Lancaster is famous for beautiful barns and handcrafted furniture, but who would have thought, handcrafted barn wood furniture? Dan Dennis of Lancaster County Barn Art began designing and constructing furniture out of old barn doors and shutters four years ago. Dan lived the old adage "necessity is the mother of invention" when he moved to Albuquerque, NM and was unable to afford furniture. His first two pieces were his own bed and table. Friends were surprised when this English and Philosophy major began making his own furniture, although Dan has always been a creative adventure seeker, always looking for unique avenues to explore. This is just what Dan brings to the table-saw.
No two pieces are the same. Every board, shutter, and door has a unique weather-beaten history. "I rely on the inspiration of the moment to create each piece," says, Dan. He draws on whatever he has lying around the shop (barn windows, driftwood, oars) to fuel the inspiration.
"The idea is to recycle. A lot of old barns are going down and being replaced with strip-malls and developments. This is a way to recycle that history of Lancaster County with some creative and unique," explains Dan. The goal is to create timeless pieces of furniture, as if they could have been made 150 years ago, to suit modern lifestyles. Dan doesn't paint the wood but takes it down to its original patina, usually using tung oil to create a warm contrast between the aged color-tones and the bare wood.
"Each piece has a unique purpose whether it be to hold towels, a stereo or soup cans," says Dan. The majority of his work is custom crafted furniture. Many of his clients come to Dan with specific ideas that can't be met by browsing through an Ikea catalogue. "I live in a carriage house from the 1800's. I want my furniture to fit the atmosphere of my home as well as fit into my limited space. Dan has always been able to interpret my cryptic ideas into exactly what I want," says client Yvette Waidley. He has created for various clients entertainment cabinets, wine racks, tables, picture frames, cutting boards, fishing pole cabinets...use your imagination.
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