My Philosophy

“We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, We borrow it from our Children” ~ Native Proverb
 
My Philosophy is about Sustainable Design. about being creative and taking the time and care to invest in older quality furniture. Also, the time to know what it is that you are investing in when purchasing something new. There are good investments to be made, both with older furniture and new. Unfortunately, today, we are seeing more and more, inferior quality built furnishings on the market, even when the price tag is high. The majority of furniture being built today is manufactured to last an average of ten years. Looking at our purchasing power with a mind for sustainable living is My Philosophy that I call CERES CREATIVE.
 
Re-create, Recycle, Re-use, Redesign, Restore, Reduce, Reupholster, Refinish, Repair…. Furniture.
The beauty of this Philosophy, is not only are you Creating something unique and custom, but you are consuming responsibly. It is FUN Re-Creating something that is well built but dated. It is Rewarding, restoring a timeless gem that holds history, or a piece with sentiment.
Older Furnishings can be transformed! The examples are countless.

Did you know that you can take a couch and turn it into two chairs? or… Cut an armoire in half to rebuild into two new pieces? …. turn a dining table into a coffee table? This is only a glimmer at the endless potential we all have to utilize what already is, in lieu of discarding and purchasing new. If you choose a reliable and skilled tradesperson, it can be new again, yet better, it will be uniquely yours, re- designed to suit your decor and style.

I have restyled kitchens that were very good quality when built in the 70′s or 80′s with great construction techniques and materials, but today, the wood stain, hardware, tiles, are not current. So instead of gutting the kitchen, we look at refinishing or professionally painting out the wood, changing hardware, the tiles, counters, even floors. Sometimes milling new crown or light valences. Capping the island for a frame and panel look, or building an island, and co-ordinating the finishes to the ‘new’, old cupboards. All that is needed is vision and to know whether the concepts are viable and a good investment.

My philosophy goes to restoring and repairing as well. Some pieces are timeless in their beauty and only need restoration work.
Upholstered pieces are a passion of mine. The standard for older couches, prior to 1988, was to build with hardwood frames and time honoured joinery. New fabric, changing the cushion style, removing the skirt, installing new legs, are simple options for transformation. So much can be done in the re-upholstering process to update and customize.

Re-storing and re-creating is an excellent way to lower our environmental imprint. When we restore we are not only reducing and reusing, but we are also keeping our business local. Most of what is purchased in stores is imported often from other continents. When we look at all the resources expended in every aspect, it just makes sense to investigate our options.

My principles are not against the purchase of new furniture, only to know what you are buying and what you are throwing away.
When restoring or salvaging is not an option, consideration is required to know what your purchasing impact truly is, when purchasing new. Fundamental questions to ask; Where was it made? What is the construction and joinery methods utilized, what are the core materials, what type of finish was applied…. these answers will aid in making a responsible purchase and a good monetary investment

It is a different process to Re-create, Restore…… than going shopping for cookie cutter mass produced furniture. Going the avenue of salvaging, can involve a little more time and faith, but what you end up with is something that you feel good about and love for it’s custom design, style, and quality. I have many repeat clients that have the bug and get more excited about this process each time.

I wish to inspire others to see another avenue to sustainable living. This is not just a Philosophy, it is a responsibility, Our responsibility to leave resources for the next generations.