February 25, 2025 • 39 mins
This week we are joined by Megan Aronson the director of Aronson Woodworks, a small furniture company that specializes in custom craftsmanship and their patented finish technique Claize. We talk quality, sustainability and the world of furniture.
Connect with Megan:
IG: @aronsonwoodworks
Website: https://www.aronsonwoodworks.com/
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Connect with Megan:
IG: @aronsonwoodworks
Website: https://www.aronsonwoodworks.com/
Save 15% site wide at www.houseofblum.com with promo code beat15! Or you can use this link- https://houseofblum.com/discount/beat15!
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Connect with House of Blum https://www.instagram.com/shophouseofblum/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to boulevard Beat, a podcast where life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom along with my co hosts, editor
Chris A. Rossbund and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast
focuses on the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews
with taste makers, and personal conversations on how to highlight
achievable style. You constrol one street at a time, Boulevard
(00:28):
Beat proves the one.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
You should take.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
This week, we are joined by Megan Aronson, the director
of Aaronson Woodworks, a small furniture company that specializes in
custom craftsmanship and their patentent finish technique plays. We talk quality, sustainability,
and the world of furniture.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Welcome Meghan, and thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
It's so fun to get to know you, Meghan over
the years and get to hear your story and I'm
excited to share that with that for But tell us first, Meghan,
about the street that you grew up on.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I grew up in a town in eastern Iowa. It's
right in the Mississippi, and the street I grew up
on was actually called Melrose Court, and any teenage girl
from the early nineties felt really special because Melrose Place
and Melrose Court, I felt very cool. But it was great.
(01:27):
We had a really lovely, quintessential smallish town America upbringing.
We had an alleyway in the back of the house
and the neighborhood kids would all be out playing, and
there was a park we would run to, so it
was it was wonderful. There were some mature trees and
you know, just nice middle class homes. It was great.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Was there a handsome Jake on Melrose Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
No, unfortunately.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Okay, well we love that story for sure. Definitely. Megan,
when do you first remember being interested in design? Because
your creative path has taken several different stops, so could
you kind of tell us about that and how has
your journey within this business evolved.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I really dove into design head first when my husband
and I made the decision to put all our chips
into building a custom furniture business, which we quickly aligned
ourselves with the interior design community because we felt like
the quality and craftsmanship of our work would be best
(02:38):
served with tailoring each piece to the taste of every client.
And we realized that space for interior design was so
valuable for clients to be able to decide, you know,
what size dining table would be appropriate for their room
their dining room, and what finish would be best with
(03:01):
their rug and their chairs. There's so many decisions that
go into specifying a custom piece of furniture, and we
certainly were not trained or educated to help guide them
through that process. So we quickly realized how integral interior
designers are in creating a successful experience for every client.
(03:26):
So that's when we dove into the world of interior design,
and to help promote our work, I put our work
on Instagram and that's when my eyes opened to the
wide range of possibilities depending on maybe a particular aesthetic
(03:47):
of an interior designer or the aesthetic of a particular project.
And then it just sort of.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Took ome from there because of the limitless customizations of
the finish, and then we quickly started expanding the silhouettes
and profiles of pieces that we were making.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So that was our jumping off point in the business.
And my particular role in the business is on the
customer service aspect, so I really enjoy and thrive in
that relationship of intercepting requests and understanding the nuances of
(04:26):
each project and helping to make that experience as pleasant
and creative as possible for the designers.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Is a creative field something that you ever thought you
would dive into? And the reason I ask is when
we hear the word creative or creativity, people automatically jump
to artists, right, And if they're not an artist, they think, oh,
I'm not creative. So what's your story there?
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah, I think I've always been drawn to art. This
is a weird story, but it feels like this space
might be the right place to share it. So something
that tipped me off at an early age that I
might lean toward a certain look or aesthetic. Growing up,
we actually had a house fire and I don't know,
(05:15):
it was okay, we're all fined. My weird brother started fire.
It's always the brother, right.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
The brother.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Then, obviously in the renovation and recovery after that, I
got to redo my bedroom. And I was a I
think sophomore in high school and so old enough to
be beyond like the kiddy stuff, but now at the
threshold of like wanting at you know whatever. The age
that was sixteen, I wanted to automatically be like in
(05:48):
my twenties, so I was designing for like this young
sophisticated adult and that really I just I don't know why,
but that experience stuck with me. I ended up going
going into fashion and working at a really high end
boutique because I've just always been drawn to I guess,
(06:09):
nicer things or spaces that just feel really good. But
it took a long time to recognize the work or
understand more about what goes into creating a space that
feels like that. And so the fashion industry fed that
creativity because it got to play with you know, marketing
(06:30):
and being able to work with customers one on one.
And so that experience is something that I was able
to carry it with me every day of what we
do now.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Well, and it's interesting that you tapped into the fashion
industry for a while because so often in this business
we talk about how home and fashion intersect. And it
used to be, you know, whatever happened in the fashion
industry would make its way to the home industry to
years later, five years later. Now that window has certainly
(07:03):
been shortened. How do you see them as similar to
each other and how are they different?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Well, I mean I can only speak for what feels
like a narrowscope of what we do, because I see
so many ways that are finish, which is endlessly customizable.
Could play with upholstery and fabrics or lighting to create
more of a fashion moment or a statement and give
(07:32):
designers and clients that look and feeling of being very
personalized but also high end. And yeah, I think from
our perspective, there's definitely an urgency to continue to push
out creative new designs, to stay fresh and to stay
at the forefront of designers' minds as well. And that
(07:54):
is certainly a parallel to the fashion industry. You know,
every season they're turning out a new collection. So yeah,
I I think that's where I would see parallels there.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
And kind of in both of them. It's just about
the mix, how you mix that high end look the
high low mix, and even just tailoring your own style
and the depth of style with both fashion and home.
I can definitely see the parallels.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Megan.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Part of the appeal of Aaronson Woodworks is that you're
based in the country, in small town Iowa. I have
to say, I absolutely love seeing some of your sunset
pictures that you share.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
They're just breathtaking. Thank you, that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
It's a charming place. Yet you're creating chick silhouettes that
are going home to some of the tony zip codes
in the country. How do you make that jump from
small town to high style.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
What I have found to be the sort of the
new definition of luxury, which is what I associate with
those zip codes, is the level of personalization and customization
that goes into a piece of furniture. I have found
that it's less about a brand now but more about
(09:05):
as a small maker. We can only turn out X
number of pieces. They're not mass produced, and to me,
I think that almost makes it, you know, a rare
commodity which speaks to those luxury zip codes and what
those clients are intrigued and interested in. And then you
layer on the quality of our craftsmanship, which at this
(09:28):
point in our industry, I think is it's becoming just
very much a lost art, building things from scratch by
hand every single time, one by one. The joinery is
all heirloom quality. It's all with joinery which Clay developed
during a two year apprenticeship with a nineteenth century furniture
(09:48):
shop right out of college. So I can't imagine a
lot of furniture people are spending that level of time
investing in making sure everything piece is of Airlottle quality.
So to me, it's that layering of customization personalization with
the quality and having that align with what that particular
(10:11):
clientele is seeking, and then just our finished process feels luxurious.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
You.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Unfortunately for everyone listening, you know, you don't have the
opportunity to sort of experience it in person, but it's
so fun when people are sitting at a dining table,
for example, after a minute or two, I'll notice they're
just petting it. It feels so nice because it's so smooth,
(10:40):
and yet you still have the experience of the wood
grain texture, and it's just a nice combination of things
that resonate with that particular clientele.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Megan, I think it was interesting a few moments ago
you said that design now is less about a brand.
And why I think that matters is, you know, you
go back twenty twenty five years ago, and I think
we can all probably remember the catalog days when catalogs
would come every day in the mail, and that's really
(11:13):
when I think the country was captivated by Fattery, barn
and Creighton barrel and restoration hardware, and I mean there's
nothing wrong with those brands that they literally were looking
at the catalogs because they were produced so nicely and
saying I want that room, and here I can order
it and it can all be done and it looks polished,
it looks great, and now I have a well designed room.
(11:37):
I think that people understand now that they don't really
want that coffeecat look straight out of a catalog, and
so companies like Aaronson Woodworks give them that opportunity to
have that special moment that provides a statement piece, if
you will. So what does that mean to you as
you were creating those pieces, knowing that this is really
(12:00):
going to be a statement in the room. It's not
just a go with piece of furniture. It's not a
piece of furniture that's just there for functionality, but it
really is an art piece.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Oh yeah, I mean the we take every order very
seriously and it goes through so much behind the scenes,
agonizing over every detail, and as it's getting made, if
something is just not quite to what our standard would be,
maybe they would get the piece and never notice something
(12:33):
that you know would quote not be quite to our standard.
We will still either remake it or we will address it.
And those are the things that probably don't ever really
get shown on Instagram, but the work that goes on
to deliver a piece in the shop, you know, we
take every step of the build to the finish, to
(12:54):
the shipping process very seriously to make sure that what
they receive exceeds their expectations every time.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
I know, Megan, I was so impressed when I toured
your factory and just your whole procedure and how you
do things. The cleanliness the packing area was so impressive
of how well you box and create everything. You can
tell that the details don't get missed in your company.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Oh, thank you, Megan. It's definitely something we developed. Speaking
of creating, you know, we started thinking that, you know,
we were creating things in a certain way, and we
used every experience good bad in in between to inform
to try to perfect it. And we're still perfecting things
every day.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Part of good growth is editing and growing and making
it better. So definitely, you know, Megan, we were chatting
a little bit earlier about social media and how that
has was a big part of growing your brand and
your business of course, anyone who follows your social accounts
watches your creative powers unveil with new pieces and creative,
colorful finishes. It's a delight to watch and see all
(13:57):
the different designs, the unique shapes and the colors. You
must have a favorite, even though we know that's probably
like picking a favorite child. What piece is especially memorable
for you? And is there a piece that you wish
a designer would specify and we can hopefully get that
into some minds out in the world.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
That'd be amazing. Play and I both have a special
sentimental love for our reclaimed live edge pieces. We started
the company. The furniture was intended actually to be made
all from live edged material that we reclaimed from the
city of Des Moines when the Emerald Ashwoar devastation went
(14:39):
through the city and they opted to take all the
trees down. That's actually how we found our acreage, because
we were living in the city and we realized we
were going to make a go of it and try
to create a sort of a safe haven for any
of the trees that were coming down that we could utilize.
We realized we needed land and a place to live
(15:00):
and somewhere we could process that material, the evolution of
the furniture and the business skewed more modern quickly, but
they're still part of our collection and so whenever we
get the opportunity to make one of those pieces, it
just brings Clay and I back to how we started
every time. And I think they have so much personality
(15:24):
because the wood is full of knots and character and cracks,
and the story it tells is of something that grew
in an urban setting, and so it's got different elements
of nature and man that it had to battle, you know,
while it was growing, and so that it's all revealed
once you cut into the tree and the log, then
(15:47):
it's preserved in a new life as a piece of furniture.
So I love those pieces for that reason. Finish wise, somehow,
for whatever reason, I grew up in the Midwest, but
thought I was going to live on the East Coast,
like in Nantucket or keep God don't we all. Yeah,
I don't know why. But so any of like the blues,
(16:10):
they just get me. Every time. We have one that's
called Summer Blue Clays and it's white with this you know,
middle sort of tone blue, and it every time we
make one I'm like, do we have to ship it?
Because I just want to keep it so I can
find a spot for it. So those would be my
personal favorites.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
It's funny because every time you post a new piece
on social media, I feel like I chime in and say,
this is my favorite new piece? Is I feel like
I have a favorite new piece every two weeks.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
And I think that's what's so neat about you guys,
is you're so innovative as a designer. I'm seeing stuff
all the time, I'm immersed in it, and yet you
post something and I'm like, I've never seen something like
that before, which I think really speaks to you guys
as unique perspective.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Thank you, Megan. That means a lot coming from both
of you. So I am excited to share that we've
got more creative news things coming out of the shop
at a more rapid pace than you've probably seen before.
So we'll be diving into mixing wood species with the finish,
(17:18):
and then we're really working our way toward incorporating upholstery
and mixing that with the finish.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
So wait and anyone who's been following you it all
will probably for some time anyway, we'll probably never forget
the green ping pong table.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Oh my gosh, yes, Oh that was so fun. There
have been amazing projects with incredible designers who are now friends,
like with Urn from hotels that you know, the Grand
Hotel with him, and so many fun projects. I can't
wait to see what the next year will bring.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Us The Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island for those who
are listening in Michigan.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
I mean, that's part of the wild ride of what
we're doing is that you just never know from day
to day what email will drop into your inbox that
will change the course of the year. You know, based
on what opportunity might you might be able to grab
onto like that. So it's exciting well and it must
be interesting too because unlike a big box retailer or
(18:20):
big box vendor, you don't really have a catalog. I
mean on your website there are pieces that I know
that you make over and over again. But it really
is about the creativity of the designer who's reaching out
to you, because they could request anything exactly. We're working
our way toward expanding into different categories like lighting, and
there are so many ways to refresh things in the
(18:44):
industry that I you know, we've been lucky enough that
we've gotten our furniture into some showrooms, which brought us
to a place where we were able to walk around
and look through different showrooms. Each one I kept observing,
like all the wood is kind of the same. It's
like brown or gray or a version of both. And
(19:06):
it's just so interesting to me that our finish does
stand out from the crowd in so many different ways.
So it'll be really exciting to see how it continues
to evolve, and.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Not only does it stand out from the crowd, but
it also can be whatever color or combination that you need.
I can imagine.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Yeah, to me, it's kind of like it's kind of
like marble or a natural stone, where you're enhancing the
beauty of nature. You're you're bringing forth the movement and
green pattern from natural wood. With marble, you know, that's
presented to you in whatever colors or pattern that nature provides.
(19:48):
But with the finish, you're able to dial up the
contrast to do something very bold and bright, or you
can stay super soft and neutral and beachy. So to
sort of have the marriage and combination of both having
the beauty of nature, but then being able to control
the tones and the colors is really fun.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Megan, the aesthetic of Aarons and Woodworks, and you alluded
to this earlier, naturally sort of took on a more
modern esthetic, I know, a traditional home. I have found
ways to incorporate your pieces into our stories because we
really prefer the mix. A lot of the houses that
we show our old historic homes or new builds that
(20:33):
are designed with traditional aesthetics, but we always love the
mix of modern furniture mixed with beautiful millwork, or modern
artwork mixed with the most traditional forms. So, knowing that
businesses are already evolving, and you've talked about a couple
of new things, what are your dreams for Aarons and
(20:53):
Woodworks and where you would like to see it go?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Yeah, I would love to see Actually, we're working on
some new designs that speak to and I'm still working
on the most appropriate language to describe it, but I
feel a strong influence coming through with certain designers that
is sort of like UK inspired, and I personally love
(21:17):
that part of the world and the history that's there
and the furniture that lives in it feels very special.
So I don't know if the word is traditional or
if it's sort of historical, but the silhouettes of some
bases that we've been playing with are going to be
designed and built so that you could put them in
(21:40):
a beautiful home in the Cotswolds or in rural England
or sort of. I know, farmhouse is probably an esthetic
that is evolving beyond that word, but people are still
drawn to something that feels grounded in earthy elements. It's
sort of the counterpoint to modern furniture, if that makes sense.
(22:04):
So something that has a more traditional silhouette and maybe
there's more of a rustic, sort of hand hewn texture
to the wood. So that's what we've been working on.
That's where i'd love to see us broaden. I think
it's really exciting to build our portfolio of modern sculptural
inspired furniture, but I think it's also really important to
(22:27):
speak to the other end of the design spectrum. Maybe
that's too modern for them and they just want something
that feels comfortable and lived in. So those are things
that I see as exciting places to grow.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
That's really neat, and I think even just even to
have your unique finish on a more traditional piece has
an interesting mix to the everything as well.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Yes, yes, And we started with a more modern silhouette
based on this waterfall shape that Clay started with, so
that was sort of the basis of everything, and then
we started playing with well, it's got a square, very
square corner, Clay, can we round that off to give
(23:10):
it some softness and yeah, and just seeing there are
a lot of designers who are leaning towards this more
sculptural type of furniture, but it also felt very modern,
so I think it. You know, over the last year
or so, I've really wanted to speak to designers that
(23:32):
were in sort of a different element.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Meghan Aaronson Woodworks. It's such a wonderful story in sustainability.
I know, as a society we all want to do
our part to be more sustainable, and it's nice when
you can buy and purchase things that helps with this.
I know when I share with clients your story on
sustainability and how these furniture pieces are made and used,
the clients love that. What does it mean to you
(23:58):
knowing that you're creating pieces of quality that are sure
to last for many generations or after we're all gone.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
It's actually how Clay was raised. He grew up on
a farm in northwest Iowa, and he tells stories about
how far his parents had to stretch a penny and
how difficult it was to raise a family of four
during you know, the hog farm crisis. And I think
(24:27):
that that truly informed his approach to how things should
be made, and that informs us on, you know, our
approach to building furniture and limiting wasteful practices and making
sure we're we're doing things in the most efficient and
non impactful way to the environment. And so that's what
(24:50):
I think about when it comes to sustainability and making
furniture that isn't quote disposable. I guess I remember in
our twenties walking through you know, a store, and he
would just be so upset seeing what was available on
a mass level. And it mirrored his observation of what
(25:14):
was happening with small family farms in Iowa during that
time and how they were all getting sort of eaten
up by big corporate farms. And so I think all
of that informed his desire to make a mark for
himself in the world of furniture and design in something
that was, in his words, we don't do things the
(25:39):
fastest way, but we do it the right way.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
That's so important. And I think that we're at a
place in society now where people understand that and appreciate that. Yes,
and you know, I mean it's nobody wants to pay
more for anything than they have to. Obviously, we want
to save our dollars and the money that we work for.
But at the same time, you do get what you
(26:02):
pay for, and the benefit of buying something that maybe
isn't made well is you don't have to pay spend
as much money right now, but you have to spend
more money later is the problem. And so I think
that for you guys, it must be so special to
create something knowing that, yes, it is environmentally responsible from
(26:23):
that perspective, but also you're creating airloom pieces pieces. Again,
you know, we're here for a very short time, maybe
one hundred years if we're lucky, and knowing that one
hundred years from now, your pieces of furniture are going
to be in somebody else's home and I don't know,
maybe they'll be able to fly around themselves at that point,
(26:43):
and maybe you won't need to create anything at that point.
Maybe there will be this magical new technology that just
GPS's said console table to whomever has bought it on eBay.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Oh my gosh, no shipping required. Yes, that would be
amazing because the one thing about a furniture I can
promise is it's very heavy. It's not light, so getting
it from A to B is not easy. But yeah,
I do think about that often. I think about, yes,
we are here for a short amount of time or lifespan,
but also the span at which we're able to even
(27:21):
have the opportunity to make the furniture. I think about
that almost on a weekly daily basis of like, there
may only be set amount of pieces that Aaronston ever produces,
and you know, after we're gone, how will they be
viewed and looked upon? So all of that importance in
how we make things goes into I would say, every piece,
(27:44):
because we do understand that, you know, it's just a
minute that we're here. So it's really an honor to
be able to put physical pieces of what we truly
care about into the world.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Megan, the world of design is supposed to be creative,
but it's not always. I mean, we just spoke about
mass production. The reality is there are formulas that just
work and it's not always necessary to reinvent the wheel.
What do you love about the fact that your patent
and finish and I am so proud of you guys
that you have that patent can be imagined so many
(28:19):
different ways. And how do you encourage designers to be
creative with it? Because you're the marketing genius behind the
company and you're the one who is creating the relationships
with designers, so you must answer a lot of questions
I imagine about what can be done. So how do
you proceed with those discussions with designers as you educate
(28:42):
them about your business and how everything that they can
imagine and that they can do with it.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
From what I've experienced and observed, it's almost like it
takes a project or two for it to really like
sync in that they can have the creative freedom to
do whatever they want. So we've got a range of
finishes that we try to say, you know, look how
(29:08):
pretty it is as a neutral, and look how fun
and quirky and bowl it can be in brights, so
that they get an initial impactful understanding of like, oh wow,
I could do anything I want. But of course they
could be constrained by what the client prefers or what's
going on in the room. But yeah, I think that
(29:29):
it's really fun to be able to connect with designers
and guide them through sort of seeing the dawn of
realization come through their experience of like, oh wow, I
really can have the creative freedom to do whatever I want.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
And I think that's what's so nice is you make
it easy from a designer perspective of working with you
guys and being creative and letting you take our vision.
I know we've worked on several different projects where we've
adjusted sizes and shapes and really just made them unique pieces.
I also love that when a client finds your product
(30:04):
they love they just love it and they want more
of it too. I know we worked on a project
here locally and did a few pieces in their home office,
and then a few years later they wanted a piece
for their Montana home and we were able to incorporate
that as well. When you get to see these pieces
all through the process, what do you love about creating
a piece and seeing where it ends up and how
(30:26):
it is presented. That's the joy of working with designers
all over the country is the install and how they
use them.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Oh my gosh. Yes, so it you know, obviously takes
months for the process. Here's the initial quote to order,
and then another few months of beginning pre production into
you know them we're shipping, and then another several months
before maybe it's installed and photographed. So it's always just
(30:57):
a here is this amazing piece, and I can only
imagine where it's going, what the room looks like. So
it is like a little Christmas Morning every time I get.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
To see it.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Where these pieces are landing and what is in the
room with them, And yeah, it is really exciting when
those are revealed. To see that, it means a lot
to be able to see, oh my gosh, I can't
believe they put a piece of our furniture with that
piece of furniture, or I would have never imagined it
(31:29):
could look like that in that setting. So it's really
inspiring every time we get to see it.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
I do always feel a little sorry for vendors, especially
you know, you think upholstery, when they see these fabrics
that come in and then they're creating these pieces, and
they probably always have that sense of wonder, where is
this going to land? Like I want to see the
environment or for wallpaper for that matter. There are so
(31:55):
many stunning patterns that are out there, and you know,
I imagine you sort of think, oh my gosh, somebody
just ordered all of this beautiful wallpaper. What are they
going to do with it?
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, and we'll get an inkling, you know, if I'm
talking to a designer and you know they're walking through Okay, Well,
I'm debating on the finish for this reason, because the
wallpaper is this or we have to work around this
unique element. So I will get an inkling of maybe
what's happening in the room. But certainly it's it's never
(32:28):
fully realized until I get to see a photo of it.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Well then even then, pieces are pieces can be reimagined too.
And I mean, you know, take away a dining table
or something that's mammoth at that level. Maybe not, but
you know, for instance, your little sea tables or a
smaller sort of side table that can be specified for
a living room now and maybe it makes its way
(32:53):
into a bedroom five years from now, right right?
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Well, and with that there has to me so much
pride and growing a company and watching it expand how
has that changed your outlook and vision as you take
this company into its next chapter.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
So it's so funny because the first year or two
I had no idea that it would take off like
it had, and so I was constantly going to Clay
and saying, I can't believe this, but we're doing a
project in this or we're working with this person, and
I can't like starstruck just right and left. And he
(33:30):
is so funny. He is just like, oh, that's cool.
He's just very unfazed by the glamour or starstruckness of
it all, which is perfect for him because he's just
truly a guy that loves to just make really, you know,
quality things at the end of the day. But over
(33:50):
the years I have tried to adopt more of a oooh, chill,
that's cool, but I'm not going to be starting, you
know what I mean type of mentality or attitude. But
I still have regular pinch me moments of like, gosh,
that's so great, I can't believe we're doing that. But
I think the arc of our business has been very interesting.
(34:11):
We did a hard launch in twenty eighteen, and in
that first year, you know, we went from selling locally
to we were in the Hamptons, and then you know,
national publications and designers like burn yep I picked us up,
who you know, We're on TV, and all of these
catapulted to a new stratosphere. And so within then two years,
(34:37):
then the pandemic hit and then we were rapidly growing
and then there was this massive boom of business. There
was a period of time where we were just trying
to like keep up. Now that that's sort of contracted
and calmed down, we're in a place where it's like,
where are we going with the business? Like we're kind
of regrouping and looking more at those long term goals
(35:01):
of like people, they really do like it, they like us,
they like the product. So now we get to regroup
and say, you know, this is where we want to
go with the business and create a plan and execute that.
So it's just it's been a really wild ride, but
a good one.
Speaker 3 (35:18):
Well. I am confident that whatever path you guys take next,
it will your star will shine bright. For sure, you
guys are off to a wonderful start. And I will
speak for myself, but I I'll let Megan say it too.
I'm sure she feels the same way. I think as
fellow Iowans. We're so proud to just watch you guys
(35:39):
grow and see your success and every turn you take
it seems like it's growing and it's you know, we're
proud that you guys are from our place too.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Well. I have the biggest thank you because you both
have been two incredibly instrumental pillars of support in even
launching and getting started and continuing to grow. So thank
you from the bottom of my heart for all of
(36:09):
that support and friendship. And I am so Megan. I
have always been a huge admirer of you as a
designer but also as a business person. I don't think
I've told you this enough, but from the day I
met you, I was just like, dang, she's so talented,
(36:30):
she works so hard, she treats her people so well.
It really gave me a true role model to work
from as we went from one employee to eight. You know,
so I just need to give you all of the
kudos and credit for building your business in the way
that you have with integrity. And then Chrisa, you are
(36:51):
like our fairy godmother. You are constantly supporting us and
you've been a shoulder to lean on. And just thank
you all for the opportunity to share more about our
company and the continued friendship. It means everything.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
Well, on that note, we know that you are busy
because you are running a business. So we are going
to conclude the conversation, but not without asking what does
the perfect boulevard look like to you? If you were
a city planner or a country planner and could design
the perfect boulevard, what would it look like?
Speaker 2 (37:27):
As I was pulling up to Meghan's house, this a
There's something so welcoming about beautiful mature trees, and I
grew up having that in my neighborhood. But this particular
part of Des Moines is well known for these beautiful
(37:47):
lots with these gorgeous mature trees, and it's just a coincidence.
I think that what we do incorporates, you know, the
material fromt trees. So I would say having these gracious,
generous lots with charming historic homes with beautiful mature trees
(38:08):
is my dream.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
It's something really protective about trees too, because they shield
you from sunlight and rain, sometimes snow sometimes where we live,
and they're big, so there's something very protective.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
There is and it's like your home now.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Well, Megan, it was so great chatting with you today
and getting to hear so much more about Aaronson Woodworks
and your story, and it was just a joy hearing
more about you.
Speaker 4 (38:32):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Well, thanks for having me. I appreciate the opportunity to
share more about our work and just spend time with
two of my favorite people. So thank you.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave
a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen
so you never miss an episode, and of course, follow
your hosts on Instagram at Megan Bloom Interiors at CHRISA.
Rossbund at Liz Legit. We'll be back next week as
we take a stroll down another boulevard
Welcome to boulevard Beat, a podcast where life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom along with my co hosts, editor
Chris A. Rossbund and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast
focuses on the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews
with taste makers, and personal conversations on how to highlight
achievable style. You constrol one street at a time, Boulevard
(00:28):
Beat proves the one.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
You should take.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
This week, we are joined by Megan Aronson, the director
of Aaronson Woodworks, a small furniture company that specializes in
custom craftsmanship and their patentent finish technique plays. We talk quality, sustainability,
and the world of furniture.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Welcome Meghan, and thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
It's so fun to get to know you, Meghan over
the years and get to hear your story and I'm
excited to share that with that for But tell us first, Meghan,
about the street that you grew up on.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I grew up in a town in eastern Iowa. It's
right in the Mississippi, and the street I grew up
on was actually called Melrose Court, and any teenage girl
from the early nineties felt really special because Melrose Place
and Melrose Court, I felt very cool. But it was great.
(01:27):
We had a really lovely, quintessential smallish town America upbringing.
We had an alleyway in the back of the house
and the neighborhood kids would all be out playing, and
there was a park we would run to, so it
was it was wonderful. There were some mature trees and
you know, just nice middle class homes. It was great.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Was there a handsome Jake on Melrose Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
No, unfortunately.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Okay, well we love that story for sure. Definitely. Megan,
when do you first remember being interested in design? Because
your creative path has taken several different stops, so could
you kind of tell us about that and how has
your journey within this business evolved.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I really dove into design head first when my husband
and I made the decision to put all our chips
into building a custom furniture business, which we quickly aligned
ourselves with the interior design community because we felt like
the quality and craftsmanship of our work would be best
(02:38):
served with tailoring each piece to the taste of every client.
And we realized that space for interior design was so
valuable for clients to be able to decide, you know,
what size dining table would be appropriate for their room
their dining room, and what finish would be best with
(03:01):
their rug and their chairs. There's so many decisions that
go into specifying a custom piece of furniture, and we
certainly were not trained or educated to help guide them
through that process. So we quickly realized how integral interior
designers are in creating a successful experience for every client.
(03:26):
So that's when we dove into the world of interior design,
and to help promote our work, I put our work
on Instagram and that's when my eyes opened to the
wide range of possibilities depending on maybe a particular aesthetic
(03:47):
of an interior designer or the aesthetic of a particular project.
And then it just sort of.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Took ome from there because of the limitless customizations of
the finish, and then we quickly started expanding the silhouettes
and profiles of pieces that we were making.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So that was our jumping off point in the business.
And my particular role in the business is on the
customer service aspect, so I really enjoy and thrive in
that relationship of intercepting requests and understanding the nuances of
(04:26):
each project and helping to make that experience as pleasant
and creative as possible for the designers.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Is a creative field something that you ever thought you
would dive into? And the reason I ask is when
we hear the word creative or creativity, people automatically jump
to artists, right, And if they're not an artist, they think, oh,
I'm not creative. So what's your story there?
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Yeah, I think I've always been drawn to art. This
is a weird story, but it feels like this space
might be the right place to share it. So something
that tipped me off at an early age that I
might lean toward a certain look or aesthetic. Growing up,
we actually had a house fire and I don't know,
(05:15):
it was okay, we're all fined. My weird brother started fire.
It's always the brother, right.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
The brother.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Then, obviously in the renovation and recovery after that, I
got to redo my bedroom. And I was a I
think sophomore in high school and so old enough to
be beyond like the kiddy stuff, but now at the
threshold of like wanting at you know whatever. The age
that was sixteen, I wanted to automatically be like in
(05:48):
my twenties, so I was designing for like this young
sophisticated adult and that really I just I don't know why,
but that experience stuck with me. I ended up going
going into fashion and working at a really high end
boutique because I've just always been drawn to I guess,
(06:09):
nicer things or spaces that just feel really good. But
it took a long time to recognize the work or
understand more about what goes into creating a space that
feels like that. And so the fashion industry fed that
creativity because it got to play with you know, marketing
(06:30):
and being able to work with customers one on one.
And so that experience is something that I was able
to carry it with me every day of what we
do now.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Well, and it's interesting that you tapped into the fashion
industry for a while because so often in this business
we talk about how home and fashion intersect. And it
used to be, you know, whatever happened in the fashion
industry would make its way to the home industry to
years later, five years later. Now that window has certainly
(07:03):
been shortened. How do you see them as similar to
each other and how are they different?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Well, I mean I can only speak for what feels
like a narrowscope of what we do, because I see
so many ways that are finish, which is endlessly customizable.
Could play with upholstery and fabrics or lighting to create
more of a fashion moment or a statement and give
(07:32):
designers and clients that look and feeling of being very
personalized but also high end. And yeah, I think from
our perspective, there's definitely an urgency to continue to push
out creative new designs, to stay fresh and to stay
at the forefront of designers' minds as well. And that
(07:54):
is certainly a parallel to the fashion industry. You know,
every season they're turning out a new collection. So yeah,
I I think that's where I would see parallels there.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
And kind of in both of them. It's just about
the mix, how you mix that high end look the
high low mix, and even just tailoring your own style
and the depth of style with both fashion and home.
I can definitely see the parallels.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Megan.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Part of the appeal of Aaronson Woodworks is that you're
based in the country, in small town Iowa. I have
to say, I absolutely love seeing some of your sunset
pictures that you share.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
They're just breathtaking. Thank you, that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
It's a charming place. Yet you're creating chick silhouettes that
are going home to some of the tony zip codes
in the country. How do you make that jump from
small town to high style.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
What I have found to be the sort of the
new definition of luxury, which is what I associate with
those zip codes, is the level of personalization and customization
that goes into a piece of furniture. I have found
that it's less about a brand now but more about
(09:05):
as a small maker. We can only turn out X
number of pieces. They're not mass produced, and to me,
I think that almost makes it, you know, a rare
commodity which speaks to those luxury zip codes and what
those clients are intrigued and interested in. And then you
layer on the quality of our craftsmanship, which at this
(09:28):
point in our industry, I think is it's becoming just
very much a lost art, building things from scratch by
hand every single time, one by one. The joinery is
all heirloom quality. It's all with joinery which Clay developed
during a two year apprenticeship with a nineteenth century furniture
(09:48):
shop right out of college. So I can't imagine a
lot of furniture people are spending that level of time
investing in making sure everything piece is of Airlottle quality.
So to me, it's that layering of customization personalization with
the quality and having that align with what that particular
(10:11):
clientele is seeking, and then just our finished process feels luxurious.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
You.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Unfortunately for everyone listening, you know, you don't have the
opportunity to sort of experience it in person, but it's
so fun when people are sitting at a dining table,
for example, after a minute or two, I'll notice they're
just petting it. It feels so nice because it's so smooth,
(10:40):
and yet you still have the experience of the wood
grain texture, and it's just a nice combination of things
that resonate with that particular clientele.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Megan, I think it was interesting a few moments ago
you said that design now is less about a brand.
And why I think that matters is, you know, you
go back twenty twenty five years ago, and I think
we can all probably remember the catalog days when catalogs
would come every day in the mail, and that's really
(11:13):
when I think the country was captivated by Fattery, barn
and Creighton barrel and restoration hardware, and I mean there's
nothing wrong with those brands that they literally were looking
at the catalogs because they were produced so nicely and
saying I want that room, and here I can order
it and it can all be done and it looks polished,
it looks great, and now I have a well designed room.
(11:37):
I think that people understand now that they don't really
want that coffeecat look straight out of a catalog, and
so companies like Aaronson Woodworks give them that opportunity to
have that special moment that provides a statement piece, if
you will. So what does that mean to you as
you were creating those pieces, knowing that this is really
(12:00):
going to be a statement in the room. It's not
just a go with piece of furniture. It's not a
piece of furniture that's just there for functionality, but it
really is an art piece.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Oh yeah, I mean the we take every order very
seriously and it goes through so much behind the scenes,
agonizing over every detail, and as it's getting made, if
something is just not quite to what our standard would be,
maybe they would get the piece and never notice something
(12:33):
that you know would quote not be quite to our standard.
We will still either remake it or we will address it.
And those are the things that probably don't ever really
get shown on Instagram, but the work that goes on
to deliver a piece in the shop, you know, we
take every step of the build to the finish, to
(12:54):
the shipping process very seriously to make sure that what
they receive exceeds their expectations every time.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
I know, Megan, I was so impressed when I toured
your factory and just your whole procedure and how you
do things. The cleanliness the packing area was so impressive
of how well you box and create everything. You can
tell that the details don't get missed in your company.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Oh, thank you, Megan. It's definitely something we developed. Speaking
of creating, you know, we started thinking that, you know,
we were creating things in a certain way, and we
used every experience good bad in in between to inform
to try to perfect it. And we're still perfecting things
every day.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Part of good growth is editing and growing and making
it better. So definitely, you know, Megan, we were chatting
a little bit earlier about social media and how that
has was a big part of growing your brand and
your business of course, anyone who follows your social accounts
watches your creative powers unveil with new pieces and creative,
colorful finishes. It's a delight to watch and see all
(13:57):
the different designs, the unique shapes and the colors. You
must have a favorite, even though we know that's probably
like picking a favorite child. What piece is especially memorable
for you? And is there a piece that you wish
a designer would specify and we can hopefully get that
into some minds out in the world.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
That'd be amazing. Play and I both have a special
sentimental love for our reclaimed live edge pieces. We started
the company. The furniture was intended actually to be made
all from live edged material that we reclaimed from the
city of Des Moines when the Emerald Ashwoar devastation went
(14:39):
through the city and they opted to take all the
trees down. That's actually how we found our acreage, because
we were living in the city and we realized we
were going to make a go of it and try
to create a sort of a safe haven for any
of the trees that were coming down that we could utilize.
We realized we needed land and a place to live
(15:00):
and somewhere we could process that material, the evolution of
the furniture and the business skewed more modern quickly, but
they're still part of our collection and so whenever we
get the opportunity to make one of those pieces, it
just brings Clay and I back to how we started
every time. And I think they have so much personality
(15:24):
because the wood is full of knots and character and cracks,
and the story it tells is of something that grew
in an urban setting, and so it's got different elements
of nature and man that it had to battle, you know,
while it was growing, and so that it's all revealed
once you cut into the tree and the log, then
(15:47):
it's preserved in a new life as a piece of furniture.
So I love those pieces for that reason. Finish wise, somehow,
for whatever reason, I grew up in the Midwest, but
thought I was going to live on the East Coast,
like in Nantucket or keep God don't we all. Yeah,
I don't know why. But so any of like the blues,
(16:10):
they just get me. Every time. We have one that's
called Summer Blue Clays and it's white with this you know,
middle sort of tone blue, and it every time we
make one I'm like, do we have to ship it?
Because I just want to keep it so I can
find a spot for it. So those would be my
personal favorites.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
It's funny because every time you post a new piece
on social media, I feel like I chime in and say,
this is my favorite new piece? Is I feel like
I have a favorite new piece every two weeks.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
And I think that's what's so neat about you guys,
is you're so innovative as a designer. I'm seeing stuff
all the time, I'm immersed in it, and yet you
post something and I'm like, I've never seen something like
that before, which I think really speaks to you guys
as unique perspective.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Thank you, Megan. That means a lot coming from both
of you. So I am excited to share that we've
got more creative news things coming out of the shop
at a more rapid pace than you've probably seen before.
So we'll be diving into mixing wood species with the finish,
(17:18):
and then we're really working our way toward incorporating upholstery
and mixing that with the finish.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
So wait and anyone who's been following you it all
will probably for some time anyway, we'll probably never forget
the green ping pong table.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Oh my gosh, yes, Oh that was so fun. There
have been amazing projects with incredible designers who are now friends,
like with Urn from hotels that you know, the Grand
Hotel with him, and so many fun projects. I can't
wait to see what the next year will bring.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Us The Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island for those who
are listening in Michigan.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
I mean, that's part of the wild ride of what
we're doing is that you just never know from day
to day what email will drop into your inbox that
will change the course of the year. You know, based
on what opportunity might you might be able to grab
onto like that. So it's exciting well and it must
be interesting too because unlike a big box retailer or
(18:20):
big box vendor, you don't really have a catalog. I
mean on your website there are pieces that I know
that you make over and over again. But it really
is about the creativity of the designer who's reaching out
to you, because they could request anything exactly. We're working
our way toward expanding into different categories like lighting, and
there are so many ways to refresh things in the
(18:44):
industry that I you know, we've been lucky enough that
we've gotten our furniture into some showrooms, which brought us
to a place where we were able to walk around
and look through different showrooms. Each one I kept observing,
like all the wood is kind of the same. It's
like brown or gray or a version of both. And
(19:06):
it's just so interesting to me that our finish does
stand out from the crowd in so many different ways.
So it'll be really exciting to see how it continues
to evolve, and.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Not only does it stand out from the crowd, but
it also can be whatever color or combination that you need.
I can imagine.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Yeah, to me, it's kind of like it's kind of
like marble or a natural stone, where you're enhancing the
beauty of nature. You're you're bringing forth the movement and
green pattern from natural wood. With marble, you know, that's
presented to you in whatever colors or pattern that nature provides.
(19:48):
But with the finish, you're able to dial up the
contrast to do something very bold and bright, or you
can stay super soft and neutral and beachy. So to
sort of have the marriage and combination of both having
the beauty of nature, but then being able to control
the tones and the colors is really fun.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Megan, the aesthetic of Aarons and Woodworks, and you alluded
to this earlier, naturally sort of took on a more
modern esthetic, I know, a traditional home. I have found
ways to incorporate your pieces into our stories because we
really prefer the mix. A lot of the houses that
we show our old historic homes or new builds that
(20:33):
are designed with traditional aesthetics, but we always love the
mix of modern furniture mixed with beautiful millwork, or modern
artwork mixed with the most traditional forms. So, knowing that
businesses are already evolving, and you've talked about a couple
of new things, what are your dreams for Aarons and
(20:53):
Woodworks and where you would like to see it go?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Yeah, I would love to see Actually, we're working on
some new designs that speak to and I'm still working
on the most appropriate language to describe it, but I
feel a strong influence coming through with certain designers that
is sort of like UK inspired, and I personally love
(21:17):
that part of the world and the history that's there
and the furniture that lives in it feels very special.
So I don't know if the word is traditional or
if it's sort of historical, but the silhouettes of some
bases that we've been playing with are going to be
designed and built so that you could put them in
(21:40):
a beautiful home in the Cotswolds or in rural England
or sort of. I know, farmhouse is probably an esthetic
that is evolving beyond that word, but people are still
drawn to something that feels grounded in earthy elements. It's
sort of the counterpoint to modern furniture, if that makes sense.
(22:04):
So something that has a more traditional silhouette and maybe
there's more of a rustic, sort of hand hewn texture
to the wood. So that's what we've been working on.
That's where i'd love to see us broaden. I think
it's really exciting to build our portfolio of modern sculptural
inspired furniture, but I think it's also really important to
(22:27):
speak to the other end of the design spectrum. Maybe
that's too modern for them and they just want something
that feels comfortable and lived in. So those are things
that I see as exciting places to grow.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
That's really neat, and I think even just even to
have your unique finish on a more traditional piece has
an interesting mix to the everything as well.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Yes, yes, And we started with a more modern silhouette
based on this waterfall shape that Clay started with, so
that was sort of the basis of everything, and then
we started playing with well, it's got a square, very
square corner, Clay, can we round that off to give
(23:10):
it some softness and yeah, and just seeing there are
a lot of designers who are leaning towards this more
sculptural type of furniture, but it also felt very modern,
so I think it. You know, over the last year
or so, I've really wanted to speak to designers that
(23:32):
were in sort of a different element.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Meghan Aaronson Woodworks. It's such a wonderful story in sustainability.
I know, as a society we all want to do
our part to be more sustainable, and it's nice when
you can buy and purchase things that helps with this.
I know when I share with clients your story on
sustainability and how these furniture pieces are made and used,
the clients love that. What does it mean to you
(23:58):
knowing that you're creating pieces of quality that are sure
to last for many generations or after we're all gone.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
It's actually how Clay was raised. He grew up on
a farm in northwest Iowa, and he tells stories about
how far his parents had to stretch a penny and
how difficult it was to raise a family of four
during you know, the hog farm crisis. And I think
(24:27):
that that truly informed his approach to how things should
be made, and that informs us on, you know, our
approach to building furniture and limiting wasteful practices and making
sure we're we're doing things in the most efficient and
non impactful way to the environment. And so that's what
(24:50):
I think about when it comes to sustainability and making
furniture that isn't quote disposable. I guess I remember in
our twenties walking through you know, a store, and he
would just be so upset seeing what was available on
a mass level. And it mirrored his observation of what
(25:14):
was happening with small family farms in Iowa during that
time and how they were all getting sort of eaten
up by big corporate farms. And so I think all
of that informed his desire to make a mark for
himself in the world of furniture and design in something
that was, in his words, we don't do things the
(25:39):
fastest way, but we do it the right way.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
That's so important. And I think that we're at a
place in society now where people understand that and appreciate that. Yes,
and you know, I mean it's nobody wants to pay
more for anything than they have to. Obviously, we want
to save our dollars and the money that we work for.
But at the same time, you do get what you
(26:02):
pay for, and the benefit of buying something that maybe
isn't made well is you don't have to pay spend
as much money right now, but you have to spend
more money later is the problem. And so I think
that for you guys, it must be so special to
create something knowing that, yes, it is environmentally responsible from
(26:23):
that perspective, but also you're creating airloom pieces pieces. Again,
you know, we're here for a very short time, maybe
one hundred years if we're lucky, and knowing that one
hundred years from now, your pieces of furniture are going
to be in somebody else's home and I don't know,
maybe they'll be able to fly around themselves at that point,
(26:43):
and maybe you won't need to create anything at that point.
Maybe there will be this magical new technology that just
GPS's said console table to whomever has bought it on eBay.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Oh my gosh, no shipping required. Yes, that would be
amazing because the one thing about a furniture I can
promise is it's very heavy. It's not light, so getting
it from A to B is not easy. But yeah,
I do think about that often. I think about, yes,
we are here for a short amount of time or lifespan,
but also the span at which we're able to even
(27:21):
have the opportunity to make the furniture. I think about
that almost on a weekly daily basis of like, there
may only be set amount of pieces that Aaronston ever produces,
and you know, after we're gone, how will they be
viewed and looked upon? So all of that importance in
how we make things goes into I would say, every piece,
(27:44):
because we do understand that, you know, it's just a
minute that we're here. So it's really an honor to
be able to put physical pieces of what we truly
care about into the world.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Megan, the world of design is supposed to be creative,
but it's not always. I mean, we just spoke about
mass production. The reality is there are formulas that just
work and it's not always necessary to reinvent the wheel.
What do you love about the fact that your patent
and finish and I am so proud of you guys
that you have that patent can be imagined so many
(28:19):
different ways. And how do you encourage designers to be
creative with it? Because you're the marketing genius behind the
company and you're the one who is creating the relationships
with designers, so you must answer a lot of questions
I imagine about what can be done. So how do
you proceed with those discussions with designers as you educate
(28:42):
them about your business and how everything that they can
imagine and that they can do with it.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
From what I've experienced and observed, it's almost like it
takes a project or two for it to really like
sync in that they can have the creative freedom to
do whatever they want. So we've got a range of
finishes that we try to say, you know, look how
(29:08):
pretty it is as a neutral, and look how fun
and quirky and bowl it can be in brights, so
that they get an initial impactful understanding of like, oh wow,
I could do anything I want. But of course they
could be constrained by what the client prefers or what's
going on in the room. But yeah, I think that
(29:29):
it's really fun to be able to connect with designers
and guide them through sort of seeing the dawn of
realization come through their experience of like, oh wow, I
really can have the creative freedom to do whatever I want.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
And I think that's what's so nice is you make
it easy from a designer perspective of working with you
guys and being creative and letting you take our vision.
I know we've worked on several different projects where we've
adjusted sizes and shapes and really just made them unique pieces.
I also love that when a client finds your product
(30:04):
they love they just love it and they want more
of it too. I know we worked on a project
here locally and did a few pieces in their home office,
and then a few years later they wanted a piece
for their Montana home and we were able to incorporate
that as well. When you get to see these pieces
all through the process, what do you love about creating
a piece and seeing where it ends up and how
(30:26):
it is presented. That's the joy of working with designers
all over the country is the install and how they
use them.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Oh my gosh. Yes, so it you know, obviously takes
months for the process. Here's the initial quote to order,
and then another few months of beginning pre production into
you know them we're shipping, and then another several months
before maybe it's installed and photographed. So it's always just
(30:57):
a here is this amazing piece, and I can only
imagine where it's going, what the room looks like. So
it is like a little Christmas Morning every time I get.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
To see it.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Where these pieces are landing and what is in the
room with them, And yeah, it is really exciting when
those are revealed. To see that, it means a lot
to be able to see, oh my gosh, I can't
believe they put a piece of our furniture with that
piece of furniture, or I would have never imagined it
(31:29):
could look like that in that setting. So it's really
inspiring every time we get to see it.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
I do always feel a little sorry for vendors, especially
you know, you think upholstery, when they see these fabrics
that come in and then they're creating these pieces, and
they probably always have that sense of wonder, where is
this going to land? Like I want to see the
environment or for wallpaper for that matter. There are so
(31:55):
many stunning patterns that are out there, and you know,
I imagine you sort of think, oh my gosh, somebody
just ordered all of this beautiful wallpaper. What are they
going to do with it?
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, and we'll get an inkling, you know, if I'm
talking to a designer and you know they're walking through Okay, Well,
I'm debating on the finish for this reason, because the
wallpaper is this or we have to work around this
unique element. So I will get an inkling of maybe
what's happening in the room. But certainly it's it's never
(32:28):
fully realized until I get to see a photo of it.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Well then even then, pieces are pieces can be reimagined too.
And I mean, you know, take away a dining table
or something that's mammoth at that level. Maybe not, but
you know, for instance, your little sea tables or a
smaller sort of side table that can be specified for
a living room now and maybe it makes its way
(32:53):
into a bedroom five years from now, right right?
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Well, and with that there has to me so much
pride and growing a company and watching it expand how
has that changed your outlook and vision as you take
this company into its next chapter.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
So it's so funny because the first year or two
I had no idea that it would take off like
it had, and so I was constantly going to Clay
and saying, I can't believe this, but we're doing a
project in this or we're working with this person, and
I can't like starstruck just right and left. And he
(33:30):
is so funny. He is just like, oh, that's cool.
He's just very unfazed by the glamour or starstruckness of
it all, which is perfect for him because he's just
truly a guy that loves to just make really, you know,
quality things at the end of the day. But over
(33:50):
the years I have tried to adopt more of a oooh, chill,
that's cool, but I'm not going to be starting, you
know what I mean type of mentality or attitude. But
I still have regular pinch me moments of like, gosh,
that's so great, I can't believe we're doing that. But
I think the arc of our business has been very interesting.
(34:11):
We did a hard launch in twenty eighteen, and in
that first year, you know, we went from selling locally
to we were in the Hamptons, and then you know,
national publications and designers like burn yep I picked us up,
who you know, We're on TV, and all of these
catapulted to a new stratosphere. And so within then two years,
(34:37):
then the pandemic hit and then we were rapidly growing
and then there was this massive boom of business. There
was a period of time where we were just trying
to like keep up. Now that that's sort of contracted
and calmed down, we're in a place where it's like,
where are we going with the business? Like we're kind
of regrouping and looking more at those long term goals
(35:01):
of like people, they really do like it, they like us,
they like the product. So now we get to regroup
and say, you know, this is where we want to
go with the business and create a plan and execute that.
So it's just it's been a really wild ride, but
a good one.
Speaker 3 (35:18):
Well. I am confident that whatever path you guys take next,
it will your star will shine bright. For sure, you
guys are off to a wonderful start. And I will
speak for myself, but I I'll let Megan say it too.
I'm sure she feels the same way. I think as
fellow Iowans. We're so proud to just watch you guys
(35:39):
grow and see your success and every turn you take
it seems like it's growing and it's you know, we're
proud that you guys are from our place too.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Well. I have the biggest thank you because you both
have been two incredibly instrumental pillars of support in even
launching and getting started and continuing to grow. So thank
you from the bottom of my heart for all of
(36:09):
that support and friendship. And I am so Megan. I
have always been a huge admirer of you as a
designer but also as a business person. I don't think
I've told you this enough, but from the day I
met you, I was just like, dang, she's so talented,
(36:30):
she works so hard, she treats her people so well.
It really gave me a true role model to work
from as we went from one employee to eight. You know,
so I just need to give you all of the
kudos and credit for building your business in the way
that you have with integrity. And then Chrisa, you are
(36:51):
like our fairy godmother. You are constantly supporting us and
you've been a shoulder to lean on. And just thank
you all for the opportunity to share more about our
company and the continued friendship. It means everything.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
Well, on that note, we know that you are busy
because you are running a business. So we are going
to conclude the conversation, but not without asking what does
the perfect boulevard look like to you? If you were
a city planner or a country planner and could design
the perfect boulevard, what would it look like?
Speaker 2 (37:27):
As I was pulling up to Meghan's house, this a
There's something so welcoming about beautiful mature trees, and I
grew up having that in my neighborhood. But this particular
part of Des Moines is well known for these beautiful
(37:47):
lots with these gorgeous mature trees, and it's just a coincidence.
I think that what we do incorporates, you know, the
material fromt trees. So I would say having these gracious,
generous lots with charming historic homes with beautiful mature trees
(38:08):
is my dream.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
It's something really protective about trees too, because they shield
you from sunlight and rain, sometimes snow sometimes where we live,
and they're big, so there's something very protective.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
There is and it's like your home now.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Well, Megan, it was so great chatting with you today
and getting to hear so much more about Aaronson Woodworks
and your story, and it was just a joy hearing
more about you.
Speaker 4 (38:32):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Well, thanks for having me. I appreciate the opportunity to
share more about our work and just spend time with
two of my favorite people. So thank you.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave
a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen
so you never miss an episode, and of course, follow
your hosts on Instagram at Megan Bloom Interiors at CHRISA.
Rossbund at Liz Legit. We'll be back next week as
we take a stroll down another boulevard
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