adirondack furniture , Cactus Creek Daily

Adirondack furniture from Abiding Branches

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

Wood worker/artist, Anto Parseghian, is the creative force behind the award-winning Adirondack furniture pictured BELOW. His business, Abiding Branches, was born from a shopping trip while seeking bunk beds for his children. Unimpressed with the “hokey poky” options in furniture stores, Anto decided to make the bunk bed himself. The price of lumber then led him to his own backyard, a 30 acre homestead overlooking Cayuga Lake in New York, where the trees grow tall, straight and strong.

Anto’s goal was to build a bunk bed reminiscent of where the Berenstain Bears might sleep. One bed led to another, and thirteen years later Anto was the recipient of the “BEST of SHOW” award at the 2007 Adirondack Museum Fair. {Makes me wish I was a Berenstain Bears cub – this bed would look fabulous in the Dream House!!}

Calling himself a “Natural Form Furniture Builder”, Anto Parseghian believes it’s his artistic background that sets his furniture apart in the growing market of “RUSTIC” furniture. Sighting the desire of people to have reminders of nature inside their homes, Anto commented on a transition that he is seeing in the furniture market in general. “People are leaning toward a softer, more organic look.” Perhaps it is the GREEN movement that has enveloped our country in the past few years, or possibly the need for a cozy space to return to after increasingly stressful days… whatever the cause, homeowners are attracted to organic forms, natural edges and rounded elements. This is evident in even the most modern design guides, like HERE.

Regarding the apparent surge of “RUSTIC” furniture, Anto spoke passionately about the lack of quality that is becoming more and more prevalent. According to his website, “furniture {from Abiding Branches} is built under the highest quality standards. We build assuming angelic beings observe our every step. The pieces we produce are built for daily utility and will continue to give their owners useful service for generations to come.” Anto passionately encourages consumers to be aware of what they are purchasing and the quality of construction… One doesn’t have to visit with this talented man for long to know that when designing and building furniture, he possesses both sincerity about the quality, and passion about the art, for each and every peice that leaves his shop.

With this discussion about the growing trend of “RUSTIC” furniture, I should point out that Anto hesitates to describe his furniture as “RUSTIC” at all. The furniture designs from the Abiding Branches shop are built in the ADIRONDACK style of wood working. Characterized as more decorative than RUSTIC, the ADIRONDACK style of furniture actually uses the sticks for the structure of the bed requiring ingenious uses of trees and their bark.

In addition to his website and his decorator clientele, Anto will also participate in two shows this year. The first will be the Lakeside Living Expo, taking place in July, at the Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, New Hampshire - overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee. Anto’s Abiding Branches will also make a stop at at the 21st Annual Adirondack Museum Rustic Fair in September. I hope to be there, Anto!! {Anyone interested in a Road Trip??}