Why Open Gardner House?
In furniutre and cabinetry nowadays, words like “quality”, “solid”, and “durable” are being used as sale-closing buzz words, the meaning behind them diluted and empty. Contractors, installers, and cabinet shops seem to have lost touch with what it means to represent honesty and quality. Plywood, “wood solids”, “engineered lumber”, “particle board” (also called LDF or low-density fiberboard), all imported from overseas with poor quality, even worse quality control, and sold in place of what used to be built to last.
I decided to stop complaining, and fix the problem. Gardner House of Virginia is locally owned and operated, focused on elevating spaces through thoughtful design, maticulous attention to detail, and “No Compromise” craftsmanship. GHVA pieces are more than furniture and decor, these are statement and conversation pieces that combine functional beauty, expert craftsmanship, and practical durability.
The Gardner House Philosophy
My intention with all my projects and commissions is to beautify and elevate spaces, interior and exterior, while fully realizing the creative vision of my clients. I do not perscribe to any one school of aesthetic design, but my preferance personally trends toward modified mid-century. I really like simple lines and elegant design solutions, and I LOVE hidden drawers, doors, and other secret spots in furniture and decor.
Through partnership, communication, and collaboration I intend to take what currently exists in the imagination and translate it into a functional, durable, real world work of functional art. I want to make things that follow people through their lives and are handed down long after my clients and myself are gone. I take immense pride in what I build and create, I do not deliver anything that I would not keep for myself, and cut no corners when it comes to the quality that leaves my shop.
My word and reputation as a woodworker, a creative, a professional, and as a man means more to me than any dollar amount. Jesus himself was a carpenter and, regardless of religious affiliations, I think that says a lot about the true value of woodworking throughout human history. I believe that this craft and art form is tied directly to our evolution as humans, and that when done correctly, its beauty and value is unrivaled.
My name is Evan, I am the owner and so far only emplyee of Gardner House LLC. I have had a woodshop of my own since 2015, and have otherwise had access to some shop or garage for most of my life. I have always been very analytical, and have always loved building, creating, repairing, and improving things. As I matured, I adopted the philosophy that one should know how to do anything that may need to be done in a future home, even if a hired professional is the best end result. In service of that, I learned various skillsets over the years, but since freshman year of high school, where I took woodshop for the first time, I have gravitated more towards carpentry and woodwork.
There is something timeless in wood craft. As long as there have been trees, someone has been using wood to make something, and you can feel that, in a way, when you take boards into a shop and come out with a finished dovetailed chest, or a chair, or a small box for mementos.
Metalwork, engine repair, electrical, HVAC, and even plumbing all have a very similar feeling of pride and joy in accomplishment when the job is done, and done well. But there is something special about wood, something almost intangible. The oil, grease, chemicals, fumes, and synthetics of other trades leave one with almost an “artificial” or “forced” feeling. This in no way makes those trades less rewarding or valuable, I have done them all and love each one, it just means that woodworking is…different.
Perhaps it is the “organic-ness” of it? For instance, it may take a very long time and the goal would need to be simple, but you could sharpen a rock with another rock and, using nothing more than those sharp rocks and your hands, you could create a table, a boat, or a stool, or even a home. That connection with the natural, the expression of creativity, the ‘warmth’ of woodwork and carpentry, brings me a peace that is difficult to describe, and there are few things more satisfying than blowing a huge cloud of saw dust from your clothes as you leave for the day, it is a closure and a celebration of a job well done that I have not felt in other trade craft.
I hope that you can see my passion and pride in your piece(s) and look forward to working with you.
About the owner
“Using my family name as the brand identity for my business was a conscious decision. The idea that my company is “personal” is important to me. Those who choose to let me into their homes, let me become a part of their lives through my designs and creations, creations that may stay with their families long after I have passed, have done something immensely trusting. I do not take that lightly. “