When we begin the furniture selection phase of a project, we always keep our clients’ needs, tastes, and budgets in mind. We search through hundreds of vendor pages for the perfect table, we scour local shops for the ideal couch, and we bid on vintage chairs, all to make sure that our clients’ homes are one of a kind and tell a story that’s unique to them. Every now and then, we can’t find exactly what we’re looking for readily available and a client will ask for a completely custom designed piece. This gives us a chance to work with some of our favorite makers at Edgework Creative.
Today, we’d love to introduce you to the company and its’ talented owners, Lindsay and Alex Remley.
It All Started with a Dining Room Table…
In 2012, Lindsay and Alex Remley moved into a new house in Upper Arlington. They remodeled and renovated the house themselves, turning it into the home they’d always wanted. Lindsay’s love of interior design came into play as they began filling the rooms with furniture. But, try as they might, they couldn’t seem to find the right dining room table to fit their space. And, anything that they did like was thousands of dollars out of their price range.
Lindsay has always been creative. She owns a successful makeup artistry business and has always had a strong sense of style. Alex is similarly creative. In another life, he was a self-taught graffiti artist. But his artistry doesn’t stop at graffiti; he has a unique ability to teach himself anything. With his engineer’s mind and interest in architecture, Lindsay was confident that if she tried to design their table, he could build it. Little did they know, this experiment would completely change their lives, not just their dining room.
The dining room table that started it all!
From a Garage to a Full Time Business
Enamored with the couple’s new, custom built table, friends and family began commissioning pieces and encouraged them to turn this new hobby into a business. Over the next year, Alex and Lindsay transformed their garage into a designated shop and on a whim, and Lindsay started an Instagram account to put the word out that the Remleys were making furniture.They never intended for Edgework to become a full-time business but in mere months, they saw their hobby/business take off. They outgrew their garage rapidly, but weren’t sure they had enough business to justify renting a space. They took that question to Kickstarter and the response was overwhelming.
Their campaign was fully funded. In February of 2015, they hired their first two employees and moved into an actual shop, with additional tooling, more man power, and much more square footage. They were able to crank out more projects with shorter lead times. At the time, Alex was still working full time in his old position but with the new hires and space, it was time to pose the question of whether it was time to make Edgework a full-time gig.
Before it was Edgework Creative, the company was known as Re:Work Furnishings!
Within nine months of moving into their shop, the business outgrew the space. Nine months later, Alex left his job and became the full time COO of Edgework Creative. Since then, the company has moved into a 10,000 square foot work space, added seven additional employees, and launched its own handcrafted furniture line.
The Edgework team hard at work in the new shop space!
The (Edgework) Creative Process
Working with the team at Edgework to create a custom piece of furniture is a wonderful experience; we would know! They work with interior designers, homeowners, business owners, and architects, and can begin the process with anything ranging from an inspirational image to a full set of architectural plans. It’s always a great opportunity for them to flex their problem solving and design muscles when clients say, “Hey we want a table, you guys do great work, we trust you”.
After an initial consultation, the team at Edgework Creative will create concept custom designs and drawings to review with the client.
When the design and details of a custom piece, including stain color, upholstery etc, are approved, they move on to create a 3D rendering that will be translated into a drawing for the builders in their shop.
They will turn your vision into a beautiful custom piece that is completely unique and skillfully made in just four to six weeks!
Some of Edgework’s creations!
A live edge vanity and custom doors from two of our projects with Edgework!
Looking to the Future? It’s a Family Affair…
Alex and Lindsay will be the first to tell you that working with your spouse isn’t for everyone. But, going into business with someone requires deep trust, a shared vision, and a strong personal connection. The Remleys have all of those things in spades and it doesn’t hurt that they’ve always worked well together. But what’s in store for this family business down the line?
Luckily, it seems that they won’t have to look very far for their successor. Their three children (ages 9, 7, and 4) love spending time at the shop. Their eldest son already has business cards labeled “junior sales manager,” which he proudly shares with everyone from the bus driver at school to his friends’ parents. Their daughter has inherited a bit of Lindsay’s penchant for drawing and design and their other son seems to be quite the little engineer in the making, too.
Whatever they choose to do when they grow up, Lindsay and Alex hope that by watching their parents work hard and pursue their dreams, they’ll have learned to never be afraid to build something beautiful.
