Swaine Street Woodworking is the creation of local crafter Jana Bookholt. Jana is a NSCAD graduate who became interested in woodworking after taking a course in cabinetry at NSCC. In just over a year, she has participated in many craft shows, and is now selling her work at several local retailers, and a few in Ontario. She’s also been invited to attend the Toronto International Film Festival this fall to represent her work in the AMC gift lounge. This girl is on fire- take a look at her beautiful work and you’ll understand why!

Photo by Ted Pritchard for The Chronicle Herald

Crafting a cutting board or charcuterie board involves milling down rough cut lumber, cutting it to size, gluing all the pieces together then sanding. The images that adorn some of her boards are Jana’s own designs that she draws on by hand with a burning pen.

Jana’s boards are functional works of art and would make a wonderful gift for a wedding, for a cook, or for yourself!

We have several Swaine Street maple boards in the shop, which are extremely durable, beautiful, and provide an excellent work surface. We also carry  Beeswax Polish, and Rosemary Lemon Cutting Board Oil, both hand made in small batches  by Jana. These products work wonders to protect and restore wooden cutting boards, bowls, utensils and more.

Visit henhouse soon to see her work in person!

Hello again!

A couple of weeks ago we got a new sleigh bed in the shop. It’s so gorgeous we had to share it with you!

This beauty is from our Oxford Collection. It’s solid birch, done in a chestnut stain. We love the curvy, lighter look of this bed. This photo was taken in the workshop just after it was finished being built.

 And here’s the bed in place in the shop. We dressed it up with Dream Designs linens and a Sari throw. We always get compliments on how cozy our floor-model beds look (and yes, we are tempted to curl up and take a nap in it from time to time!).

What makes this bed extra dreamy are the Dream Designs linens. Durable, comfortable and hand-made in Canada, these linens will ensure a cozy, comfortable, sleep. We stock three fabrics from Dream Designs- Natural Cotton, Organic Cotton, and Hemp Ramie.

We also outfitted this bed with the most amazing down-filled duvet and pillows. Hand-made right here in NS with grey goosedown- this line of products is designed to give you the most pleasurable sleep possible. Down pillows, duvets, and featherbeds are available by special order through henhouse.

And, for a splash of colour we added a hand-stitched throw made of vintage saris, and a unique pillow sham done in a lovely ikat pattern from Kravet.

Voila! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m just going to go take that nap now… 😉

It’s almost time for 2012! With the start of every new year, there’s that feeling of renewal along with the excitement of starting something new, and making positive changes.

If it’s your washroom that happens to need refreshing in the new year, a new vanity can really do the trick. At henhouse we like to think of the bathroom vanity as a piece of furniture that can really bring character and personality to a space. Below you can see a few examples of custom vanities that we have made. Some are new, others have been refurbished from vintage pieces. Take a look!

This birch piece was designed and built by henhouse. It maximizes on space by fitting snugly into the corner. On the left is a space for a small seat and a mirror- perfect for hair and make-up!

Here’s another piece, built in walnut, ready for installation. The drawers are designed to accommodate plumbing and provide lots of storage.

This is a vintage piece that we painted and refurbished to accommodate plumbing and a sink.

This piece boasts simple, clean lines in a beautiful deep red stain. The open storage below is great for towels, or baskets filled with washroom essentials.

A cute refurbished piece that adds a bright pop of colour!

 This small vanity is great for a powder room. The bead-board detail adds extra interest up top. It’s just awaiting hardware and a sink.

The start of a new year is a great time to tackle new projects and refresh your home! A great vanity can bring new life to an out-dated washroom and add a splash of personality!  What do you think of our custom vanities?

This is a custom pantry we made for extra kitchen storage. We love the colour the clients and their designer chose  – such a beautifully bold colour on such a large-scale piece! We think it turned out great!