A Handcrafted, Sustainable Wood Furniture Company You Should Know – Gat Creek
Summer is here at it's best. It makes you want to sit back, relax, and enjoy your home. Nothing says simple, fresh, and uniquely beautiful more than handcrafted wood furniture.
I’d love to introduce you to an incredible company dedicated to sustainability – Gat Creek. Gat Creek builds solid wood furniture by hand that inspires its craftsmen, customers, and the industry to live intentionally.
How do they do this?
By sustainably harvesting wood, conserving energy, investing in their employees, and so much more!
Gat Creek: Superior Materials Sustainably Harvested
Located in Berkeley Springs, WV – Gat Creek is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. This is where you’ll find the highest grade of Ash, Cherry, and Maple woods in the world. All materials are sustainably harvested from the Appalachian forest, and within an hour’s drive from their shop.
It all started with Gat Caperton back in 1996, when he started the company. With his reverence for tradition and community, he began building something that everyone in his town could be proud of. A company that employs 150 people in this town that are incredibly hard workers and support his efforts in preserving our environment.
They have no warehouse, just a single shop, and do things a little differently than most companies.
Instead of an assembly line where the same person works on the pieces over and over – they take a very personal approach. Each craftsman has his own workbench and with his own two hands builds one piece at a time – from start to finish. The artisan will even sign and date each solid-wood piece when finished.
An old-fashioned process that delivers breathtaking, timeless furniture.
They use the same level of care in building your furniture as they do with packaging it. They package all of their own products to ensure you receive them damage-free and on time.
On-Point Packaging and Delivery Services
Speaking of delivery services, we’re all experiencing those dreaded “running late” notifications on purchases right now. Products that would have taken a few weeks are taking a few months because companies are so backed up.
Gat Creek gives you an accurate delivery date. They aren’t waiting for parts from different areas in the world. They’re doing all the work and resourcing locally. This gives them the ability to let you know, with certainty, when to expect it.
I don’t know about you, but I LOVE this! It helps tremendously with my design business – to help manage my expectations and create a solid plan with projects.
Let’s take a look at some of my favorite pieces from Gat Creek.
Bridgeport Four Door Cabinet
The Bridgeport Four Door Cabinet boasts gorgeous details and offers ample storage behind its four glass-paneled doors and drawers.
With this piece, you have the choice between Ash, Cherry, Maple, and Walnut woods. With 14 different finishes and 3 colors for hardware, you’ll love designing this one-of-a-kind piece just for your home!
Camilla Round Dining Table
Inspired by the wholesome tradition of connecting families around the table, it’s sure to do just that. With its gorgeous detailed base and soft finish, this is the perfect piece to bring people together.
A simple yet stunning table like this sets the stage to have a little fun with design. Try out different colors for your chairs, or add a splash of tranquility with fresh flowers as a centerpiece.
Jenna Chair
Here’s a great example of how to add color to your dining room table. This dining chair brings fresh style and casual comfort to breakfast nooks, eat-in kitchens, and even grand dining rooms.
My favorite colors are Looking Glass and Light Rain. Natural, coastal, and comforting tones for an authentically artisan-made piece.
Eastwood Round Mirror
Yes! You read that right. Gat Creek even creates these exquisite mirrors with sustainable wood! This mirror is perfect for a natural and eco-friendly home. Versatile and chic, it’ll never go out of style.
You can customize it with your pick of wood and all of Gat Creek's different finishes – making it fit perfectly to your unique taste.
What Makes Gat Creek Sustainable and Eco-Friendly?
Gat Creek is committed to providing solid-wood furniture to your exact specifications while practicing a holistic approach to sustainability.
Let’s look at a few ways they do this.
- Harvest From Local Forests in the Appalachian Mountains
Did you know the Appalachian forest is the most sustainable forest in the world? Trees in the Appalachian mountains grow 2.4 times faster than they are dying or being harvested. And this has been going on for over 100 years!
- Use Healthy Finish Practices With NO VOCs
New furniture can off-gas harmful, cancer-causing chemicals (VOCs – Volatile Organic Compounds) for years. They’re found in furniture, finishes, and even paint. Gat Creek uses a catalyst lacquer finish to protect their solid-wood furniture, and it’s 99.9% cured in the production process. By using ovens, fans, and time, they can assure all VOCs are gone before delivering to you.
- Do Their Part in Conserving Energy
Gat Creek uses all scrap wood from projects to heat their facility. They’ve been able to eliminate all usage of oil and cut the use of propane by over 40%. They also utilize solar panels to power their lighting and machinery. Conserving energy is also about reducing waste, and they go above and beyond with their efforts.
Gat Creek has made environmental responsibility a core value of their company. Their personal approach sets them apart. Curated with a focus on ethics, sustainability, and respect – it’s a company I can stand behind.
What room are you looking to refresh this summer? Try solid-wood pieces to not only make your home gorgeous but also healthy!
Want to learn more about sustainable style? Check out this blog post – Sustainable Style: Easy Changes that are Healthy for You, Your Family, and the Planet