Wyoming Rustic Furniture
Farmhouse, Cabin, and Lodge Style Furniture
Brian Skarohlid 307-477-1402
FAQ
Why should I buy from Wyoming Rustic Furniture?
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Owner, Brian Skarohlid, has been making furniture for over 20 years, qualifying him as a Master Craftsman. He is a perfectionist and expert at making furniture feel silky smooth when it looks rough and rustic. He has an artist's eye for picking wood and a mathematician's obsession for precision.
Brian is a people person who enjoys interacting with customers and delivering on service. And because we do not sell in stores, we can charge "direct to customer" pricing. You get heirloom quality furniture at a very fair price.
Where does Wyoming Rustic Furniture source Aspen?
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Brian goes to the source for his Aspen log materials. He heads to the mountains several times a year to harvest standing dead trees. He loves being able to exercise complete control over the quality of the logs he uses. He can look for particular qualities or characteristics in the wood, including the length, diameter, elk rub and elk chew, curves and twists, or whatever he needs. Your furniture is handmade from the moment Brian starts walking through the woods.
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Why standing? Standing dead trees are much less likely to be rotten or infested. Trees that fall are often rotting from within and are subject to all manner of damage.
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Why dead? Because the wood needs time to dry and age. The trees he cuts have usually been dead for a few years. Green, or live, trees will twist and warp. That doesn't make for good furniture.
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Are there other benefits? Yes!! Practically speaking, removing dead trees has huge advantages for the forest, the most important being the removal of fuel for forest fires. Aesthetically, a green grove of Aspen trees is much more beautiful than a gray lifeless grove.
What is Rustic Timber?
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Rustic Timber is a style of furniture, most often using weathered wood and rough sawn pine.
Weathered wood is also known as barnwood and is characteristically gray when it comes in to the shop. It is used to make what is often described as lodge or farmhouse style furniture. Our weathered wood is reclaimed from Wyoming snow fence. It is naturally aged through years of exposure to the elements. We never rush the process or substitute an imposter. Authentic weathered wood is as expensive as walnut and other hardwoods.
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Brian can create several looks with weathered wood. He can sand it just enough to make it smooth and splinter free but keep the natural gray for use in headboards, footboards and drawer fronts. If he takes that lightly sanded wood and makes it into panels for dresser and nightstand tops, he seals it and the wood turns slightly darker. Brian can also take all of the gray exterior off and sand it smooth as glass. With all the gray gone the wood is "checked" with character that makes it much more interesting than new lumber. This is what Brian uses on coffee tables and dining room tables. It is highly refined, beautiful and rustic.
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Rough sawn pine is what it sounds like. It is dimensional pine but is cut with a large circular saw, leaving visible curves on the wood. It can be sanded smooth and still show marks from the saw, resulting in a very rustic look. It harkens back to the old saw mills and hand made tables in pioneer kitchens.
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A very popular look is a combination of weathered wood and rough sawn pine with log accents, like legs and chair backs.
What should I look for in log furniture?
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Wyoming Rustic Furniture uses only Aspen logs because of their character.
What is character?
Character starts with color. Aspen is known for its rich white, yellow, red, brown, blond and golden colors. Sometimes, when a slab is finely sanded and polished, part of the wood looks like it is lit from within. It can look like backlit ripples on water.
Character can be a result of the weather. Consistent winds or heavy snow can cause trees to bend and twist. Over time that bending and twisting becomes the shape of the tree and can become a beautiful piece of furniture.
Character is also the marks left by animals in the environment. Sometimes that is a tiny track left by an insect burrowing in zigzags under the bark. Sometimes it is the bark scraped by elk antlers or gnawed by elk teeth. The scars left behind heal over, but leave behind the story of the tree's life.
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When shopping for log furniture the character is important and valuable. The finish is equally valuable. The logs should be completely free from bark and debris, and completely smooth to the touch. Brian works the logs through eight or more steps until they are not just smooth but satiny to the eye and touch.
Can I make a change?
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One of the strengths of Wyoming Rustic Furniture is Brian's ability to customize any standard design or create a new one according to the ideas of the customer. If you need a table or dresser bigger or smaller that typical, Brian can make those adjustments. If you want something completely new, Brian can make it happen.
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Does Wyoming Rustic Furniture deliver?
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Yes! Brian will deliver your order and carry it into your home. He will assemble your bed and show you how it goes together in case you ever need to move it, There is usually a nominal delivery fee intended to cover Brian's fuel. He will deliver to parts of Colorado, Nebraska, Idaho, Utah, and, of course, Wyoming.
Where is Wyoming Rustic Furniture located?
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The shop is located outside of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Brian welcomes visitors and enjoys showing people around, often demonstrating some of the machines he uses. Seeing the shop and meeting Brian often helps people make the final decision to place an order.
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While Brian has been asked by retailers to sell his furniture in their stores, he has decided to sell directly to the public. In doing so, he gets a fair price for his work and his customers benefit. Wyoming Rustic Furniture is not available in retail stores for that reason.
How do I care for my furniture?
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The furniture made by Wyoming Rustic Furniture leaves the shop sealed and polished. You should not use harsh chemicals to clean the wood. All that is needed is a soft cloth, occasionally a damp cloth, and at most a light polish with an all natural wax. Don't use polish on the weathered wood on a headboard, footboard, or drawer front. The wood will become dark when wet and may not dry out to its original finish. It should never need more than a light dusting.