Bucks County PR Agency Tours A Hidden Bucks County Treasure: George Nakashima Woodworkers
Bucks County, Pennsylvania is full of hidden treasures from Washington Crossing Historic Park to Ringing Rocks Park. The county known for winding back roads and covered bridge driving tours, is also home to George Nakashima Woodworkers, a beautiful estate on the south-facing slope of Aquetong Road in New Hope.
The staff of Furia Rubel Communications, a Bucks County PR agency, recently had the privilege of touring this property of iconic furniture woodworker George Nakashima, who purchased the estate in 1945 to establish a woodworking studio for the creation of beautiful and long-lasting furniture from nature. Mr. Nakashima believed that trees have souls and should not be treated as just another raw material. His natural furniture designs certainly reflect his beliefs.
Nakashima was an architect by trade, but felt architecture too limiting. There were too many people to please when designing and raising a structure. He had the need to create freely, so he gave up designing buildings for others, and turned to working with his hands on projects from beginning to end and controlling the process himself.
Guided through the property’s many studios and buildings by George Nakashima’s son, Kevin Nakashima, the Furia Rubel team seemed to go back in time to learn about George’s design principles based on shaping each piece of wood to realize its full potential, not just based on the latest modern styles.
As we toured through the Pole Barn, Showroom, Finishing Room, Conoid Studio and Chair Shop, we witnessed the incredible craftsmanship of the woodworkers that have spent decades creating furniture in the vision of George Nakashima. The artist’s compound in New Hope, Pennsylvania is on the National Historic Landmark which is part of the National Park Service. It is open for visitors on a limited basis.
Mira Nakashima, George’s daughter and award-winner designer, continues her father’s legacy and has run the studio since his death in 1990. The business is flourishing as each team member hand-crafts one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture from sustainably harvested wood from around the world.
The Furia Rubel team agreed that we all left this hidden treasure with a feeling of contentment, having witnessed the natural beauty of this estate and the exquisite furniture that is lovingly crafted by the dedicated woodworkers.
If you are in Bucks County and looking for some history off the fall-colored path, or are looking for new home furnishings, check out the studio of George Nakashima Woodworkers. You won’t be disappointed.