((PKG)) THE ART OF FURNITURE
((TRT: 04:42))
((Topic Banner: The Art of Furniture))
((Reporter/Camera/Editor: Jeff Swicord))
((Map: Washington, DC))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 2 male))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Dennis Turbeville
Owner, Austen/Morris Custom Furniture))
I first became interested in furniture when I was pretty young. I’ve been a designer for a long time. I had a career in advertising and graphic design for about 15 years. As a designer, you look at things differently and you think how could that be improved? I found myself falling into a rhythm of kind of doing the same thing over and over again. And I knew that if I was truly going to be happy and if I was going to have less stress in my life and find more joy in my work, that I had to do something different. I love a challenge and furniture-making offers lots and lots of challenges.
((NATS))
((Dennis Turbeville
Owner, Austen/Morris Custom Furniture))
I tend to put myself in the Scandinavian, mid-century-esque aesthetic.
((Courtesy: Dennis Turbeville))
((Dennis Turbeville
Owner, Austen/Morris Custom Furniture))
What mid-century did so well was make beautiful pieces that are durable, functional but also not over the top. When I first meet with clients, one of the first things I ask is, “Why are you looking for custom?” People are coming to me to solve a problem. And they can’t find what they’re looking for in the market, something that would match their aesthetic. I always start to sketch in the computer. The satisfaction really comes from pleasing my clients, solving that problem, creating a great piece, doing something that I haven’t done before. ((MUSIC))
((NATS: Dennis Turbeville and client))
How are you doing?
I’m good.
Dennis.
((Dennis Turbeville
Owner, Austen/Morris Custom Furniture))
I like working with wood. So much history buried inside of each tree. Some of the trees I work with, they were there when the [1860’s] Civil War was, you know, going on.
((NATS: Dennis Turbeville and client))
So how long…this has been here for a few years, right? Two years?
Yeah.
This is the stuff that’s really, really, going to be killer.
((Dennis Turbeville
Owner, Austen/Morris Custom Furniture))
This tree was planted in 1910 in Washington D.C. This is a walnut tree. They had it cut down. They had it milled on their property. And I just picked these up for a project that I am going to do for them. And I just love that. Like, these trees have seen the [1960’s] race riots. It’s seen all these different presidents. It’s seen gentrification. It’s seen when there was no houses there. I think that’s part of the story and you’re not going to get that when you buy furniture from any major big box retailer. And the homeowner is going to be able to tell that story to everybody that eats at their new dining table. And it just fascinates me that all this history can be in these trees.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Dennis Turbeville
Owner, Austen/Morris Custom Furniture))
Making furniture is kind of a romantic thing for me. I love walking in, flicking the lights on, turning my music on. This is my temple. This is like where I want to spend all of my time. One of the most fun parts of my build is when you put it through a planer, you put it through a joiner and you can start to see that grain like you can get really excited. I’m basically making everything from scratch.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Dennis Turbeville
Owner, Austen/Morris Custom Furniture))
Leaving my career was really, really hard. I did always know that I could kind of come back to it but the further I get away from it, the less likely that’s going to be. I had a great time, spent 15 years doing that but I am done.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Dennis Turbeville
Owner, Austen/Morris Custom Furniture))
I love furniture. I love design. To be honest, I didn’t think that I would have much success at first. You know, now I am busier than I ever thought was possible.
((NATS/MUSIC))