Maker’s Spotlight – Peg Woodworking

One of our favorite things is to promote outstanding female businesses; in such, Peg Woodworking checked all the right boxes. Founded in 2014 by Kate Casey, the all-female studio is based in Brooklyn. As a former woodworker and designer, Casey garners inspiration from the intricate weaving techniques of the Peruvian and American Indians. The highly detailed wooden furnishings that she designs are finished off with the traditional techniques of the American’s indigenous cultures. Each textile is hand-woven in-house from an extensive collection of colors and patterns. The end result is a beautiful juxtaposition of the soft and the hard…soft is the textile and hard is the wooden structure’s strict geometrical shape.

Casey’s undergraduate’s degree is from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and the Yale Norfolk School of Art. Following graduation, she worked as a sculptor for several years before honing her skills at an intensive woodworking and design program at Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. The real inspiration for Peg Woodworking occurred organically when the young designer moved into her “first real apartment” and realized that she did not want to furnish it with pieces from IKEA. Casey worked as a freelance woodworker after graduating from school; however without a designated studio, it proved quite difficult to design. She was limited to using only hand tools and making smaller pieces that could fit within the stringent space limitations. Slowly, Casey began to evolve a brand around a wood-bending technique that is called coopering. These early pieces are at the heart of the designer’s cumulative collections.

Using five different woods: oiled oak, bleached ash, oiled walnut, bleached oak, and ebonized ash; the pieces are finished in a number of finishes, as requested. There are two types of cords, both of which come in white, black, and beige. Cotton cords are suited for indoor pieces and can be hand-dyed if necessary. Nylon cords are used for outdoor pieces as they are mildew and rot resistant. In addition, they are u.v.-proofed to prevent color fading from repeated exposure to sunlight.

We absolutely love the seating collections as they incorporate clean lines AND intricate weaving. The company’s newest piece is the Jolene Dining Chair. It is the first in the Jolene seating collection that will eventually include a barstool and a lounge chair with the option of either a woven or an upholstered seat and backrest. Different from some of her earlier seating collections, the option for a bit of customization will provide any budding designer the chance to tailor a piece from a number of varied texture and textile options.

In addition, new for Peg Woodworking is the segue into sculpture with the Totem Collection. Drawing upon her early work as a sculptor, Casey designed these pieces to be multi-functional. The Totems can be used as shelves or simply as objects of art, both with storage functionality. Playing with symmetry and balance, the unique pieces have infinite possibilities.

Finally, we could not end without noting the Bastet Stool. Made from grain-matched coopered ash, the stools are completed with a velvet cushion. Available in three different wood options, the stools’ sloping curvatures hug the upholstered cushion and provide a “deco-inspired silhouette.”

In closing, Casey shared some final thoughts regarding creativity during the pandemic, “Creativity seemed like it was a rationed resource during the pandemic. As a maker and creative person it was very hard to have that outlet removed at a time when it seemed most valuable. It’s been really exciting watching the creativity that comes out of unlikely avenues while also watching the world open back up. I feel super lucky to have an amazing community of makers here in the city to have weathered the storm with and I am so very ready to reemerge, in whatever form, and start making again.”

Visit Peg Woodworking