Furniture Makers Near Me: Why Local Matters

Joe Ferrara sands a conference table base at the Sound Designs New York wood shop in Glen Cove, New York.

It started with a phone call on my lunch break.

Someone searching for “local furniture makers near me” wanted to stop by our Glen Cove shop in fifteen minutes. I said sure.

When they arrived, the shop was alive — restaurant benches for Brooklyn in progress, a white oak wall unit on another table, the smell of Odie’s Oil and sawdust in the air. We looked at samples, talked finishes, and within a few minutes, their idea for a walnut dining table took shape.

That kind of experience only happens when you work with a local furniture maker. You can’t have that conversation standing in a big‑box store aisle or scrolling online.

At Sound Designs New York, every piece is handcrafted. Nothing is mass‑produced, nothing boxed up and shipped halfway around the world.

From Local Trees to Handcrafted Furniture

Much of our wood comes from fallen or salvaged Long Island trees that we mill and dry ourselves.

Each slab carries its own story — elm from a backyard in Glen Cove, cherry from a tree service in Stony Brook, and a black walnut salvaged from a suburban backyard became a series of dining tables.

Logs from fallen tree ready to be milled — the first step in Sound Designs NY’s process of turning local trees into custom furniture.

While most of our slabs are locally sourced, we also use other sustainably harvested lumber when the project calls for it. We finish nearly all our work with Odie’s Oil, a safe, non‑toxic finish that highlights the wood’s grain and feel.

A live edge black walnut dining table with wishbone legs takes center stage in a beautiful home on the North Shore of Long Island.

A Local Creative Ecosystem

Over time, we’ve built a community of makers who share our ethos of building quality products.

We work with two experienced Glen Cove cabinet shops on larger projects, a Long Island metal fabricator who builds most of our bases, and a Locust Valley beekeeper whose beeswax goes into our Board Butter wood finish.

Our work is sometimes photographed by Iri Greco of BrakeThrough Media who perfectly captures our vibe.

Photo by Iri Greco of BrakeThrough Media.

Finally, our tee shirts are made by Relic Design, a local impact brand that restores oyster habitats and protects our bays.

Sound Designs tee shirt by Relic Design.

Why It Matters

Choosing local furniture means choosing transparency.

You know who made it, where the wood came from, and how it was finished. It supports small businesses, cuts waste, and keeps craftsmanship alive.

And in the end, you get a piece that feels like it belongs — because it was made here, for here.

Sound Designs New York Handcrafted. Local. Built to last.📍 40 Pratt Oval, Glen Cove, NY📞 (516) 946‑6726

Common Questions

Do you make furniture entirely from local wood? Most of our slabs come from locally salvaged Long Island trees. When needed, we also use other sustainable lumber that meets our same environmental and quality standards.

What finish do you use on your furniture?We use Odie’s Oil — a safe, non‑toxic, all‑natural finish that brings out the wood’s natural color and grain while providing durable protection.

Why should I buy from a local furniture maker?Working with a local shop gives you direct communication, customization, and craftsmanship you won’t find in mass production. It also supports local jobs, small businesses, and sustainable practices.