It is hard to see the artistic beauty in old discarded pieces of wood, but Aaron Cabeen, owner of Cabeen Originals, is doing just that every day with his woodworking.
Cabeen Originals was established in June 2008, but Cabeen started creating unique woodworking pieces more than five years ago. Growing up in Ringgold as the son of a carpenter, he began his career working for his dad remodeling homes. He quickly learned that fast-paced construction was not his forte. “New construction is quick and you don’t have a lot of time to just try out new skills,” Cabeen says.
Instead, Aaron chose to focus on making practical, but also artistic woodworking pieces that would last for more than 100 years. He began Cabeen Originals in his backyard, crafting small furniture pieces from reclaimed wood that he collected from local sawmills. His first two major projects were assembling a hope chest for his wife and creating a bed frame out of oak plywood.
Cabeen has since moved into the Business Development Center in downtown Chattanooga. He runs his business strictly on his own. All of his pieces are made in Chattanooga, and all the materials are purchased locally. He has many sources for reclaimed wood, including old buildings, factories, old railroads, docks, and barrels from breweries or wineries.
Cabeen stays busy making tables and chairs for local restaurants, such as The Terminal Brewhouse on East 14th Street, which opened in January 2009. He is also popular among cabin owners looking for rustic pieces to display in their homes. The Do-It-Yourself Network (www.diynetwork.com) featured Cabeen Originals in their “Blog Cabin” series. Cabeen produced furniture and cabinetry for the show’s featured cabin, ranging from an outdoor patio table to a hall chair and even a master bathroom sink basin.
“Reclaimed lumber has a lot of character,” says Aaron. The benefit of owning a piece of furniture made from salvaged wood is that it is unique and cannot be replicated. Additionally, salvaged wood is known for its history, character, and rich tone.
Cabeen incorporates a green philosophy into his work. All of his furniture creations are finished with a natural clear coat of boiled linseed oil. He also uses water-based, low VOC topical sealers. Not only are these products environmentally friendly, but the process creates a special look in the salvaged wood over time.
Cabeen uses oak, walnut, cedar, pine, and cherry woods because they are sturdy and have timeless appeal. He has found that several old factories in the area, that are being disassembled, were made of heart pine, which is known for its incredible durability. Heart pine is typically found in structures that are 75 to 200 years old. Oak is often harvested when it is 75 years or older, and can be found in structures that were built 50 to 200 years ago. Oak has a medium to rich brown or red color, depending on the type. Walnut is known for having intricate grain patterns and rich dark tones. Walnut has been a popular wood chosen for flooring because of its sturdiness. Cherry wood improves with age and has a brilliant deep red hue.
Whether he is creating a piece for a local bar, cabin, or restaurant, Cabeen makes sure every detail of the wood and construction is perfectly assembled. He says he strives to incorporate good design and art into everyday living, and to see beauty in everyday matter.
Aaron says that he considers his client’s personal taste in every custom piece he makes. He wants his clients to know they are getting a signature piece that will last for hundreds of years.
Cabeen Original pieces can be purchased directly from Cabeen or through Smart Furniture’s new retail location on Manufacturers Road in North Chattanooga. Different pieces are also displayed at various shows throughout the year. Shows that he is attending can be found on his website at www.cabeenoriginals.com.
Cabeen hopes to open his own storefront, as well as to branch out and sell his products outside of Chattanooga. He describes his work as a craftsman trying to marry something both unique and original. Aaron contributes his success to creating good business contacts, staying out of debt and determination. “I have a dream,” he says. “To make that a reality, you have to have a determined mindset.”