KEEP READING FOR AN INTERVIEW BY OUR FRIENDS AT BLŒDSTONE WITH CHRIS.

Worn By: Chris Earl

Introducing Chris Earl, a good friend of ours and the master craftsman behind furniture and home goods company EARL. Chris and his wife Amber have been an inspiration for Christine and me over the years—especially as we navigate the dance of running a small, production-heavy creative business while raising a family.

As we set out to release our newest wood collection, Chris was the first person who came to mind. He’s someone who deeply understands the beauty a good piece of wood can hold. There’s a lot of wood rings out there, but to be frank, most don’t have the durability to withstand the daily, high-impact life your hands put them through. That’s where petrified wood comes in. It’s the ultimate preservation of beauty—wood that has transformed into stone over millennia—and it allows us to highlight that natural wonder in a form built to last.

With that in mind, I sat down with Chris to ask the simple question: “Why wood?”

You’re a naturally creative person, working in ceramics and cooking too—what drew you to wood as your primary medium? What does it give you that the others don’t?

I think those things are all linked for me. One of my core ethos’ around this topic is that there’s something greater than the sum of the parts that happens when we sit around a table for a meal together. So, each one of those elements holds its own unique roll in that synergy.

But, I think I just love the sculptural utility of woodworking and furniture design. It’s also one of the elements in that equation that sticks around…furniture is one of those things that has a way of carrying real heritage with it.

Also, wood is a magical organic resource that can be sustainable and lush, sturdy yet elegant , and rugged but refined - all at the same time.

What values guide the way you design and build your furniture?

Well, I want to be capable of physically building at least the first iterations of any of my designs here in my shop. From there, I usually place some additional restrictions on myself based upon a specific idea prompt that may have come to me or one particular aesthetic element or functional detail that I want to incorporate. These restrictions are often just intuitive or even sometimes arbitrary, but limitation usually leads to more interesting solutions. At the end of the day, I hope the work has an aesthetic that is unique, yet timeless, and able to hold its own in any environment or space it sits in.

How does being a father influence the way you approach your work?

Having kids might be the very best form of quality control. We always have a pretty wide array of my prototypes, one-offs, and production pieces in our home. A house full of vibrant (verging on chaotic) young humans is the perfect testing ground to see how everything from joinery to upholstery choices will hold up in the real world.

How do you balance the time-intensive nature of wood working with family life?

Flexible odd hours, some late nights, and being ok working around the kiddos that may be underfoot.

What’s something your kids have taught you about creativity or work?

My 6 year old, Guy, just told me today:

“Nothing’s perfect, right dad?, but we just do the best we can.”

Which of your kids gets your ring? 😜

I’m sure I’ll end up passing it on to the one that wants it the most! haha! To this day, I think about this big star-sapphire signet ring my dad always wore when I was growing up..I’m one of 6 siblings, but you better believe I’m gonna be the one ending up with that one haha!