The Insiders: Deana Lewsey and Jon Ketchum
New Collar Goods
“A good piece of furniture should make you want to stay a little longer, have another drink, and remain among friends,” says Deana Lewsey. That’s the notion behind the furniture she and husband Jon Ketchum create for their New Collar Goods studio. The name of their Denver company is a tribute to the craftsmen in New York’s Adirondack region, from which the couple hails. “With access to new design tools and building techniques, we are working toward a new era of blue-collar craft–hence the name New Collar Goods,” Ketchum explains. The unpretentious elegance of their designs reflects a reverence for honest utility and materials that are timeless. “We like to keep our designs minimal but functional, allowing the natural beauty of the wood and the lines of the piece to bring personality and interest,” Ketchum says. Here, the couple share some of their new friends and discoveries on the local scene.
Where do you find inspiration in Denver?
This city is so heavily immersed in art–from cafes to breweries and flower shops, you don’t have to go far to ponder new ideas. Lately, we’ve been cruising around Congress Park to get inspired by the historic homes. We’ve also been heading west to the Baker neighborhood to explore new music and food and north to RiNo to check out new shops and restaurants that continue to pop up. We’re a changing city, and design is at the forefront.
Local artist to watch:
Strange Dirt, aka Marsha Robinson. Her ink-and-pen illustrations are peppered throughout the city. We’re drawn to the organic quality of her botanic forms juxtaposed with structured Art Deco elements in each piece.
Favorite local furniture shops:
We love grazing through Mod Livin’ for high-quality design, as well as boutique stores like OKHI in RiNo that work vintage finds into their inventory. We also do a lot of custom work through Revampt, a great shop in Cherry Creek that specializes in locally made, reclaimed and sustainable furniture.
