Owner and designer Ericka Leighton came to us in 2014 with one thing on her mind.... plants and boobs. Well, sorta of. She told us about her new concept shop idea and how it would be the first of its kind in Cincinnati and that she wanted Brush Factory to assist in the designing and build out of the store. Naturally, we were all over this project. It's fresh, light hearted and she really shares a lot of the same ethos that we do. Everything in her store is sourced from independent small business that are probably manufacturing everything in house and most likely is made in the United States. She takes great pride in knowing her vendors personally and vetting each one for ethical and sustainable practices. Take a trip to OTR and pop into this place. I never leave without something I love and she usually has champagne on ice!
bff Forever.
Behind the scenes video of the BF team on set shooting the first bff collection.
Hidden Details
“Beautifully handcrafted pieces take time and teamwork.”
Steve and Hayes worked together on two executive conference tables as part of Brush Factory's design and fabrication package for Cincinnati's new Cintrifuse headquarters in Over-the-Rhine.
The design featured solid black walnut construction through and through which is highly uncommon today among typical office furniture and part of what makes Brush Factory's work so special. The client wanted these tables to feel more residential in design yet business in scale so Hayes designed special joinery for the base to accommodate an extra long 10 foot solid walnut top.
Each leg and long apron includes a Bridle joint rather than a standard mortise and tenon which allows for the wings at the end to extend past the legs and support the long top. These joints were cut by hand the old fashioned way and for even greater strength and challenge pinned from the inside with floating tenons that connect the short aprons. "These were a great challenge to build and part of what makes custom work so fun and interesting" says Hayes, "I can't wait to see these finished."
For the Love of Wood
Brush Factory owner and lead cabinetmaker Hayes Shanesy talks woodworking and his passion for the medium.
"Woodworking is good for the soul, every woodworker knows this" says Hayes. Brush Factory furniture is primarily made from wood because we're passionate about it. We love trees in our cities, our parks and of course our forests. Their are few natural living monuments that can compare to the inspiring elegance and beauty of a massive oak. We choose wood to honor our heritage, the woodworking trade, and because we believe that wood is the most inspiring, natural, uniquely independent material available. I learned furniture making from my father a master cabinetmaker, Steve Shanesy, who continues to pass on his knowledge today as a lead craftsman in our shop. Wood is a renewable natural resource that is non harmful, biodegradable, long lasting, locally grown, sustainably forested, and won't end up in a landfill like many of the other products that surround us.
“I’ve been making stuff since I was a kid. I spent many hours in my Dad’s basement shop growing up. I always enjoyed creative projects and building furniture was a terrific outlet for my interest in design.”
Building furniture is a contemplative process based in fundamental practices of technique, design proportion, precision and care. Their are technical challenges of joinery and engineering but their is a lot of joy in the simplicity too. Wood is wonderful. Each tree is unique in its color and grain pattern and different species have completely different properties. As a completely natural material wood seems to stay alive almost even in a piece of furniture as it expands and contracts with the seasons and almost speaks to you.