Meet Rich Kurtzman and Molli Helton of Lovely Lumber in Fort Collins

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rich Kurtzman and Molli Helton.

Rich, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My love of art and fascination with building things began at an early age, thanks to the support of my parents who nurtured creativity. My dream of becoming an artist and producing work others can enjoy has long been around. As for Lovely Lumber specifically, my desire to impress Molli early on in our relationship led to me building her (and us) a coffee table from scratch.

That adventure led us to Home Depot and a friendly mentor with 30 years of knowledge giving us an “idiot’s guide to building a table” with no tools. At that point, I had literally no tools, borrowing a roommate’s sander and figuring things out along the way. That two-week project was fun, inspirational and exciting; I knew I had to keep creating things with wood.

Molli’s deft design eye has always been at the forefront of our business; she designs basically everything we’ve ever created. It was her idea to use the massive stockpile of barn wood we first bought on Craigslist for the geometrical triangle and hexagon shelves. It was her idea on our jewelry shelves, our hanging shelves and so many more creations over the years. Simply, she’s pushed me to become a better, more diverse artist.

I leaned on the teachings of a mentor, and used his tools for a long time, which helped us get going in the early days. Finally, after two years of spending earnings on tools, we were able to start making things more efficiently and effectively. That led to bigger projects like custom, built-in benches and a distressed dining table for one couple here in Fort Collins, to a built-in bookshelf for their next-door neighbors.

Recently, we’ve been working on a whole host of projects including a barn door build and install, a privacy fence and signs for a storefront here in the Choice City.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Everything about owning a business has been an uphill battle, but one in which we’ve attacked head-on and we’ve learned so much along the way. For the first two years, we spent every dime we made on tools. That was really difficult, knowing I was spending all my free time away from two other jobs working for basically free. But, that time wasn’t wasted; I was constantly learning the craft by doing it, failing at times, and figuring out the best way to do something is.

Really, that’s one of the draws to woodworking for me, the constant need for problem-solving on the fly.

We’ve had leads on projects (giant projects) which didn’t get past the planning stages, but really, our struggles have been the daily ones; learning the techniques of the trade through trial and error which has led to a better understanding of woodworking and refining of skills.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Lovely Lumber – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We, at Lovely Lumber, take used and reclaimed wood to create new, beautiful pieces of art. Reclaiming wood is positive for three reasons; 1. The lumber has a story, a previous life. 2. It looks amazing and, 3. It’s good for the environment. When we reclaim lumber – either by taking down an old building or taking it off someone’s hands – we keep it from the landfill or from being burned. And, in a double positive, we take away the need of cutting down a living tree for our furniture.

We’re also proud of being able to create relationships with so many business owners here in Fort Collins and Denver, which allows us to connect deeply to our community in ways which we weren’t able to do in the past.

One product which sets us apart are our mountain pieces. What makes them unique is that the process is more like sculpting from wood than anything else we do. We can even mimic clients’ favorite ranges!

We are constantly growing in our breadth and are always looking for new, fun projects. We specialize in custom projects and love brainstorming with clients about what will make their home special and how we can satisfy and delight them. Our communication on those custom projects certainly sets us apart. We are quick to respond to questions, fast with advice on what seems the best solution for problems and we are committed to going all the way for our clients.

No project is too big or small. What can we create for you?

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Our plans are to continue to steadily grow in terms of knowledge as well as the scope of our projects. Four years ago, we began with a dream of a new coffee table and now we are continually building in terms of the size of our projects. The barn door and privacy fence were fun to work on and one day we may even experiment with building a tiny house of our own or even remodeling a home.

We love to plan ahead (just ask Molli), but we live in the flexibility our company has given us through it’s structure of openness to clients and pursuit of our own dreams. We are excited for whatever corner we turn next.

Contact Info:

• Website: LovelyLumber.com
• Phone: 970-599-2231
• Email: LovedLumber@Gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovelylumber/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lovelylumber/

Image Credit:
Black and White photos by Nicole De Haven-Malik, Lilac and Fern Photography, Fort Collins. Color photos taken by Molli Helton.

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