W H A T R E G IS T E R S F IR S T W H E N Y O U L O O K

at Jim R ose’s furniture? M aybe it’s the

clean lines o f his Shaker-inspired designs,

or the bursts o f blocky color in the quilt-like

panels that brighten drawer fronts and

doors. M aybe it’s the unexpected material:

not w ood, but reclaimed steel, soothed w ith

w ax finishes. M aybe it’s the meticulous

craftsmanship, honed skill, and clear vision

manifest in his finished forms.

W h atever hits first, the magic is almost

certainly in h ow it all comes together.

For 17 years, Rose has been crafting furni-

ture in D oor County, W isconsin, where he

lives with his w ife, their io-year-old daughter,

Delilah, and a Jack Russell named Daisy.

He w orks in an old creamery, a ioo-year-old

Belgian-brick structure converted into 2,250

square feet o f workspace. A green mechanical

shear dominates the shop floor, as colorful

pieces o f aging steel rest against the walls.

T he setup suits the thoughtful, grounded

artist. Y e t R ose’s road to this place - and his

perceptive approach to making - began far