Serious shoppers might understand this phenomenon:

Usually, when we go searching for new treasures for the store, we focus on finding the items that people need most.  People are always looking for that perfect chair to be the finishing touch in their living room, or that unique table to fill in that awkward space in the entryway.  We get up early, wait in lines in the rain, and sift through piles of ‘unfortunate’ items to find what we think our clients are looking for, and these are usually more practical things we think we will sell quickly.

But sometimes, when on the hunt for one of our carefully selected furnishings, a less conventional piece catches the eye.  Sometimes we encounter an article that speaks so loudly to us, and tells us a story that captivates us.  Sometimes, we have to get a piece not for its practicality, or usefulness, but out of sheer love for the beauty of the object.

This is the best part of the job: the satisfying reward of a search through the mundane furnishings of the world, to find something beautiful and special.  When we find something so unique, we buy with our hearts, not our heads.  Thankfully, we are in the fortunate position to be able to fill our store with furniture that we truly love.

This was the case of The French Butcher Block, we loved it instantly.  We had to have it.

Our Butcher Block is  large, sturdy, ancient.  It takes us back in history, two hundred years ago, where perhaps it resided in a large manor home, or in a butcher shop.  We like to imagine the butcher, with his long apron, standing behind it while he worked.  The wood has been used and worn into a beautiful character piece, sanded down by time and use.  The solid wood is in phenomenal condition and is just as strong and stable as it was the day it was created.

Today we could see it being repurposed as a  island with a marble or glass top, where it’s beautiful wood can be the ultimate standout accessory in a stylish kitchen.  Or perhaps it could greet customers if repurposed as a sturdy and striking reservation desk at a restaurant.  We can see it being used as a eye-catching cocktail table, on display in a dining or living room.

As of now, the French Butcher Block stands in our store, waiting to be united with an owner who connects with it, and then displayed in a home or business in need of the ultimate accent piece.

This is the best part of the job, finding furniture that inspires us: furniture with a history worthy of conversation, and with style that translates two centuries later.  Is it talking to you?