Uncharted Territory: Pioneer Profile
By: North
Tags: Idaho, Design, Furniture, Pioneer, Pacific Northwest

Iron Timber

Iron Timber owner Shawn Haverfield

Tucked in a crowded business complex a mile or so off the first westbound freeway exit in Nampa, Idaho, two garage doors stand open and inviting. Each of these two spaces represents one half of a coin. A coin that when forged together create the amazing wood and metal furniture business that is Iron Timber. Through the door on the left, a space filled with tall stacks of lumber, gorgeous live-edge timber slabs and hulking cast iron machinery that’s well-aged and honed for woodworking. And through the right, a modern space of steel sheets, plasma cutters and a thin layer of metal shavings on the floor.

Since 2016, Shawn Haverfield has been crafting some of the most eye-catching and talked about furniture pieces in both the commercial and residential spaces.

Though Iron Timber started in his 300 square foot garage, it didn’t take long for Shawn to expand into the two spaces he currently occupies. After a quick tour of the entire shop, we sat down with Shawn to explore his Pioneer Spirit.

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Let’s go big to start. What does “Pioneer Spirit” mean to you?

For me and what I do, being a pioneer is being a voice of originality. It means putting in the work to stay relevant and push the boundaries of my craft. I’m not the first to do what I’m doing which is why it is so important that I get fresh eyes on my work and make something that is better than the last time someone else did it. The pioneer spirit doesn’t get stuck in a rut doing the same thing over and over; it forges ahead an finds a new light. That’s what I strive to do.

In such a competitive market, how did you go about establishing your business?

It was two things. One, I’m really passionate about the things I create, and I work hard to make them the best they can be. I was optimistic that would stand out. Two, I was in the right place at the right time. My first commercial gig was creating all the furniture for Slow by Slow in downtown Boise. After I finished that job, I was contacted by the guys who opened the first Black Rock Coffee franchises in Boise. I ended up making all of their furniture, and when the corporate managers came in for the grand openings, they liked my work and started placing orders. It really took off, and I had to take a leap of faith and bet on myself. Now I do a good mix of commercial and custom residential pieces. I like the variety.

What does success look like to you?

A lot of people get into something like this to make money. You might. You might not. For me, it’s about doing something that I love. Something that I can see myself continuing to do even after retirement. I mean, if I were to walk away from the business today, I would still be doing this for myself at home in my garage. And yeah, being able to sell the product to make a living doesn’t hurt and being relevant to trends and customer demands is important to maintain that, but this is my art, and I’m successful at it when I love doing it.

Where do you draw inspiration for your projects?

Social media has been a big part of seeing what people in the market are liking and what other crafters are doing. Outside of that, mid-century modern has always been a big inspiration of mine. I spend a good amount of time looking at the artists of the past and figuring out how to do what they did and put my own twist on it. I’m also really appreciate something that lasts. So doing something in a way that I know is going to last pushes me forward. I don’t mass produce things. I never put things together quickly. For me it’s never about getting it done, it’s about getting it done right.

How important is pride when it comes to your craft?

I think every artist wants to be proud of their work. Sometimes when I’m trying to be original with a piece, I’ll put something together and ends up not looking exactly like what I envisioned. So starting over and taking the time to do it a different way is worth it. I might be losing money on the project, but I want to be proud of it. My name is on every single product that comes out of here, and I want my name to be associated with something that is done right and done well.

Does starting over happen a lot?

Oh yeah! I’m unwilling to let something be good enough. I want the end result to be exactly what I want it to be, and it’s not finished until I get it there.

What about Idaho pride? How does that play a part in your work?

Being in Idaho was always something I wanted. I’m from here. I love living here. I love working here. I love the people. I mean, I lived in Seattle for five years and learned a lot of great stuff, but I knew I wanted to come back. There are so many amazing influences here, not necessarily style influences for me personally, but the lifestyle itself is the biggest contributor to what I do and why I do it. It’s a feeling of being both laid back and adventurous at the same time. I try to infuse that into my pieces.

Lastly, what’s on the horizon for you? Where do you want to take this thing that you have built?

Honestly, I just want to make sure we stay adaptable. If we continue to get more and more business that would be great! We would grow with that, but I think it’s important to be scalable. I’m willing to scale up if the time is right, but being in a position for success is key. We are in a market right now that is pretty good for growth, but if things dip a little, we need to be able to adapt and change with our needs and needs of the market. I don’t have a goal of a certain number I want to hit by a certain year. I just want to create original things and stay true to myself without compromising. As long as I’m content with what I do and how I do it, the future is looking good.

Talking with Shawn was inspiring. He’s comfortable in craft, yet continues to push himself and his business to new heights. He’s dedicated to pushing the boundaries and doing more than those that came before. What’s more pioneer spirit than that?

For more information on Iron Timber visit: http://www.irontimber.us