Reforest Furniture was started in 2018.
We had been camping in the Uinta Mountains in Eastern Utah for many years and noticed the abundance of dead-standing pine dominating the forests. After doing some research, we learned that this was mostly caused by the warmer climates and Mountain Pine Beetle. We also learned you can buy a permit to harvest that wood- so we bought the biggest chainsaw on the market and started our LLC.
After a year of trying to sell pine tables, we realized the market would not accept such soft wood as a premium finished product. Though pine doesn’t work well for furniture, we found that it is incredibly easy to carve and so we now use it for carved table bases, totems, and wall art. Although we use hardwood for furniture, we also donate money to replant trees throughout Utah and continue to use sustainable materials whenever possible.
As fine furniture builders, we aim to provide extremely high-quality pieces and customer service. We love taking your ideas and turning them into show-stopping pieces!
About Patrick
As a kid, I was always obsessed with how things worked. My parents, to their chagrin, were constantly coming home to dismantled TVs, radios, and clocks strewn about the house. I loved taking apart anything mechanical and took to finding items at garage and estate sales to experiment with.
This curiosity followed me into my father’s shop, where I have some of my fondest memories. My dad sold industrial wire as a profession, but his true passion was building things. At first, he had me performing menial but important tasks, such as replenishing beer or sweeping the floor. But he soon taught me to use tools and solve problems creatively.
As I grew older, I was drawn toward more artistic pursuits such as drawing, painting, and sculpture. In college, I really enjoyed iron casting and remember using a furnace to melt a cast iron bathtub in seconds- which was pretty cool to a teenage boy (well, let’s face it, that’s pretty cool to anyone). After some time in college, I decided to take a semester off and became a ski bum in Utah. Taking time off school helped me realize that the grueling workload of classes was snuffing my creativity, and I decided not to finish my degree.
After several years of skiing and working in the restaurant industry, I found myself at a music festival in California in 2018. After going through a calming hour-long yoga session, the instructor gave a speech that changed my life. She started by saying: “Close your eyes and imagine your life. Think of all the people you want surrounding you. Think of how these people make you feel. Now think about what you could be doing to be happy. Something you’d do for free and still be content.” Eyes closed, I remember thinking about being in my dad’s shop, building things with him. That’s what would make me the happiest.
And then, with that woodshop image in my head, the instructor yelled, “NOW WHY AREN’T YOU DOING THAT?”
On that day, something was born inside of me: the determination to start Reforest Furniture
About Rory
My deep love for the outdoors began when I was growing up in the small town of Rifton, NY. Miles of forest surrounded my house, and because I wasn’t allowed to play video games, you could often find me riding my bike into the woods to build forts. My love for the forest grew fast from there and has never stopped.
I also grew up loving art. In Kindergarten, we were asked to write down what we wanted to be when we grew up, and my answer was to be an artist and a father. I’ve always dreamed of creating beautiful things that make people smile. School was never my forte, but I did excel in the hands-on classes and was an exceptional problem solver. During this time, I played a lot with Legos, and enjoyed building a whole set without using instructions and then taking them apart to create my own imaginings. My Lego experiences translate well to how I work on cars now- except with bigger, heavier, and more expensive parts.
After graduating from high school in 2006, I worked at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY, where I met the people who changed my life forever by encouraging me to pursue my dreams. At 23 years old, I moved to Utah by myself to be a snowboard bum. After enjoying that for a few years, I decided it was time to start a career and found a job at an auto body shop. Over the next five years, my experience grew tremendously, but my passion for cars was waning. Fixing other peoples’ cars all day was no fun. The hands-on work was rewarding, but there was a lack of creativity.
One day, my friend called and asked me if I could weld a set of table legs for a table he was building for a friend. We spent half the day cutting, grinding, and welding an awesome set of legs. At the end of the project, he said, “We should start a furniture company!” With no hesitation and zero woodworking experience, I said, “Absolutely!” That friend was Patrick, and on that day Reforest Furniture was born. Less than a year later, our LLC was created, and our journey truly began.
And to this day, I still love to play with Legos.
