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Handcrafted Furniture With A Sustainable Edge

by Elke Erschfeld

DavidStine_1While I was at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show in New York City I saw a lot of great furniture made from FSC certified wood. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) offers a third party certification process that ensures the responsible management of forests in regards to their environmental, social and economic impacts. It’s a very thorough process with an environmental policy that includes for example the protection of water quality and prohibits the harvest of rare old-growth forests.

Whenever I buy paper products I look for the FSC certified logo. Yet I wonder every time, if it’s really acceptable to cut down wood even that it’s sustainably harvested. That’s why I found it so refreshing when I met David Stine with his eco-friendly furniture collection made from dead or dying trees at the trade show. He’s the fourth generation steward to his family’s land in Illinois where he sustainably harvests and mills his own lumber. If I had the choice between FSC certified wood or wood made from dead or dying trees I would probably choose the latter as long as it’s well-preserved. Especially when it’s selected through David’s keen eye for a beautiful piece of furniture. Each piece is one-of-a-kind revealing the natural beauty of the wood with all its graining, knots and live edges. The designer crafts everything by hand while combining traditional craftsmanship with sustainability beautifully.

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David’s furniture collection includes dining room tables, desks, beds, coffee tables, benches and seating. I love how he lets nature define his designs by highlighting the natural edge of the logs. My favorites are the Stephanie Bed with a curved walnut headboard slap in a walnut frame or the Amagansett Coffee Table with a single, live-edge board of black walnut as a top. Make sure to check out the Strawn Dining Table that features a single board top of a very thick, live-edge Sycamore that seats 12 people and is finished with linseed oil. Looks like the perfect setting for a farm-to-table meal with friends or family.

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