You may never find out the real reason why the chicken crossed the road, but after reading this article you will know the real reason why a chicken farmer did. So here, meet John Leenders, a man passionate about transforming forgotten or disregarded resources into stunning pieces of furniture.
The creative intelligence of this tool junkie sees him do double-duty: running a chicken farm by day and a furniture workshop by night. Recently, Spin Design Solutions had this opportunity to meet him at his Erin (Ontario) workshop. What they discovered was a man passionate about the history of his resources. For example, he makes pieces that tell a story and have a character.
As he has the knack of converting ignored materials into stunning works of art, his portfolio includes light fixtures and dining room tables to inventive seating. What ties them all together is the story that they tell and it probably comes easily to him since he grew up in an environment surrounded by industrial equipment, agriculture, and rustic architecture.
He has literally turned from a hobbyist into a renowned creator. They say beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. What you may see as discarded heavy-duty equipment is seen as a piece of furniture, waiting to be etched by John. Some of his works include turning broken streetlights into light fixtures. Once, an abandoned Goodyear sign found in the woods was turned into a remarkable dining room table.
Perhaps the snazziest one an old army tent transformed as upholstery for seats. John has the knack of coaxing the story out of his work and this is a rare gift that few talented designers have. His one-of-a-kind pieces speak their own tale, for example, he once discovered beautiful oak boards on a neglected horse fence and these were more than a quarter of a century old pieces. He married this with an old table saw that he picked up from a foundry in Uxbridge, Ontario. Keeping the rustic feel intact, and with inputs from a pinstriper friend, he created a masterpiece table.
Another work of his involves an old fire door that got transformed into a table. The legs feature sawhorses and is combined with pipes from a gas-line company. The result is an adjustable table with nicks, scratches, distinct coloring, and a tale to tell.
