Even their work for ENO, the hammock company, pushed creative boundaries. “They wanted art panels made from bark,” Karla recalls. “So, Architectural Woodcraft went out to Bark House in Spruce Pine to hand-select bark to be vacuum pressed into these flat panels. It’s now displayed in their headquarters. It was so different from what we usually do - but that willingness to figure it out is what sets our craftsmen apart.” Behind these feats of creativity is a small, tight-knit crew that Karla speaks about with reverence. “Some of our guys have been with us for 20 years,” she says. “Matt and Shane have been here that long, and Rod has been with us for nearly 10 years. They’re just brilliant. I feel really lucky to be part of this team.”
She often reminds them to pause and appreciate what they create.
“Sometimes I say, ‘You guys need to take a step back and see how cool this is.’ They’re so used to it, but what they make is just unbelievable.”
Their size is part of their strength. “We’re only about six people,” Karla says.
“We’re not a massive production shop. We’re small, and that means we can be intentional about everything - how we use our materials, what we choose to buy, how we craft each piece.”
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