A satellite image of “Frankenstorm” or Hurricane Sandy, the largest storm to ever form in the Atlantic, as she moved in on the Northeast on October 28th.

Hurricane Sandy: What Vermont Can Do to Help

Just over a year ago, Hurricane Irene tore through Vermont leaving much of the state flooded, damaged and powerless. Many Vermonters lost their homes, their belongings or their loved ones because of the storm. Luckily, our neighboring states pitched in and offered disaster recovery assistance on the ground, collected supplies and supported us with monetary donations. While damages from Irene can still be seen across the state, we’re much stronger thanks to the help we received from our fellow New Englanders and Northeastern states.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Vermont was luckily spared minus a few thousand power outages, which is nothing compared to the devastation found in other Northeastern states. With over 8 million without power, as much as $50 billion in damages, over 3 feet of snow, and a death toll of 80 and rising, Superstorm Sandy is the costliest Hurricane to hit the Northeastern states in history. Many coastal communities are still underwater and much of the area is in the dark.

As Vermonters, it’s time to pay it forward and help out those who helped us during dark times. Vermont Woods Studios is shocked by the photos and stories that are popping up all over the news and we’ve been scouring the web looking for opportunities to lend a hand. It’s still very early to assess what kind of assistance is needed, but here’s a list of helpful links that have some great information on what you can do.

• VT Flood Response – Part of the Vermont Community Foundation, this website started back when Irene hit to help  Vermonters find necessary resources. The site is again working to help those affected by disaster, but this time they’re reaching out to our neighbors. Check out their blog for up to the minute information on volunteer opportunities and resources for those affected in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York.
• Volunteermatch.org – VolunteerMatch has compiled a great list of information about assisting with Hurricane Sandy. This site also has a great database to find volunteer opportunities in your area. You can search by cause, age group or location and find a program that’s right for you.
• American Red Cross – The American Red Cross is a major hub in disaster recovery. While the money you donate is not guaranteed to go to Hurricane Sandy victims (donations go into a fund for any disaster recovery effort), the money will help someone in need.
• Food Banks in CT, NJ, and NY – Donating to a food bank is a great way to donate to victims of a storm when you are not able to physically lend a hand. Food Banks in the affected areas are working hard to feed those who lost their homes and belongings to Sandy.

When a disaster like this happens, especially one so close to home, our first response is usually to jump in and lend a hand on the ground or bring supplies to those in need. Right now, many areas are still in disaster mode coming out of this storm. Emergency crews are working tirelessly to help those in danger. If those areas were flooded with inexperienced volunteers or with mass amounts of unnecessary supplies, it would make the jobs of rescue workers even more difficult. Until the major areas affected are in recovery mode, there is not much that the rest of us can do except donate what money we can and send thoughts and words of support.

Vermont Woods Studios expresses our condolences to families affected by Hurricane Sandy. Since we have customers and employees with families in those regions, we feel a special need to offer our help and support. While we have not organized anything yet, we are currently looking for ways to volunteer or raise money to support the victims of the storm. Keep an eye on our blog as we update with new resource links as they become available and opportunities for you to give back.

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This is the time of year when our Green
Mountain State
begins to transform into a world full of red, orange, and yellow hues. The
brilliant colors of autumn attract leaf peepers from across the world, and it’s
easy to see why. Vermont is the
best place to see fall foliage in New England, and
arguably the United States.
With nearly 80% of our state being forested, the opportunities to see the
dramatic hues are limitless.
Additionally, Vermont has
the highest number of maple trees in New England, which
produce the ultimate red leaves during the fall season.

This year the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing
will be producing a Foliage Report that will be issued weekly. Starting
September 18, the Foliage Report will provide a map of the finest driving
routes, an audio update and trail recommendations. In addition to visiting the website, leaf peepers can stay up-to-date on Vermont’s foliage progression by calling 1-800-VERMONT.

When is peak fall foliage in Vermont?
The trees outside our offices at Vermont Woods Studios have already begun to change, but looking at the foliage Forecaster, it appears that Columbus Day weekend will be the best time to see the
dramatic colors cover Vermont.
This is a perfect opportunity to spend a weekend in Vermont
to breathe in the cool, crisp air of autumn, enjoy the outdoors, and listen to
leaves crunch below your feet.

Heather Barrett is a Marketing Assistant at Vermont Woods Studios, an online furniture gallery which showcases Vermont’s finest wood furniture. Follow our blog to learn about Vermont fine furniture, Vermont happenings, our mission, and our team.

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Vermont Farmhouse Tables are exploding in popularity, not only in New England but all across America.   Many artisans working throughout Vermont specialize in reclaiming and rejuvenating antique barnwood and transforming it into artistic dining tables, coffee tables, extension tables, cupboards, buffets… even beds.  The result is unique, custom made furniture filled with warmth, charm and American history. 

And farmhouse tables aren't just for country decor.  Interior designers and home owners are discovering the authenticy that real American barnwood brings to modern metropolitan homes in Manhattan, Boston, Washington, DC and even as far away as Los Angeles.  Apartment Therapy, for example is a good one for showcasing some of the best interior designs that combine traditional farmhouse tables with modern, contemporary chairs.

We've created a Reclaimed and Rejuvenated Pinterest Board to display some of the interior design ideas we're seeing for Vermont Farmhouse Tables handcrafted from antique barnwood.  Check it out and let us know what you're doing with these unique, custom made pieces of Americana.

The post Vermont Made Farmhouse Tables appeared first on Vermont Woods Studios.

Speaking of organic, did you know that Vermont is also famous for it's organic furniture?  Last count there were some 2000 small wood furniture makers scattered across Vermont.  Although the styles and methods of craftsmanship are quite varied, these furniture makers have in common a deep respect for the forest where their wood furniture originates.

I haven't been able to find a definition for organic furniture yet but I do think Vermont would logically be the place to start.  Vermont woodworkers have a long history of sustainable woodworking, sourcing their wood from our local forests abundant in native hardwoods like maple, oak, ash, cherry and birch.  And we avoid the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in Vermont's sustainable forests, relying instead on Mother Nature to regenerate after careful selective harvesting.

When it comes to applying a finish to Vermont's furniture, you'll be hard-pressed to find harsh chemicals with high levels of VOCs or formaldehyde.  Instead furniture makers use natural linseed oil finishes, clear non-toxic lacquers and even a natural coating made from whey (a recycled byproduct of our dairy industry).

Yesterday I wrote about organic food in terms of where it comes from and how it's grown.  The organic food movement has been around for over a century but has picked up more steam in the last 20 years as people become more aware of where their food comes from.  I think the next step for the organic movement is into the world of organic furniture.  And Vermont will lead the way.

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Our Reclaimed Barnwood Bench is featured in the March/April 2012 issue of Yankee Magazine<br>

Thanks to Photo Editor Heather Marcus, Vermont Woods Studios is featured in the March/April issue of of Yankee Magazine.

We're included in an article by Christie Matheson titled, Home Decor From Reclaimed Items.  Please check it out!  Christie showcased a number of beautiful and creative recycled, re-purposed crafts from around New England including one-of-a-kind birdhouses by Scott Bradford and cozy quilts handcrafted from vintage wool sweaters by Snug As A Bug.

We are honored to be alongside these talented craftspeople in one of New England's oldest and most respected publications.

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The shaded countries are those that have visited our website over the last 80 days. Only 7 countries have not.

The other day, Dennis mentioned that our Vermont Sustainable Furniture website has been visited by people in almost ever country in the world. How cool is that?  I couldn't resist having a look at our analytics program to see which countries have yet to discover Vermont's Fine Furniture. 

So… of the planet's 196 countries, it appears there are 7 that we've yet to reach: Turkmenistan, Gabon, Central African Republic, Chad, South Sudan, Mauritiana, Papua New Guinea.

I'm not sure what to do with this information but it was fun to see how far the Internet has spread the word about a tiny group of fine furniture makers nestled in the foothills of Vermont's Green Mountain Forest. 

Fine, handmade wood furniture from Vermont, USA

If you're reading this from abroad and wondering how to bring Vermont made, fine wood furniture to your country, contact us.  Exporting our eco-friendly furniture is part of our 10 year plan.  We're open to new ideas from established interior design, fine furniture and home decor professionals around the world.

The post Around The World With Vermont Furniture appeared first on Vermont Woods Studios.

We have six different Shaker collections and all are handmade here in Vermont using sustainably harvested, natural solid wood:

• New England Shaker Furniture
• Classic Shaker Furniture
• Vermont Shaker Furniture 
• American Shaker Furniture
• Renfrew Shaker Furniture 
• Modern Shaker Furniture

As with all of our furniture, they have a lifetime guarantee.   From today until May 3, 2011 you save 10% off any single Shaker piece and 15% off 2 or more pieces.  White glove shipping and delivery are included in the price.  Check it out!

The post Shaker Style Furniture on Sale appeared first on Vermont Woods Studios.

We've gathered together some of the finest Shaker style furniture made in Vermont and indeed anywhere in the world.  We sorted it by room:

• Shaker Bedroom Furniture
• Shaker Dining Furniture
• Shaker Living Room Furniture
• Shaker Home Office Furniture

and by style/collection:

• Vermont Shaker Furniture
• American Shaker Furniture
• Classic Shaker Furniture
• New England Shaker Furniture
• Renfrew Shaker Furniture

You'll see that the our Shaker furniture as with the originals is largely based on the concepts
of order, utility and durability.  Initially the Shakers discarded any unnecessary ornament at all, focusing only on clean lines, simple form and proportion.  Our furniture makers have stayed pretty close to those traditional Shaker ideals although you'll see slight embellishments here and there that serve to enhance the style and add visual appeal.

Let us know if you have any questions about our Shaker beds and night stands, Shaker chests, Shaker dressers and mirrors, Shaker armoires, Shaker china cabinets, Shaker dining tables or Shaker dining chairs.

The post Shaker Furniture appeared first on Vermont Woods Studios.

We are proud to be recognized in such a prestigious collection of unique and beautiful handcrafted New England furniture.  Thanks, Erin!

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