ABOUT US
GIVING NEW LIFE TO LOCAL RECLAIMED & SALVAGED WOOD
“ As you shape wood, wood will shape you.” Siggi Buhler, master carver.
At Living Wood Design, we’re passionate about wood. Every day is a journey to bring the natural beauty of wood to life through new and beautiful designs. With over 20 years of experience creating sustainable, custom furniture, we look forward to bringing your vision to life!
We use the finest craftsmanship to create each piece of furniture, designed and hand crafted in our Muskoka, Ontario workshop to become a piece that stands alone as functional art.
Living Wood Design creates modern bespoke furniture with a focus on sustainability, with studios in Toronto and Muskoka, and we ship internationally! Founded by husband and wife design team Andy Gamper and Anna Smith, our innovative designs are created using local salvaged and reclaimed kiln-dried Ontario hardwoods and natural finishes.
Our signature live edge tables are made from stunning slabs of hardwood; the natural grain and character of the wood are brought to life by Andy as he hand- crafts each piece using traditional artisanal techniques.
Recognized for our modern designs coupled with fine craftsmanship, Living Wood Design has created custom pieces for the Property Brothers show, as well as design firms and clients all over North America and as far as the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
TRADITIONAL ARTISANAL CRAFTSMANSHIP
After attending The University of Guelph for Music, Andy graduated from the Cabinetmaking program at Humber College in Toronto and was subsequently hired to teach both cabinetmaking and carving at Humber College. He also apprenticed with Swiss master carver Siggi Buhler for three years, honing his carving skills and working on sculptural pieces for a number of Toronto restaurants and specialty installations. Andy uses traditional techniques to create truly unique, artisanal pieces that stand alone as treasured heirlooms. Because our studio is small, the attention to detail and personal touch that goes into each piece is unsurpassed. Our tables and housewares have hand-beveled edges and hand-carved details and joinery that set our business apart as a specialty studio.
NATURAL, QUALITY MATERIALS
We use hardwoods such as black walnut, maple, cherry, elm and ash that have been salvaged locally from stately old trees that have come down in storms or fallen due to their age. We also use reclaimed century barn boards and beams from local Ontario barns that are collapsing and being demolished. Our wood is of the highest quality; it is all kiln dried for eight weeks or more so it has a very low moisture content, guaranteeing that it will not warp or crack and that our designs will maintain their integrity of form for generations. All of our creations are hand crafted, carefully showcasing the wood’s natural beauty in the live edges, knot holes and the unique grain of each piece. We apply pure, all-natural and food safe Rubio oil to each piece by hand, allowing the extraordinary natural grain to shine through.
EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE
At Living Wood Design we pride ourselves in the relationships that we forge with our clients; we work closely with you to bring your dream table to life.
We work with many international design studios, architects and homeowners, collaborating on custom designs for clients and providing fast, reliable and affordable shipping options to our international clients. White glove delivery is also available upon request.
THE PROCESS
We can begin the process of creating your custom furniture by sending you a quote by email; just send us the details of what you have in mind to info@livingwooddesign.com.
We’ll reply with a quote and are also happy to send photos of slabs and sketches or blueprints if requested.
We have two Ontario studios where we meet with clients by appointment; one in Toronto and the other in the Muskoka area near Huntsville, where we create the pieces. We meet with clients at either location to look at wood samples and to discuss design possibilities, spending as much time as is necessary to collaborate on the perfect design. Some clients only have time to work online or by phone, and we’re happy to communicate back and forth to get your designs just right, sending sketches and photos to you and working within your time frame. We offer local delivery and installation for tables, personally ensuring that your piece arrives in pristine condition and that it is installed perfectly. We even deliver furniture pieces in Muskoka on barges and by boat to island cottages!
INNOVATIVE, SUSTAINABLE DESIGNS
We’re passionate about creating modern designs using traditional craftsmanship at Living Wood Design; we are committed to creating eco-friendly, sustainable designs using local woods. We strive to create innovative designs using traditional techniques that bring the natural beauty of the wood to life.
In keeping with the focus on sustainability, we strive to support local community initiatives; we donate a percentage of each sale to our local conservation non-profit, the Muskoka Conservancy and we donate a portion of funds from each sale to the non-profit we started in Honduras for scholarships for Mayan youth to attend school, www.healthyvillages.org
