Since moving to Colorado in 1976, Kevin Molick has been a devoted woodworker for nearly five decades. From building custom furniture to renovating Denver homes to founding Timberleaf Trailers, Molick has been dedicated to the precision and quality of his craft since the beginning of his woodworking journey.

In 1976, Molick moved from Georgia to Colorado to attend Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins after an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. He intended to study engineering but decided to take a year off during his studies to work full-time. Due to his specialized skill set, he could find suitable work only at a local woodworking shop, where he built children’s furniture. According to Molick, it took only a few short months before he realized his knack for the work and became the foreman of the shop.

“That job changed my career direction,” says Molick. “I never went back to school.” For the next 25 years, Molick worked in central Denver as a self-employed custom woodworker, specializing in highly detailed custom pieces. Not only did this include tables and chairs, but also bookshelves, office systems and looms.

It was not until 1994 that Molick decided to start renovating and remodeling Denver homes. Populating the central Denver area where he lived were many homes built in the Craftsman style that became popular in the United States in the early 1900s. Due to the age and distinctive style of these homes, renovation required particular sensitivity. Molick worked diligently to give each home a modern update while preserving and enhancing their original character, and over the next 20 years, he built a strong reputation for his tactful work.

In 2015, Molick and his wife, Paula Molick, were discussing their desire to travel around Colorado and its neighboring states via camping. However, neither of them wanted to manage the discomfort of traditional camping tents nor a cumbersome RV trailer or motor home. Molick discovered the teardrop trailer, which met all of their needs, and decided to build his own. After sharing the plans with a handful of friends, he received requests from two people who wanted him to build them a teardrop trailer as well.

“That spawned the idea that there might be a business here,” Molick shares. After nervously consulting Paula Molick about the possibility, who granted her full support, Molick founded the trailer company Timberleaf Trailers.

The company’s focus, according to Molick, is a nostalgic, modern design focused on functionality. He employed the technical skills he learned during his time as a custom woodworker and the tactfulness he used when renovating homes in Denver to hone his craft, and built trailers that stood out because of their quality. This dedication is what has turned Timberleaf Trailers into an internationally recognized company that continues to grow, having been featured in magazines such as Uncrate and The Coolector.

After running the business since 2015, Molick sold Timberleaf Trailers nearly six months ago. He decided to return to the work that spurred this journey and built a small woodworking shop on his property.

“Selling my business meant I no longer had a personal shop to build things, so it seemed like a nobrainer,” says Molick. However, after he quickly realized that he was limited by the number of personal items he could build, Molick has decided to once again accept public commissions for highly detailed custom woodwork. “I don’t expect to be putting in 40-hour work weeks,” he says about the transition, “but I have to admit, some days I forget what time it is when I get immersed in a project.”

When he took a year-long break back in 1976 from college at CSU to build children’s furniture, Molick never anticipated how his life would change. After spending over 20 years renovating homes in Denver and nearly 10 years of building Timberleaf Trailers into a company of international recognition, his woodworking journey has come full circle. Now, Molick returns to the love of crafting the one-of-a-kind pieces that started it all.

Contact Kevin Molick at kmolick@gmail.com or 303.887.0959.

Originally published in the Summer 2024 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

Kevin Molick Woodworking