DENVER — Colorado goes hand-in-hand with the great outdoors, so it's only fitting that a local business is transforming some of nature's finest offerings.
Collector’s Specialty Woods spans the globe searching for the world's oldest, most perfect tree. And, they hope it finds new life and a forever home as furniture for you.
The company has been in Kent Mace’s family for generations.
They take elegant trees like African mahogany, Hawaiian mango, and Colorado blue pine when their time has come.
“This is about selectively taking an older tree, or a tree that's just too beautiful to pass up,” Mace said. “Taking one tree from one space and making sure it's done properly.”
What transpires are stunning furniture pieces for a home or business.
Most recently, they designed a massive wooden chair for a resort in Snowmass.
“[I] found this beautiful piece in a big pile of trees that had been taken out for a power line,” Mace recalled. “This [tree] was on the bottom, and I dug it out. I kind of figured we could try to get a chair out of it.”
After cutting, sanding, and finishing it to the finest detail, Mace said he hopes it will become a family backdrop for ski season.
“In my head I was like, you're skiing down Snowmass, and you're going, 'Kids, I'll see you at the log at 4:00,” he said, laughing.
Collector’s Specialty Woods makes dining tables and mantles, headboards and nightstands, all personalized for you.
“This is about the character and the inspiration of taking people and inspiring them to do something beautiful in their homes,” Mace said.
His customers range from homeowners to huge corporations, all yearning for a connection you just can't find in manufactured goods.
“You get parts and pieces of Mother Nature, but they're not this,” he said, touching a tree. “And there's a vibe and a feel and a beauty which you can't get any other way.”
Each with a rich history all their own.
Collector’s Specialty Woods does much of their milling and drying in Southern Colorado, but they have a showroom at 4355 Monaco St. in Denver.
Mace said his company will help you design a piece and choose a type of wood for your project.