Forget IKEA: I've Got My Personal Carpenter on Speed Dial

For the past year, we've been settling into our house in Davoli. Over time, we've realized how things could be more efficient...a shelf here, shoe storage there.

But rather than place an order on IKEA.com (the nearest store is hours away), I've stumbled onto an even better solution: the falegname!

What is a Falegname?

The falegname, or carpenter, has long been an important part of society in Italy, particularly in Calabria, which is full of chestnut, beech, and oak trees.

Chestnut, in particular, is treasured here, since it's durable and resistant to humidity.

Centuries ago, it was the carpenter you went to when you wanted a table, chair, bed, or armadio. Calabrian houses and cantinas are filled with antique locally-made furniture, and many pieces are unique to a particular town.

The chairs for the dining table might have fruit or flowers carved into them, which would, to the educated eye, tell exactly where it was made.

Historically, fathers passed down their skills to their sons, carrying on the tradition of carpentry for generations.

The Art of Carpentry in the Modern World

Italy is no different than the rest of the world (ha!). People prefer the modern look of cheap pressed-wood furniture that they can unpack from a box.

Visit any thrift store, and you'll find heavy hand-carved tables and furniture. It breaks my heart, but I have a different perspective than people who grew up with their nonna's china cabinet. To me, each of these is a work of art.

With that move toward modernization, the falegname has all but become extinct. I know several carpenters here in Davoli, but only one or two do it for their full-time work. And not everyone learned from their father. Take my friend Vittorio, for example.

Meet Vittorio, Falegname Extraordinario

Vittorio is an artist. Well, to be more specific (because one time I called him an artist and he corrected me), he's an artisan.

One day, as I was walking down one of the narrow streets in Davoli, I heard Creedence Clearwater Revival playing. This is not normal in Davoli, so I followed the sound to a catojo (cantina) filled with frames, tools, and old furniture. And there was Vittorio, with his long Jesus-beard, jamming out to American classics.

Breaking the mold of a falegname passing down his skills to his sons, Vittorio learned from a friend, Eugenio. He took to it right away.

Vittorio repairs a lot of the furniture people have inherited. The other day, he was refurbishing an old cabinet designed to hold a bombola of gas for our cousin who lives in Milan. A few weeks ago, he reupholstered a chair with fabric on it that was over 100 years old! Every day is something different.

Our Creative Synergy

I'm an artist, but I'm not a carpenter. I dream up big ideas, and Vittorio brings them to life.

Here's an example: Francesco is a shoeaholic. He has far more shoes than I do, and there was nowhere to put them all! We had wasted space in our entryway, and I began to dream of shoe storage...maybe with some shelves for my many books.

Vittorio wasted no time sketching out an idea. I added to it, and in a matter of days, we had this gorgeous piece that feels like it's been there forever.

What I love is that our projects involve recycled wood whenever possible. Vittorio took me to his secret wood storage, where piles of old doors, drawers, and tables waited for new life. Heaven!

Our scarperia (shoe storage) was built using an old desk, armadio, baseboard (battiscopa), drawers, and about a dozen other things. I love this history!

He also made me a unique storage solution for my art studio using old drawers and antique glass. I am now the proud owner of a door that once lived at our local restaurant, Donna Elena, but is now a shelf for my herbs.

You would expect that custom-designed furniture would be expensive. It certainly would in the U.S. But honestly, it costs about what it would to order IKEA crap, and we get something that's made to order...with love!

I'm afraid we may monopolize Vittorio, because every week, I have a new idea for a project for him! Next up: a picture frame that hides all my jewelry!