Handmade walnut dining table. Made in Durham, NC by local woodworkers. Curved edges and midcentury nods.

Custom Heirloom Furniture Lovingly Crafted in Durham, NC

Who we are

Our Story

We are a family of woodworkers out of Durham, NC. Dustin began woodworking in 2016 when we looking for sustainable hardwood furniture that would be our style and last for generations. After a career change Gabi joined Dustin working on building the business to have a specific design voice. She now works alongside Dustin to create custom pieces. Hazel, our 5 year old is learning our craft alongside us and is very familiar with wood species and the workshop.

Sustainability and Design

Sustainability is one of the most important parts of creating heirloom pieces. There is an unfortunate feedback loop of buying furniture online, it not lasting but a few years and then going into the landfill. And while we ourselves try to buy second hand for most things, a custom piece of hardwood furniture will last you a lifetime and will help you reduce waste, while meeting the styling and functional needs for your home.

We are also passionate about design and are happy to consult on the look of your custom piece. Gabi works as an interior designer and can offer a design consult for how your piece will look in your space.

Young girl applying wood glue to a custom woodworking project.

Portfolio

  • walnut dining room table with exposed tapered legs

  • Side view of a guitar stand handmade out of ash

  • Front view of a guitar stand made of ash. The solid wood guitar stand was hand carved and can hold 8 guitars.

  • Solid walnut side table. Oval top with fluted bottom and brass embellishment on the very bottom.

  • Side table made of maple, finished with a white tint. The side table has two drawers and long front pulls.

  • Handmade walnut air conditioning unit covers. Spans across an entire room.

  • Rectangular oak dining room table with exposed legs and table aprons.

  • Outdoor furniture set which includes an L shaped bench with storage and a rectangular table.

  • Hardwood maple 6 drawer dresser finished with a white tint.

  • Walnut dining room table with two large legs.

  • Oak bench with rounded legs. The legs poke out of the bench seat and have a walnut detail to them.

  • Oak desk made of hard wood with midcentury modern vibes.

  • Dining Table made of walnut with six oak chairs around it.

Stay Connected

Mother and daughter using a power sander to finish a hardwood dining room table top.
Young toddler sitting on a round oak dining table.
Oak entryway desk for a local massage studio. The wood is hand carved to create an organic shape.
pink bathroom with maple sink vanity

Testimonials

  • Dustin and Gabi brought my vision of the perfect dining room table to life. It was a deceptively complex design that embodies a simple elegance. They took the challenge and masterfully executed it. It is a truly drool-worthy piece of artwork disguised as an everyday eating apparatus. From the early back and forth in the design phase, to choosing the perfect pieces of walnut, to discussing what the ideal angling was on the rounded edges for sight-lines, to helping choose chairs to complement the table (purchased at a store so definitely not a traditional part of the woodworking job description!), to hand delivering the final product and ensuring it was perfectly placed- working with them was fantastic. Their craftsmanship and attention to detail is unmatched. If you have the fortune of working with Dustin and Gabi, you too will get an heirloom piece, and perhaps some new friends along the way.

    Alex Patel- Dining Room Table

  • Gabi, Dustin, and Hazel were such amazing partners start to finish. We came to them with a general idea, and they really helped us narrow in on what we wanted, giving us suggestions that made it better along the way like a true collaboration. We really trust their vision and taste level. We have a tiny bathroom and needed something custom to provide the style and function we were looking for. It’s checking all the boxes for us! And now we’re working on our next project together.

    Hartlee + Reed Grice- Bathroom Vanity

  • We loved the process of working with Gabi & Dustin, and we love our table! It’s beautiful and so sturdy. We are looking forward to sitting around it for many more family meals, crafting sessions, and game nights!

    Abbi Thomas- Dining Table

  • We had some very specific visions and measurements we were looking for in some living room side tables. Throughout the design and execution process, Gabi and Dustin frequently checked in and made sure we were on track. The pieces were exactly as we’d imagined!

    Angie Michaels- Side Tables

  • Gabi and Dustin made us the perfect dining table. From our inspiration pictures to the final product, the whole process was smooth and they kindly kept us updated from start to finish. Our table is a dream, the quality is insane, and of course we get compliments on it all the time. It’s a forever kind of piece - I cannot recommend Big Heart Woodworks enough!

    Vivian Chen- Andrews- Dining Table