Meet Justin Nelson

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Justin Nelson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Justin below.

Hi Justin , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

Through Fernweh Woodworking, Justin has found his purpose in crafting high-quality, intentional furniture that celebrates the joy of making and the art of simplicity. A big part of what drives us is seeing a movement of people who want to make high end batched furniture in the USA, not for the sake of nationalism, but because we have lost the joy and creativity that enters a human through the process of making. I’m thankful to be a part of that ongoing movement; we’re thankful to be right here, right now.

I go through cycles of work which I really enjoy, because it keeps things fresh but I get to focus on one arena in a cycle. So for instance, when I’m starting a new collection design, I just let my creative curiosity drive me to try new things and ideas and concepts until a furniture design idea starts to emerge. Then I have to buckle down and try to wrestle the more ethereal idea of the concept into a rough shape. Then comes the very long and laborious process of building jigs and refining processes with a view towards small batch production. That’s all the design process; after that comes months and years of dialing in the production processes and refining our small shop efficiencies. Once we feel comfortable with where we’re at with a furniture collection and the shop woodworkers are handling all the production, I start the process over. For me, the design and the production of the design go hand-in-hand. I’m not really that interested in producing one-off art pieces; I enjoy the process of creating a furniture piece that is also able to be efficiently manufactured reliably, always in our own shop from start to finish. The furniture design itself is just a piece of the entire process.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Fernweh Woodworking is a furniture design & production studio based in Bend, Oregon. All of our furniture is completely original, and designed in-house by the founder of Fernweh Woodworking, Justin Nelson. Fernweh Woodworking launched its first furniture line item in 2017; The Tripod Table. It was the first exploration into the seamless joinery that is now signature in all new furniture items. Next came the award-winning Sling Chair. In early 2020 Justin designed and launched the Oxbend Collection. Fernweh Woodworking is growing into a small-batch furniture studio with the goal of remaining organic and handmade through the whole process.‍ In 2023 we launched the Fjoon Collection, our first upholstered line which includes the Fjoon Captains Chair, Dining Chair Fjoon Settee and Fjoon Stool.

A few of Justin’s design inspirations are Sam Maloof (particularly his passion, kindness, and work ethic); Hans Wegner (his practicality and purposeful creativity); and Finn Juhl (his pursuit of perfect curves and natural beauty). Justin studied business at Purdue University. After graduating, he joined the Marine Corps where he deployed on an advisory team working closely with Afghan Police. After moving to Oregon and joining a wildland fire Hotshot crew, he started Fernweh in the off-season from fire.

Our team consists three established woodworkers. We are excited to continue to release new launches every other year, and develop our partnerships with fellow designers like Jomo Tariku who we have the privilege of producing his Nyala Chair.

You can find us on instagram @fernwehwoodworking or learn more about our furniture and studio through our website www.fernwehwoodworking.com

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. I’ve always enjoyed thinking outside the box; in the world of cabinetry, that became quite more literal as I became interested in compound curves and organic shapes in wood.
 Push yourself to see things differently and be solution oriented. Seek out different solutions and challenge your materials. Never stop learning or asking questions from others in your industry. Share and receive lots of information.

2. Let your creative curiosity drive you to try new things and ideas and concepts. In my design process I do this until a furniture design idea starts to emerge. Then I have to buckle down and try to wrestle the more ethereal idea of the concept into a rough shape. Then comes the very long and laborious process of building jigs and refining processes with a view towards small batch production. That’s all the design process; after that comes months and years of dialing in the production processes and refining our small shop efficiencies. Once we feel comfortable with where we’re at with a furniture collection and the shop woodworkers are handling all the production, I start the process over.

3. Follow your passion! If it’s an artistic endeavor, don’t worry about creating something because it will sell; worry about creating something because you think it’s beautiful and has value – If you’re right about that, it will probably sell… but selling isn’t the main thing. Creating is the main thing.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

Profitability. The goal is not to make money, but to run a sustainable business you need enough profitability for good paying jobs as well as growth.
We are looking to expand our shop to bring in some tools that would continue to make our processes more efficient so we can continue to pay our staff well and keep growing as a small business.

Ourfurniture (from the raw materials to the finished product) is fabricated by hand using skilled labor. We pride ourselves on providing jobs for woodworkers in the community while producing a high end product that is designed and built to last for years to come. It can be challenging when the world is used to fast and dispensable products, fashion and furniture. Sharing our passion is one thing that drives us.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Sissy and Marley Marco Ricca

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