Page 50 July 2014 Arcadian Cottage creates furniture with old-world flair By Agnel Philip A Washington, D.C. native, 46-year- old Chris McGean, came to Arizona to start a new career: antique-style furniture making. “I’ve always had an interest in furniture, especially antique furniture,” McGean said. “Mostly because that was furniture typically made by hand. From an early age, I’ve appreciated that skill.” He moved to the valley in 1999, after a stint in the family business in Hawaii, to turn his passion of woodworking and furniture making into a career. Now, his company called Arcadian Cottage ships to states all over the U.S. and countries all over the world including Australia, Canada and England. McGean has no formal training in furniture making. In fact, part of what drew him to Arizona was an apprenticeship with a local antique restorer named Wesley Matlosz. “I had inquired with him whether or not he would need somebody to basically work under him,” McGean said. “And he gladly accepted my offer.” Soon McGean was making his own custom pieces for wholesale. McGean said all of his pieces are handmade. Arcadian Cottage is famous for its tables, which range in size from four to 14 feet long. The main dining table at the Pizzeria Bianco in the Town & Country shopping center was custom made by McGean. Other furniture pieces include cabinetry and accents, McGean said. Some pieces are made with reclaimed wood that is more than 150 years old. Arcadian Cottage is run primarily through its website and an Etsy page started in 2011. His work is sometimes featured at wholesales, McGean said. McGean said he is looking into opening up a physical store in either downtown Phoenix or Arcadia by 2015. Joining McGean at Arcadian Cottage is his girlfriend, Heather MacDonald, who is involved in both the furniture making and financial side of the business. “When I met Chris, we had a good connection of love of things old,” MacDonald, 40, said. “So, with his work, he kind of recreates furniture to give it that old-world look.” MacDonald, who was introduced to antiques by her mother when she was younger, said she works full time in Banner Health’s research department, and is thus confined timewise to building small pieces. However, McGean said she has an aptitude and passion for furniture building. “She got the woodworking bug in her,” McGean said. “Actually, I’ve been quite amazed at how she’s taken to learning the different tools and such in the shop and creating her own things. She’s a quick learner.” McGean, who lives just south of Arcadia, said he considers this area his home. “Arcadia is kind of our stomping grounds for everything,” he said. “We feel that it’s our neighborhood.” All Faiths Welcome • Pre-K through Eighth Grade • Financial Aid Available All Saints’ Episcopal Day School 6300 North Central Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85012 602.274.4866 www.aseds.org www.facebook.com/PhoenixASEDS Congratulations All Saints’ Class of 2010! All Saints’ Episcopal Day School Members of the All Saints’ Class of 2010 Arizona State University Boston College Brown University Carthage College College of the Holy Cross Duke University Emerson College Fordham University Georgetown University Loyola Marymount University Occidental College Point Loma Nazarene University Santa Clara University Scripps College Seattle University Southern Methodist University Stanford University Texas Christian University University of Arizona University of California, Berkeley University of California, Santa Barbara University of Colorado - Boulder University of Georgia University of Michigan University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of Texas at Austin University of Virginia University of Wisconsin - Madison Washington University in St. Louis Vanderbilt University Yale University The All Saints’ Class of 2010 is heading to these top universities & colleges Now enrolling for Fall 2014

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