Furniture. Reclaim Artistry . . .Where Every Piece Tells A Story

By Dave Halliday

During the past few years in your house you have accomplished quite a bit towards making the place more personal. Every minor touch and addition you have made reflects a portion of your taste and personality as well as that of your spouse. The end result is a home that is a reflection of you
and functional as well.

Unfortunately, this process doesn’t necessarily guarantee any level of uniqueness to your abode. Sure your “man-room” is decorated with your favourite team’s colours and logos, but the neighbour has a similar setup with a different team. Your kitchen and living room are typical and functional. Everything is very nice, but you both wish you could add some touches to make your living spaces unique.

Having the desire to add unique features to one’s home is a starting point, but being able to develop a plan and see it through from conception to completion is another story. You need a professional, an artist, a designer. We at Biz X were able to sit and discuss the artistic possibilities with Michael Difazio, Owner, Designer, Builder, and Artist at Michael Difazio Reclaim Artistry, 1023 Drouillard Road in Windsor (MichaelDifazio.com).

What service does your company provide? “We build custom furniture and decor; conversation pieces that we encourage you to set your coffee or beer onto,” indicates Difazio. “I like to build furniture that you are not afraid to put your feet on top of or be afraid to mark up.

Markings to me tell stories, a brand new table has no past; my pieces all tell an awesome story, that’s why I love doing what I do, I love history.”

So the pieces you create are from pre-existing items? He states, “I use old materials that are no longer able to serve their original purposes. I give them new life.

I use a lot of materials such as re-sawn barn beams, bowling lanes (see Contents photo), barn-wood, old flooring, old church pews and anything wooden or steel that still can be transformed into something truly unique and functional.” Difazio explains he sees himself “as an artist, not a carpenter or a woodworker.

My paint brushes are my sanders, grinders and my saws. Although I do have a past working in the trade, I tend to do things my own way. I like to break the rules in the woodworking world.”

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