Live Edge Craft & Furniture

by Rusty Boone

My style is the culmination of a lifetime of varied influences including the American Craft movement, Mid-Century styling, and even Scandinavian design with it’s clean modern lines. My intention is to highlight the beauty inherent in each wood variety & graining, making every piece a one-of-a-kind work. I also include creative flourishes that add a little something to compliment the wood; sometimes poured pewter where a knot used to be, a copper inlay, or the addition of my uniquely treated mountain laurel done in the Japanese Yakisugi tradition. For me, working with wood is a fusion of its natural beauty and my never-ending need to be creative and push boundaries.  What can I make next? This is what drives me now.

“A knot in the wood; there is beauty in just that. Simple marking.”

-haiku poem by Sarah Sisson

I am largely self-taught, though I have worked with many fine woodworkers and have taken numerous woodworking classes.  Also, for 19 years I worked with up-and-coming wood sculpture artists and helped them create lines of limited edition reproductions that won many awards.  

When Covid came along I was able to take my life long woodworking hobby and my artistic creativity and make it into a furniture business.  As a furniture maker I am motivated by the thrill and challenge of creating something beautiful and unique.

“Slow down and tune into the language of nature”

-author Rachel Sussman

My attention to detail extends to form as well as the materials used.  A live-edge slab is my usual starting point.  I make every attempt to use material that has been sustainably harvested, recycled, or reclaimed whenever possible.  I work mainly with wood sourced locally from North Carolina.  My foremost goal is to create a well-crafted product, sensitive to the materials, and proficient in technique and detail.  My hope is that as someone continues to look more and more at the piece, it speaks to them about the power of nature.