I met with Chad Parkinson, owner of The Furniture Joint, last week in his shop, just south of downtown Salt Lake. It really is a hidden gem, tucked away in what looks to be an abandoned build that’s hiding behind an old taxi-cab company. You won’t be able to find Chad’s shop on Map Quest. Chad has to give you personal directions in order to get to his unassuming and giant warehouse-turned-woodshop. If you haven’t heard of The Furniture Joint or know Chad, the likelihood of you just stumbling into his shop is incredibly slim.
But Chad’s workshop is buzzing with amazing projects for so many people in the Utah region. From multi-millionaires wanting that want furniture as art pieces in their home, to a new couple just wanting an amazing chair, to a conference table for a downtown office, Chad gets plenty of clients just by word of mouth. And for good reason. His woodworkings are stunning, his methods are pure, and after years of mastering his craft, it’s clear to see why he has little need to advertise. It was a pleasure meeting and getting to know one of Salt Lake’s genuine artisans.
“Machines work for the masses with indifference, manufacturing generic goods for ordinary needs. The Furniture Joint’s hand crafted wooden furniture represents the peculiarity of people and their homes. I aspire to bring nice things back into the home by showcasing the natural beauty of wood through custom design, thus shifting the modern focal point of admiration from the mechanical. Currently, there is a disturbing tendency to buy cheap boxed furniture that we assemble ourselves knowing it will not last a single generation. Furniture is not meant to be replaced with other trends, but cherished.”
“The need for a piece of furniture goes well beyond function. A dinner table is not a just a place to eat but a medium for family discourse, just as a rocking chair is an instrument for a mother to comfort a new born child, and a porch swing a channel for silent communication between two lovers watching the sunset. Once we have recognized the need for a specific furnishing, we begin to envision ourselves in these scenes, and the details of our preferred design begin to show. After meeting with a client for the first time and listening to their story, I find myself lying awake, designing and planning, wide eyed in the early hours with anticipation to transpire a plan.”
Chad keeps the woodworking tradition alive by using as many purist techniques as he can employ. He does have to use some machinery, but only out of necessity, and definitely not by choice. Chad doesn’t own a laptop, and everything drafted is done by hand. Every corner, every grain, hand-selected, hand-hewn and made with precision and care…
