Lilliana Wood Bench in Whitewashed Ash by New York Heartwoods
About the Item
- Creator:New York Heartwoods (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)Width: 84 in (213.36 cm)Depth: 12.5 in (31.75 cm)Seat Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)
- Style:Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Contemporary
- Production Type:New & Custom(Current Production)
- Estimated Production Time:9-10 weeks
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Accord, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3350310347401
New York Heartwoods
The cofounder of New York Heartwoods, a sustainable furniture and woodworking business, Megan Offner helps clients part with their broken, diseased or fallen trees by turning them into sleek tables, case pieces and other furniture that is inspired by Shaker tradition as well as mid-century modernism.
Offner spends her days in Kingston, New York, talking to emotional homeowners considering removing their trees, fearing damage from severe weather, and with commercial clients yearning to create jaw-dropping statement interiors.
If unusual, her occupation is hardly surprising, given Offner’s outdoorsy upbringing in Missoula, Montana. She spent a lot of time camping in national parks like Glacier and while visiting family in Oregon. Those trips revealed to her the prevalence of clear-cutting in forests and the harm it does, which left a lasting impression.
“People in the city experience wood as something that comes from Home Depot,” she says with a laugh. “For me, I experience a tree as a conscious being.”
A self-described creative, Offner fell into set design after moving to New York City a few years after college. “I was building things that just ended up in the dumpster after a week,” she says of her creations for magazine shoots and ad campaigns.
The attacks of 9/11 provoked existential doubts about her career. Looking for an alternative, she enrolled in a sustainable design program at Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Vermont.
After finishing her certificate, she began volunteering on a property in Upstate New York, where she met Dave Washburn, who taught a workshop on harvesting dying and diseased trees to improve the health of a forest. Washburn eked out a living transforming these trees into boards for flooring.
“It was a model of how one could have a beautiful and creative life that produced no waste,” Offner says. “I had this a-ha moment of ‘That’s what I’m going to do.’”
Washburn introduced her to another mentor who would influence her career trajectory. Jed Bark, a fine art framer, had purchased a sawmill in Warwick, New York, to make lumber for his frames and agreed to train Offner there.
In 2011, Offner cofounded New York Heartwoods on Bark’s land with Washburn (who continued to work for the company for about two years). Initially, they sold lumber and slabs made from fallen trees to New York designers. Soon, however, the firm was fielding requests from tree services and landowners to turn their downed trees — which otherwise would have wound up in chippers or landfills — into one-of-a-kind tables.
A particularly meaningful project for Offner’s firm was the construction of a massive wraparound bench made of ash for upscale kaiseki restaurant Uchu, on the Lower East Side.
The species is disappearing across North America, so “it was one of the last big ash trees we might work with,” says Offner, who considered the opportunity to do so an honor, and especially apt that it was for a Japanese client whose traditional culture is known for revering nature.
The different species also speak to her differently. Walnut, for instance, which Offner has used for a stunning mid-century-style credenza, appears emerald and amethyst before it’s cut, but once it meets air, she says, “there’s this magical moment” when the colors start to change. It’s a kind of alchemy. As, indeed, is Offner’s work.
Find New York Heartwoods furniture on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Accord, NY
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Black Walnut Hewitt Wood Dining Chair by New York HeartwoodsBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYNew York Heartwoods' contemporary black walnut Hewitt Dining Chair is influenced by Mid-century Modern and Shaker design, is fabricated for comfort, and features refined joinery, a h...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Dining Room Chairs
MaterialsWood, Walnut
- Simard Spalted Maple Wood Side/End Table by New York HeartwoodsBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYNew York Heartwoods' spalted maple Simard side or end tables are modern yet timeless, have faceted tops nested between teardrop-shaped posts, and are influenced by contemporary, mid-...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern End Tables
MaterialsWood, Maple
- Jordan Walnut Counter Height 3-Legged Wood Stool by New York HeartwoodsBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYNew York Heartwoods' walnut solid wood counter-height Jordan Stool is influenced by Shaker and Mid-Century design; created to be comfortable, light and easy to move; and features three turned legs, a unique hand-carved faceted seat, and wedged tenons. Each stool is fabricated using sustainable...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Stools
MaterialsWood, Walnut
- Jordan Ebonized Walnut Counter Height 3-Legged Wood Stool by New York HeartwoodsBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYNew York Heartwoods' ebonized walnut solid wood counter-height Jordan Stool is influenced by Shaker and Mid-Century design; created to be comfortable, light and easy to move; and features three turned legs, a unique hand-carved faceted seat, and wedged tenons. Each is made in our fully women-owned and operated Hudson Valley studio with sustainable wood...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Stools
MaterialsWood, Walnut
- Jordan Cerused Oak Counter Height 3-Legged Wood Stool by New York HeartwoodsBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYNew York Heartwoods' cerused oak solid wood counter height Jordan stool is influenced by Shaker and Mid-Century design; created to be comfortable, lightweight and easy to move; and features three turned legs, a unique hand-carved faceted seat, and wedged tenons. Each is made in our fully women-owned and operated Hudson Valley studio with local sustainable wood...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Stools
MaterialsWood, Oak
- Jordan Walnut Counter Height 3-Legged Stool by New York Heartwoods - In StockBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYNew York Heartwoods' walnut solid wood counter-height Jordan Stool is influenced by Shaker and Mid-Century design; created to be comfortable, light and easy to move; and features thr...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Stools
MaterialsWood, Walnut
- Brown Ash Solid Wood Bench, Entryway Wood BenchLocated in Naperville, ILThe Eola bench provides a multi-use bench that can be easily placed in the kitchen, dining room, den, lounge or other space. With a double backing and forward angled legs, this Mid-C...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Moldovan Modern Benches
MaterialsWood
- Black Ash Solid Wood BenchLocated in Naperville, ILThe eola bench provides a multi-use bench that can be easily placed in the kitchen, dining room, den, lounge or other space. With a double backing and forward angled legs, this Mid-C...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Moldovan Modern Benches
MaterialsWood
- Minimalist Modern Bench in Ash Wood FRAME CollectionBy Depping & JørgensenLocated in Lisbon, PTFRAME collection is the perfect trio for any gathering space. The collection includes a table, a chair and a bench, holding everything one needs for ...Category
2010s Portuguese Modern Benches
MaterialsWood, Plywood, Ash
- Oslo Bench in Ash by Studio MoeLocated in Portland, ORWhether at the end of your bed, next to shoes at the door, or seating several at your dining table, this clean modern design was made with versatility in mind. Featuring our signatur...Category
2010s American Modern Benches
MaterialsAsh
- New York City Long Bench by Laverne InternationalLocated in Brooklyn, NYSleek, modern Universal Style bench in chromed and enameled steel with leather upholstery. Design by Kelly, Littell, al katavolos.Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsLeather
- Minimal Scandinavian Design Bench 01 in Ash Black WoodBy FramaLocated in Copenhagen, DKThe 01 Series takes inspiration from chairs commonly found in Nordic churches since the early 20th century. The Bench 01 is a linear extension of this study, adapted for modern space...Category
2010s Danish Benches
MaterialsWood