Meet Nick DeMao | Woodworker & Furniture Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nick DeMao and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nick, what do you want your legacy to be?
As a furnituremaker, my legacy is in the pieces themselves. If a table I’ve built can be passed down from one generation to the next, then I consider that a wonderful legacy that I’d be proud of.

Irvin Yolem once said “Some day soon, perhaps in forty years, there will be no one alive who has ever known me. That’s when I will be truly dead – when I exist in no one’s memory.” As a craftsman, our legacy lives within our work and the heirloom quality we bestow into them. My goal is to create pieces that stay in families for generations and that I’ll be remembered as a wonderful craftsman responsible for creating a centerpiece that families gathered around for years.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I create bespoke pieces of furniture for the home. This can range from simple cutting boards and bottle openers to more elaborate pieces of furniture such as dining room tables or buffet cabinets.

Woodworking has an incredibly difficult barrier to entry from a cost perspective, and I’ve been fortunate to fund the hobby at the outset by selling smaller pieces. I’d suggest to any new woodworker to invest in a simple table saw and a jointer/planer combo at the outset. From there you can begin to build cutting boards and other littler pieces that you can then sell to purchase larger machines.

I started with a tablesaw I purchased for $100 at a garage sale and have been able to grow from there to a fully fledged woodworking shop.

My brand’s backbone is in the quality of work and the transparency of the product. I’m always eager to answer any questions my clients might have. In a time when people are consistently purchasing products made with planned obsolescence, I want my pieces to stand the test of time and truly maintain value throughout their lives.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m from Marietta, Georgia. It’s a suburb of Atlanta that’s near the foothills of Georgia. It’s a gorgeous area with plenty of things to do.

Depending on the time of year of the visit, the first thing I’d love to do is go hiking up Kennesaw Mountain. It’s a stone’s throw from my shop and a scenic, easy hike for all levels of experience. Afterwards we’d go downtown and perhaps visit the famous Georgia Aquarium or the World of Coca-Cola.

It’s easy to also just go downtown and meander about. There are some great spots to eat (I’ve been a fan of the Vortex since my college days at Georgia Tech) and there’s nothing quite like a spring day in Atlanta.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I started woodworking in my parents’ garage shortly after college. They were instrumental in my success by simply giving me the support I needed to try things out, make some noise (and sawdust), and finetune my pieces. Without them there’d be no WoodEyes Woodworks.

Since I started in 2010 I’ve gotten married to the most patient and loving woman in the world who supports me fully. Without such a strong support group it would have been easy to call it quits after building a few cutting boards. I’m forever grateful to the wonderful family I have and their undying support.

Website: www.woodeyeswoodworks.com

Instagram: @woodeyeswoodworks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoodEyesWoodworks