Timeless Pieces For The Home: Andrew Moyle of Burnt Creek Custom
Photos by Kaylan Robinson
Andrew Moyle’s craft comes down to modern design paired with traditional craftsmanship.
After moving to Grand Junction with his wife over three years ago, Moyle launched his furniture design and woodwork shop, Burnt Creek Custom. He says the West Slope is not only a desirable place to live for its plentiful outdoor activities, but also its bright community of people interested in timeless, sustainable pieces for the home.
While custom furnishings were always generally solid in business, COVID-19 further actualized the importance of positive home environments. Even though the national economy shrank by 3.5% in 2020, spending on home improvements grew more than 3%, clocking in to nearly $420 billion, according to a Harvard University study. With home improvement on the rise, begone are mass-produced, poorly-made décor and furniture; Coloradans, instead, are turning to shopping smart and local.
“It’s a lifestyle ethic,” Moyle shares. “We live in a pretty throwaway society and I think creating something that will be functional and durable and useful, and something that can be passed down, at least in some small way breaks that cycle. Having a cherished item that you take care of, that you love and that you pass down to your kids and grandkids, is something special.”
Moyle grew up in Evergreen, Colorado but left the state to attend the University of Montana and earn a degree in forestry. For the next 12 years, he stayed in Montana working as a wildland firefighter and smokejumper for the state and U.S. Forest Service. This experience granted a deep admiration for the raw materials of his furniture.
“Through my years studying forestry and fighting fire, you see the whole cycle of the product that you’re using to make a living, which is great, and an understanding of and deep respect for that material,” he says.
Following a hardworking summer would be a winter season off, during one of which a friend introduced Moyle to woodworking. Soon, his interest soared. He began to challenge himself with different joinery and design aesthetics. He gradually migrated to more modern styles.
“From a really young age I always had that innate desire to build things and figure things out on my own,” Moyle explains. “That’s been my whole woodworking trajectory; it is primarily self-taught.”
From lounge chairs to dining tables, it all starts with pen to paper. While varied, crafting a chair, for example, from start to finish takes an average of two weeks; Moyle prefers to produce in small batches to cut down on overhead time. He estimates 15 to 20 pieces of furniture a year are produced at Burnt Creek Custom.
Each design feels like a child to Moyle, who confesses picking his favorite piece of work is like choosing a favorite child — pretty impossible.
Whether you’re interested in buying The Skookum Lounge Chair, complete with a walnut or ash finish, plus impressive leg and armrest details, The Shavano Dining Table, designed with curved legs and a solid wood top, or maybe even a completely custom piece, Moyle serves residents all across the West Slope — from Telluride and Aspen to Grand Junction.
“I want to do something that I enjoy and that has as little possible negative impact on anyone else, and hopefully just a positive impact,” he shares.
Originally published in the Summer 2021 issue