Every once in a while, we like to step aside from our bath and plumbing world and explore those artisans, who are creating beautiful pieces for the home that don’t necessarily have anything to do with the bathroom or the kitchen. Since New Hampshire is the ‘Live Free or Die’ State, let’s focus our attention on those artisans, who represent General John Stark’s famous motto.
Let’s begin with a furniture maker, who’s heritage can be traced back to an English silversmith, who started the Towle hollowware. Douglas Richard Dimes established D.R. Dimes & Company in 1964 to create museum quality reproductions of Early American furniture. The current president, Douglas P. Dimes continues to carry on this Northwood company’s tradition.
D.R. Dimes Country Server
D.R. Dimes 72" Guilford Cupboard
D. R. Dimes Classic Windsor Chair
Being a big fan of the quality woodworking, let’s explore another New Hampshire custom woodworker, Philip Eisenmann from Eisenmann Woodworking. Eisenmann Woodworking specializes in traditionally inspired Early American Furniture with an emphasis on Shaker, Country Formal, and Primitives. Construction methods are traditional joinery, with mortise and tenon frames and doors, dovetailed drawers, and hand selected hardwoods.
Tiger Maple Cupboard
Porringer Table
Of course, if custom cabinetry doesn’t get mention in conjunction with woodworking, this would be a disservice to all woodworking craftsmen. Piscataqua Design, a company founded by Matthew Wajda & Bruce Eaton take great care in selecting their materials for outstanding figure, grain pattern, density and structural purposes. As graduates of the Furniture and Cabinet Making Program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston, they bring an excellence to the craft of cabinet making.
Piscataqua Design Cabinetmakers
One of my favorite artisan in the Granite State is David Pellerin, the founder of Indikoi Sinks. I had a chance to visit David and his wife and business partner, Brandi a few years back and was impressed at their humble operations. David makes his own porcelain, throws all of the sinks and creates the beautiful pigments that when fired give his sinks their amazing finishes.
Indikoi Sinks Modern Series
Indikoi Sinks Soho Series
Another artisan, who works with clay, is Robert Rossel, the founder of Symmetry Tile Works. Tiles from Symmetry Tile Works are made from stoneware clay which is mixed at the studio and extruded from our custom built tile extruder. All designs are created by hand using natural found objects such as seashells, plant life and barn wood, or with hand cast or hand carved replicas. High fire glazes are applied by hand. The surface of the glazed tiles are treated with recycled glass prior to the firing.
Symmetry Tile Works
Custom Mural from Symmetry Tile Works
In order to see these beautiful textures and colors, a room needs well appointed lighting and The Copper House from Epsom is crafting exquisite copper & brass lighting fixtures. Here is a couple examples of their fixtures.
The Copper House - Onion Light Wall Lantern
The Copper House - Mission Pyramid Hanging Light
The Copper House - Bathroom Wall Lamp
As a New Englander, who has spent a fair amount of time in classic farmhouses, you learn to appreciate the braided rug. These functional rugs come in an abundance of colors and sizes. Jan and Wayne Jurta have maintained the family tradition of manufacturing braided rugs in Tilton. Their ingenuity has revitalized the classic heirlooms.
One of the best things about exploring the works of artisans is that you come across something that makes you say, “That’s cool.” Nathan Macomber Glass Studio provide me that response.
Thank you to those artisans, who work their craft daily and provide us beautiful hand made products. Your inspiring pieces add character to our homes.
