Beth Stiles, with fresh paint on her apron, just back from a custom job at a client’s home.

repurposed beer bottles, and headboards that have been turned into coat racks. Handmade wooden signs line the walls and vintage iron pipes that have been converted into industrial-style lamps light the space. Everything in the store is upcycled, recycled, or refurbished, giving Beth major sustainability points. Thrifty Vintage has also built a community of like-minded artists by providing a place for others to share their goods. With just four consignors when she started out, today that number has grown to 21, guaranteeing a wide variety of styles to suit anyone’s tastes. Refurbishing furniture and other items isn’t automatically an environmentally safe process, but at Thrifty Vintage, care is taken to employ only eco-friendly methods and finishes, such as VOC-free paint. Beth is passionate about reusing and upcycling, and loves to create custom projects for her clients. One of her favorite products is chalk paint, an excellent choice for creating a weathered, distressed look. Beth has created a culture of sustainability by bringing the work of local artisans together under one roof with a shared vision to reduce waste and use

what is already available, all at very affordable prices. After spending some time in the shop, it was apparent that investing in the quality of custom pieces designed and hand crafted by our neighbors is a solid way to support a sustainable future. Instead of heading to Home Goods for the perfect sign to adorn a bathroom wall or a sideboard to fill with wares, consider Thrifty Vintage. The curated selection of unique items offers plenty of choices, all of which come with the added bonus of keeping things out of the landfill. Thrifty Vintage will be celebrating their one year anniversary in May. Be on the lookout for specials and events this spring to help them celebrate.

RECLAIM Gary Stuchel

World famous designer and architect, Frank Lloyd Wright once stated “I go to nature every day for inspiration in the day's work. I follow in building the principles which nature has used in its domain.” That quote perhaps best captures the spirit of the growing trend of

reclaimed wood, a movement that began to gain traction during 1990s as waste disposal increased and deconstruction became a more viable economic alternative to demolition. Homeowners, architects, designers and other woodworkers sought to build structures that give, rather than take, from the environment, and selecting reclaimed wood or lumber puts to use an existing building material. Reclaimed wood is incredibly beneficial for the natural world because it does not require as many resources, compared to the energies that go into the cutting, processing, and transportating that’s often associated with new wood production. Recently we spoke with local Timber Framer and Woodwright, Gary Stuchel, about the benefits and longevity associated with reclaimed wood, in comparison to the materials that are often used in new home construction. “So many of today’s homes are built so flimsy and filled with toxic materials,” he said. “I take pride in knowing that the structures that I build and work on will most likely survive for hundreds of years after I’m gone. If that’s not sustainability, what is?” he asked.

APRIL 2019 THEWCPRESS.COM

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