our story

"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

- William Morris

At Hayrake furniture, much like the philosophy of designer and William Morris, our mission is to create the perfect union of design and engineering. Hand-crafted wood furniture and decor that provide clean aesthetic and purpose for the home.

The Hayrake design stems from the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 1800s, which railed against the industrialization of craft production and the decline in the quality of workmanship and design that still finds relevance today. As part of its reaction against poorly made industrially produced furniture of the day, the Arts and Crafts movement espoused a design philosophy emphasizing authenticity (honesty in the use of materials and joinery), functionality and simplicity, while simultaneously celebrating the designer as a craftsman.  Hayrake Furniture Co. employs this philosophy in every one of our handcrafted designs.

“By creating items of particular sentimental value or meaning, I hope through my company I can produce items that will meet all three criteria - function, beauty, and meaning.” - Andrew (AJ) Quinter, Founder.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Andrew (AJ) Quinter

Starting out in woodworking at a young age after learning from his grandfather, AJ has been designing and building with wood for over 30 years. Although only starting Hayrake Furniture Co. in 2017, he has quickly become dedicated to his craft. AJ studied structural engineering at The University of Dayton, earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in his time there. After school, he worked for nearly 10 years as a structural engineer before deciding to pursue his lifelong dream of returning to woodworking.

When deciding to turn his passion into a business, one name stood out to AJ among the rest; Hayrake. The name Hayrake comes from the hayrake table, a design that stands as a hallmark of the Arts and Crafts movement. Ernest Gimson and the brothers, Ernest and Sidney Barnsley were architects, furniture designers, and craftsman who left London to further their passion in the movement. Much like these three pioneers of the Arts and Crafts movement, AJ left his world of structural engineering to follow fulfillment in the woodworking industry and create well-crafted thoughtful pieces to enhance the function and look of any space.