Blog

There are eight million stories in this besieged city, a few hopeful.  We want to shine a light on one story of furniture-makers rising to action during the pandemic to volunteer to fabricate hundreds of face-shields for healthcare workers on the frontlines in New York City hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis. 

One of the exciting aspects of working with a diverse range of furniture makers is learning about the inspiration and building process behind their products. With environmental sustainability and good design as a common thread, each approaches creativity in a unique way. 

We love the stories behind the furniture as much as the products themselves. mebl | Transforming Furniture’s founder, Michael, listened intently as Capers Landrum Cauthen talked about his passion for reclaimed wood and how he first got into furniture building. 

"My wish is inspiration from the City of New York," Hamed Ouattara approached us via email in summer 2019, "and to surprise myself with the objects and creations that emerge. I would like to rub shoulders with my Brooklyn surroundings!"

Recently I was listening to a NPR piece on plastics. It emphasized: “Recycling alone can't solve the (plastic) waste conundrum, but many believe it's a vital piece of an overall strategy."

This radio segment got me thinking again about the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic material available for recycling each year and the role that plastic reuse can play in beautiful, sustainable furniture. 

In November 1998, winding up our honeymoon, my wife and I stumbled upon West Barnstable Tables in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. We fell in love with "Box Rebellion," a colorful and stunningly creative dining-room cabinet, rich with stories,  that re-imagined old cabinet doors, stair treads, window frames and baseboards. Twenty years later, Box Rebellion still anchors our dining room and inspires mebl | Transforming Furniture's design ethos.