, pencil boxes, hat hangers, and more, but soon became well known for their furniture.

The business was sold to General Industries in 1964 by Hall W. Cushman, the third generation of the Cushman family to manage the business. In 1971 the facility was sold to Green Mountain Furniture Co, which subsequently went out of business in 1980.

Even though the H.T. Cushman company is no longer producing furniture, their impact on the legacy of furniture craftsmanship in Vermont is clear.

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7 of the Best Architects in Vermont

August 13, 2019August 14, 2019 Riley Farabaugh

Interior Designer in Southern Vermont | Priscilla Cotton — Meet Southern Vermont’s favorite interior designer, Priscilla Cotton of Cotton Design in Newfane

We’ve often written about the rich history of craftsmanship in Vermont, but did you know this small state is also full of great architects, builders, and interior designers? Some of them even build furniture. In fact, there are many more that deserve to make this list.

Here’s a list of our favorite Vermont architects:

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What is Boiled Linseed Oil?

August 12, 2019September 17, 2019 Riley Farabaugh

Last updated on September 17th, 2019 at 09:02 am

Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil, is one of the most popular wood finishes in the world. Like other hand-rubbed oil finishes, linseed oil saturates deep into the wood grain to protect against scratches and changes in humidity. It is easy to care for, eco-friendly, and produces a satin finish that really brings out the color and grain of the wood underneath.

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12 of Our Favorite Minimalist Bed Frames

August 10, 2019September 17, 2019 Riley Farabaugh

Last updated on September 17th, 2019 at 09:02 am

Our Vermont Shaker Moon Bed personifies minimalism in the bedroom
Minimalism is all the rage these days, and for good reason. Proponents say a minimal lifestyle can make you happier, healthier, and more purpose driven.

The idea is that minimalism helps people question what possessions, activities, and thoughts actually add value to their lives. As No Sidebar puts it, “Every day, more stuff comes into our lives: stuff in our houses, stuff on our calendars, stuff on our minds. All that stuff gets in the way of where we really want to go and who we really want to be.”

The basic philosophy that less is often more is nothing new. In fact, that framework is the foundation of shaker style furniture, one of our most popular styles.

When it comes to applying the concepts of minimalism to your choice of furniture, there are three quotes that come to mind for us.

“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” -Marie Kondo (Interior Designer)
“Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future“ – Robert Peters (Designer)
“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery (French Writer)

In this post we’ve compiled a list of 12 of our favorite minimalist bed frames.

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What Ever Happened to Manchester Wood?

July 27, 2019July 27, 2019 Riley Farabaugh

Manchester Wood was founded in 1976 and spent 42 years manufacturing solid wood furniture in the state of Vermont. At its peak, the company was generating $8-12 million per year in revenue and employed close to 200 people.

The founder, Clifford “Cliff” Pierce, built Manchester Wood into a multi-million dollar business by selling in bulk to retailers across the country. He had over 300 wholesale clients including LL Bean, Crate & Barrel, JC Penney, Sears, Pottery Barn, Macy’s, and more.

The business was known for building high-quality, solid wood furniture. The most popular products were mission style bookcases and sofa tables, adirondack chairs, and folding desks and tray tables. It was a multi-generation family business.

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Modern vs. Contemporary Design

July 18, 2019October 2, 2019 Riley Farabaugh

Last updated on October 2nd, 2019 at 11:26 am

dining furniture design — Our Modern American Dining Set in natural cherry wood.

Modern and contemporary are used interchangeably in most contexts—after all, even the dictionary lists them as synonyms—but when it comes to talking about furniture, architecture, and interior design, these two terms are not one and the same.

In most situations modern translates to “here and now”, but when discussing modern design and furniture, it is referring to various periods from the early to mid-twentieth century. Contemporary on the other hand is forever changing as it all about what is hot and trendy this decade.

Here is an easy way to remember the difference between modern and contemporary furniture: modern design will never change, while contemporary design is always being redefined.

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25 Facts About Climate Change & Deforestation

July 15, 2019September 17, 2019 Riley Farabaugh

Last updated on September 17th, 2019 at 09:03 am

This Global Forest Watch interactive map shows tree cover loss since the year 2000. Areas in pink are those suffering the worst rates of deforestation. They are the areas where timber is being illegally harvested and used to make imported furniture.

At Vermont Woods Studios, we certainly have a passion and appreciation for high quality craftsmanship and woodworking, but, the truth is, Peggy founded this business out of a passion for forest conservation.

It was this one astounding statistic that really lit a fire under her in 2005:

Every second, an acre of rainforest is lost forever

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