The Carpentry Shop Co.

Recently, EcoPoxy had the privilege of speaking with Natalie Dion, co-founder of The Carpentry Shop Co., whose family’s journey from humble beginners to masterful furniture designers and builders embodies the transformative power of passion meeting purpose. We discover how their unique approach blends traditional woodworking with contemporary design, creating pieces that serve as both functional furnishings and meaningful heirlooms. At the heart of our conversation will be the philosophy that elevates their work beyond mere craftsmanship - the belief that well-made furniture can foster connection, tell stories, and enrich the spaces where life is lived.

Interviewer: It's great to finally get to have a conversation. Perhaps we could start by having you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your backstory.

Natalie: Sure. So, my name is Natalie Dion. I'm the co-owner of The Carpenter Shop, along with my husband, Julian Dion. Our story?  Well, we were a young couple. I had a job working in the federal government, and my husband was operating a landscape construction company in New York City, and we were doing our best to save a little money.

We were expecting our first child and managed to buy our first house. But we realized we had no money to buy furniture, because all of our money went into the house. It was right before Christmas, and me being a new homeowner, I wanted to host Christmas—and Julian says, "You're crazy! We have no furniture." Then he said, "You know what? I'll build something." And that's how it really started.

I designed a table. He went to the shop, used scrap wood from other projects, and built our first table. People would come into our home and ask, "Where did you buy that?" And I'd say, "Oh no, we built it." It started as something we did just for ourselves. That's where it was really born.

Then in 2020—actually on my daughter's birthday, February 4th—I gave my notice, and it was my last day working in the federal government. That's when I opened The Carpenter Shop to the public. Of course, the country shut down in March 2020, so it didn't feel like the best timing. It was a bit scary. But that's actually when my husband and I really started honing our craft—testing different epoxies, learning how to use them. It was just me, Julian, and the kids in our shop. That's what we spent our days doing.

Believe it or not, that's what saved us. Somehow, during the pandemic, everyone was remodeling their homes. Someone must’ve found us or recommended us, and word of mouth started to spread. We were having virtual meetings and selling furniture—it saved us because we had no other income coming in. It was amazing! Something that was very scary turned into something really positive. It gave us time to hone our craft and learn. Quite frankly, I cherish all the challenges from the pandemic. Really, that allowed us to grow into what we are today.

Interviewer: How close are you to the big city?

Natalie: About 15 minutes outside the city. I grew up in New York City—my husband's from Maine. We met in college—two different backgrounds, 100%. I think that's what's cool about our dynamic, our point of view, and how our styles merge and come together.

Interviewer: I was going to say NYC must be a real challenge. One wouldn’t intuitively think of the Big Apple as being a hub or center for woodworking and craftsmanship.

Natalie: That's the thing—it actually is. I've noticed this new trend, or maybe resurgence, of people wanting quality. For a time period it was all about "cheap, cheap, cheap," but now my customers are realizing they want quality—something handmade, artisan-made. There's a real story behind it. They want to talk to real people. I'm really seeing that in almost everything we do.

They love that when they call, an actual person answers the phone—you're not put on a waitlist. It's someone directly working here. I love that small business aspect and the artisan craftsmanship. New York is filled with craftsmen—our metalworker is incredible, based in Queens. We also work with a small family business in Westchester who does all our glass elements. I pride myself on partnering with other small businesses to source the things we don't do in-house. For the client, it's one seamless experience—they hire us, we handle everything. But behind the scenes, we're collaborating with all these different artisans to bring the final product together.

Interviewer: One thing we find about your work—it's always incredibly unique and original. That's why some of your work was featured on the cover of our most recent company calendar. The quality and craftsmanship never fail to blow us away! What inspires you? Where does your sense of style come from? And how do you translate what you see in your mind into something that actually shows up in someone's home?

Natalie: Well, thank you, those are wonderful questions. My husband always says he thought he was lucky because I'm not the type to go spend a bunch of time shoe shopping. Don't get me wrong, I love great shoes—but take me wood shopping? That's dangerous! Live edge slabs can be so beautiful.

Inspiration comes from nature, from customers, from their lifestyles. I really enjoy listening to them: "How will you use this piece? Do you have family? Should it be large? Is there something unique you want to display?" Every slab has the right owner—they're all so unique. You just have to match them up. Seeing customers' faces when they find their piece is always exciting.

We take our time, especially with resin work. We tell customers it will take weeks because we have a very specific process. We prepare the mold first—if we're using a dye color, we paint the whole mold to seal it. Then we place the wood slabs in the mold and seal them also, to prevent staining when we pour the main color. The first pour sits for a day or two—we want it tacky, not fully hard. Sometimes it takes two or three pours because we're very careful.

We use EcoPoxy products because we feel they’re superior in so many ways. We just completed a massive pour—a bar top with a wall feature and wine racks. It's going to be incredible, with lights incorporated. The pour was perfect—no bubbles. FlowCast is easier to work with, and we only recommend what we use ourselves. You don't need to be a professional to use it, which helps when training our team. After pouring, we flatten the cured slab on our CNC machine, run it through belt sanders, hand sand, then spray finish. It's actually one of my favorite processes—it's beautiful.

Interviewer: What would you say are the more challenging aspects of staying innovative? As a resin manufacturer, we sometimes worry this all may’ve hit a peak. Do you find it challenging to keep your work current and relevant?

Natalie: That's a great question. My husband and I have discussed this. I don't think it's done— we feel the pieces we make are art. Some crazy colors and elements might be fads, and I typically steer customers away from those, unless it truly represents them. Our goal is timeless design—pieces you can pass to your children.

I specifically love resin table surfaces because I have kids—no holes for food to get trapped. We're actually squaring off more tables now, letting the wood grain's character shine through with clean resin work in blacks, grays, or clears. That aesthetic is timeless. As we demonstrate different applications, people see resin in new ways. That's what we try to do with our work.

Interviewer: Lastly—looking ahead, what's your vision for The Carpenter Shop and your work with resin?

Natalie: Long term, I want to reach a larger audience, while educating consumers. People should understand the difference between mass-produced furniture and what we create. I'd also love to see the trades get more respect—it's sad how America has offshored so much manufacturing. We're proponents of all trades—carpentry, plumbing, HVAC. There's something incredible about working with your hands.

In a perfect world, we'd have more learning opportunities. If we had the facility, I'd bring in youth to teach. We already get questions about various resin techniques, and you need to take time to learn before teaching. We have our "Carpenter's Corner"—DIYers come in for materials and advice, then send photos of finished projects. Essentially, we’re attempting to building that community—where people appreciate craftsmanship and want to learn—that's the future we envision.

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Many thanks again to Natalie for taking the time to speak with us. Be sure to visit TCSC online at thecarpentryshopco.com, and follow them on social media (links provided below).