American Rustic

PURCHASING

My current workshop is in Castro Valley, California.  I'm happy to show furniture there.  Please contact me to set up an appointment.

If you live elsewhere, contact me to discuss purchasing.

To inquire, contact Nick at: 

nleither@scu.edu

Feel free to contact me about pricing, what's available now, and what might be available soon. If you want an American Rustic piece, let's find a way to get you one.

The Idea 

I always liked rustic furniture. I saw only one problem: Most of it was uncomfortable. While I wanted my designs to be artistic, I didn't want to build chairs that broke backs and butts. To me, sitting in a chair is about relaxation and comfort--pointing to that tension that exists in rustic furniture between function and style. 

While I wanted to avoid hokey furniture meant only for front porches and gardens, I also didn't want to get into furniture so elegant or conceptual that it lost its rustic charm.

So I have tried to strike a balance.  Since 1998 I have been building furniture that combines modern style with folk art, garden funk with urban chic, the old-fashioned with contemporary, natural tones with saturated colors, and a fine detail with a woodbutcher's exposed nail head.

The Process

I cut all my own wood out of swamps, creeks, and canyons.  It's a tough process, but it also brings me to some of the most mysterious and enchanting places in Northern California.

When I have completed the construction, the chairs must dry for several months before I painstakingly sand them, set nails and screws, and finish them with stain, teak oil, and lacquer.