Meet Kevin Anderson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Anderson.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kevin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I picked up Woodworking as a hobby after college while working a job building custom playgrounds. I turned the small 8×15 foot garage at the house I was renting into a modest wood shop and just kind of fell down the rabbit hole of everything woodworking. Fast-forward a little and I realized I was happiest when working in my tiny shop so I quit my day job and have been working every day since to become a better craftsman. After a few years toiling on my own, I was introduced to Ethan Hutchinson, a master designer-craftsman who has been making furniture in Denver for 30 years. Fortunately, he took me on as his apprentice, and I learned more from him in a short time than I was able to teach myself over many years. My work today is the result of mastering woodworking techniques and traditions passed down to me by him, and the enduring inspiration of the many designer craftsmen who have come before. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the generosity of my mentor, and the endless hours I spent making mistakes in my tiny shop. But perhaps the best way to describe how I got to where I am today, is the mindset of one project at a time. I’ve always looked at each project as a new opportunity. An opportunity to challenge me to become a better craftsman, and that each project leads to new opportunities. I’ve got to where I am today by fully immersing myself in each project, one at a time.

Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road, but I never expected it to be. What would be the fun in that!? For my own sanity’s sake, I’ve tried to re-frame the struggles as just being “part of the journey”. However, one part of the journey that stands out was one of the first large projects I got to redesign/ build new entryways for three floors of an office building downtown. Everything was a struggle. The lumber barely fit in the 8×15 foot shop, and anytime I needed to turn a board around, I had to walk it out of the shop to flip it. I was running behind schedule and was often working super late. Around 3 am one night, Denver Police showed up for a noise complaint. I got off with a warning, then sound proofed the shop the next day. Problem kind of solved? I also didn’t have any space to spray finish on all of the walls and pieces I was making, so I constructed a spray booth out of huge plastic sheets in my backyard. It was so hot in there I ended up sweating into the finish, which I didn’t realize until it was all installed. (I did refinish the pieces in place). Looking back I realize that I was the worst neighbor, so if you’re reading this past neighbor, I apologize for running the table saw at 3 am, and for all of the strange fumes coming from my backyard.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Kevin Anderson Designs is a one-stop shop for commercial and private furniture commissions. Each person and space is different which is why I believe furniture should be made to order. I create furniture that is first and foremost functional. Every design detail is a derivative of how a piece is constructed, and how a given piece will be used. Function, design, and construction inform each other and are inextricably tied to one another. KAD specializes in creating one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture, handcrafted personally by myself from start to finish. Once a piece is completed, I know every inch, every line, every curve of the wood. Each detail is purposefully and intentionally crafted. I work closely with my clients to create quality furniture that is built to last. I also carry a line of my previous designs, which are all fully customizable. The attention to detail is what sets KAD apart.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I love Denver, and while I do think it’s a decent place to have a custom furniture business, I don’t think I could recommend anyone starting a woodworking business in good faith. It’s a hard way to make a living, and while the city does some to support other mediums of art, woodworking is not one of them. I’m ok with that. There is a longer conversation that can be had about what is art and what is a craft, but for now, I’ll leave it woodworking existing somewhere in the middle. When it comes down to it, it shouldn’t matter what city you’re in if you feel called to be a woodworker go for it, but if you expect your art or craft to be propped up by the city, you will be disappointed.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kevinandersondesigns.com
• Email: kevin@kevinandersondesigns.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinandersondesigns/
• Facebook: @kevinandersondesigns

Image Credit:
Image sitting in the chair is from Ian Warren, All other photos taken by Kevin Anderson

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