I’ve always enjoyed building and creating things (starting with my first lego set as a young child). I joined an after-school wood shop class in junior high and the process of creating a finished product from the raw wood materials is what really got me hooked on working with wood! In high school, I took woodshop every year just so I could get creative and build more furniture for my parents. I moved to Colorado when I was twenty, and worked different jobs as I figured out my true passion (raft guide, ski patrol staff, bartender, carpenter and more). But once I sourced my first batch of Aspen logs and began dabbling in furniture design/building, I had found my niche! 

I started Naked Aspen Designs in 2000 with a single piece – the first piece that I designed and built (it was a CD shelf, shown here). The aspen logs I used to create were a bit green and I noticed how white and clean the logs looked compared to standing dead aspen that often has many earth tone colors in them. It looked naked and pure, and this is how I named my business Naked Aspen Designs.

Today, I love incorporating barnwood, metal elements and other materials to add a contemporary twist to the rustic style. I truly love creating work that is always unique and different, but also built to last.