Artistic Furniture from Discarded Objects

When Jessica Skinner visited her grandfather in Florida as a child, she was fascinated by the way he’d use pallets from nearby factories, turning them into doghouses, fencing and barns, among other things.

His work inspired her to learn furniture-making. “I figure if it was in my granddad, it’s got to be in me somewhere,” says the now 34-year-old.

As a newlywed in 2007, Skinner got a lot of hand-me-down furniture. She redid the furniture, reupholstering it for a more cohesive look, “so my house would look like a home,” she says. She’s since expanded, with JBurgess Designs — named after her grandfather — which moved into Summit Artspace in Akron in July 2017. It features reclaimed furniture and the occasional custom piece, as well as decorative items. She works at the space weekly and plans to offer virtual classes on upholstering, woodworking and the use of power tools. Here, she tells us the backstory behind some of her pieces.

Upholstered chairs, $399-$599 Skinner says she finds chairs that may be in disrepair but have “good bones” and reupholsters them in a variety of fabrics, often emphasizing linear patterns. “It encourages me to be mindful in how I fill my own space— mentally and physically,” she says.

Coffee tables, $399-$699 While her grandfather used pallets, Skinner explains that most of her woodworking — geometric mirrors, tables, benches and wall decor — is largely made from reclaimed maple flooring. “There’s a saying in my family that a wasteful hand makes a wishful want,” Skinner says.

Fabric bowls, $39-$89 Because Skinner is committed to minimum waste, she started using remainders of fabric from reupholstering projects to create bowls.

How to use: Display them as table accent pieces or storage for wallets and keys.

Footstools,

$99-$179 These creative footrests feature fabric cushions and wooden or metal hairpin legs from a Columbus company, and sometimes, a wood or funky fringe trim.

Shop online: jburgessdesigns.com

Floor poufs, $79

Using leftover fabric, she crafts large eclectic pillows. The finished products prompt Skinner to contemplate what constitutes restfulness. How to use: The poufs are popular for meditation, she says.