Bradford & Sandy Smith started Bradford Woodworking in 1980 to create furniture and home goods that didn't follow trends or part of any style or school of craftsmanship. We wanted to create something authentic to where live, our farm where Brad built our home and workshop. Our pieces are honest and familiar, crafted from sometimes unordinary items like farm implements and ax-handle lathes. For 45 years, Brad has been doing what he loves -- creating custom furniture for people all over the country.
As a boy, Brad was always working to fix and build things around the farm. This led to his interest in woodworking that he developed in high school. For four years after graduation, he worked in several different woodworking shops in the area. Although he learned the basics of woodworking and developed a strong work ethic, he wanted a more formal. In 1976 Brad attended the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Craftsmen and graduated with a BFA in woodworking and furniture design in 1980.
In January 2025, the workshop Brad built and worked in for decades was destroyed in a fire that burned for over five hours. Despite the effort of over 100 firefighters, it was almost a complete loss. The devastation we felt was tempered by the immense support of our community of family, friends and customers that came together to help us clean up and rebuild the workshop, which is -- amazingly -- almost completely up and running again.
We are profusely grateful to everyone who has supported us through this last year so we can continue what we love, and build a new future for Bradford Woodworking.