Lewis Slat Bench Midcentury Style with Drawers, Ebonized Oak and Spalted Maple
About the Item
- Creator:New York Heartwoods (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 17 in (43.18 cm)Width: 44 in (111.76 cm)Depth: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Style:Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:2024
- Production Type:New & Custom(Current Production)
- Estimated Production Time:9-10 weeks
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Accord, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3350320929162
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.
- Mid-Century Style Spalted Maple Highland Coffee Table by New York HeartwoodsBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYNew York Heartwoods' contemporary spalted ambrosia maple Highland Coffee Table features a two piece wood top with faceted corners, patched knots, butterfly key...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Coc...
MaterialsMaple, Wood
- Lilliana Wood Bench in Whitewashed Ash by New York HeartwoodsBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYNew York Heartwoods' whitewashed ash trestle-style Lilliana Bench features Mid-Century Modern design influences and traditional joinery techniques. Its c...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Benches
MaterialsWood, Ash
- 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
- Crane Ebonized Oak Upright Two Door Cabinet with Drawers by New York HeartwoodsBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYThe Crane Cabinet is a premium modern cupboard comprised of two glass or solid panel doors with leather wrapped door pulls, two adjustable shelves, and eight soft-close maple dovetai...Category
2010s American Modern Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Highland Mid-Century Style Walnut Desk by New York HeartwoodsBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYNew York Heartwoods' contemporary black walnut Highland Desk features a solid wood top hand selected for its unique beauty and character, faceted corners, butterfly key inlays, and a...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Coc...
MaterialsWood, Walnut
- Highland Black Walnut Mid-Century Style Coffee Table by New York HeartwoodsBy New York HeartwoodsLocated in Accord, NYNew York Heartwoods' contemporary black walnut Highland Coffee Table features a carefully bookmatched top with faceted corners, butterfly key inlays, and...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Coc...
MaterialsWood, Walnut
- Midcentury George Nelson Slatted Bench for Herman MillerBy Herman Miller, George NelsonLocated in New York, NYAn American Midcentury-Modern classic. This slatted bench was designed by George Nelson for Herman Miller. It comprised of maple with ebonized legs. A design of balance, symmetry, an...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsMaple
- Mid Century George Nelson for Herman Miller Slatted Bench Maple BlondeBy Herman Miller, George NelsonLocated in BROOKLYN, NYBeautiful mid century George Nelson Herman Miller slatted bench with Amazing Patina. This bench is 72.25" Long Slatted coffee table or bench. Blonde bench...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsMaple, Lacquer
- Craft Associates Slatted J Bench 1602By Craft AssociatesLocated in Oak Harbor, OHDesigner: Craft Associates. Manufacturer: Craft Associates Furniture. Period/Model: Mid-Century Modern. Specs: Solid ziricote. Condition: T...Category
2010s American Modern Benches
MaterialsWalnut
- Vintage Wooden Slat BenchLocated in Brooklyn, NYThis hardwood slat bench features with tapered legs. Standing at a height of 16 inches, this vintage modern slat bench makes the perfect piece for occasional seating or even as a tal...Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWood
- Mid-Century Slat BenchLocated in Brooklyn, NYMid-Century Modern slat bench or coffee table in black. Tapered legs with brass caps. Please confirm location.Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
MaterialsWood
- Mid Century George Nelson for Herman Miller Slatted Bench Maple Blonde / BlackBy Herman Miller, George NelsonLocated in Buffalo, NYBeautiful mid century George Nelson Herman Miller slatted bench with Amazing Patina. This bench is 72.25" Long Slatted coffee table or bench. Blonde bench...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
MaterialsWood, Birch