Lets Do The Twist by Kathy Basset

Have you ever looked at something and said, "Oh we can do that"?

Those were the words Tim Hicks voiced to Candy Hicks one day after browsing the Internet and discovering juniper furniture.

Candy thought he was crazy and maybe he just meant to "do that" as a hobby.

But he was serious, and now Tim and Candy Hicks, have a beautiful furniture-making business using juniper wood locally harvested around Maybell.

They did more research on the Internet and worked from trial and error. Starting in a small, drafty, dark and run-down trailer, they had no proper tools. Tim scraped the bark off with pliers, screwdrivers and a brass pipe fitting. Sanding was all done by hand.

Then, they found out they could pressure wash the bark off, so they lugged a few pieces to the car wash and were very disappointed that it didn't work.

But then they heard about a special nozzle. They now have their own pressure washer in a much nicer, newer shop and have graduated to real sanders.

Sometimes they get a project done so fast they wonder whether they forgot a step.

They are self-taught, but it doesn't come real easy.

First of all, they have to go out and find the perfect piece of wood.

Candy has learned that if Tim says. "It will only take a couple of hours," that she should pack a lunch with plenty of drinks and plan to be gone all day. If he mentions "shortcut" she knows she could get there faster by walking. And she doesn't forget the cell phone in case they get stuck. If there is a road or even a hint of a road, Tim will find a way to get over it, around it, or through it with a truck and gooseneck trailer.

They always take a camera along to document the current situation they might find themselves in, to save for memories.

One trip out involved digging up some root bases and, of course, it was "real easy to get to and would only take a few hours."

After they spent a while digging the root bases out, they loaded them one at a time and hauled them uphill using a two-wheel-drive 4-Wheeler and 4-Wheeler trailer with a plastic tub. The roots were so heavy the tub flattened out, but Candy, full of gusto, drove the rigs uphill, with Tim running and pushing the 4-wheeler from behind. It took all day to get the two stumps out, and it happened to be a day when Candy didn't take anything to eat.

Tim and Candy are a husband and wife team, and they would prefer to remain as a family business, not a factory-type operation. Every piece of furniture is hand-crafted and gets great attention to detail. Customers have come to realize that they are getting a "one of a kind" product that will make a great family heirloom.

Sometimes, Tim and Candy's little kiddos, who are 3 and 5 years old, like to come out and help their mom and dad by pounding nails in boards or doing some scroll work on the benches with the Dremal tool.

The Hicks are selling nationally and internationally from their Web site, www.rockymountain-twist.com. A few retailers are featuring their work, and they are looking for one local company to feature their work, as well.

They have an "open door" policy allowing people to stop by their shop any time, look through their collection of wood and pick out the pieces that feel right. They will then combine art and craftsmanship to bring to life that "impossible to find" item for the customer's home.

Browsing through pictures on their Web site gives a good indication of what beautiful meticulous work they do on each item they produce.

Custom Juniper Furniture

As designers and creators of juniper log furniture, we would like to become a part of your family. Rocky Mountain Twist is located in the northwest corner of Colorado. We are family owned and operated and specialize in custom designed log furniture and home accessories. We would like to share with you, the creativity and passion that it takes to bring these artful items to life and into many homes across the country.

When we first started in this business, one of our main goals was to build an inventory so we could travel to different shows and markets, and be able to have plenty of items to offer our customers. Now as our business is growing through word of mouth as well as the internet, we find ourselves focusing on custom orders and designing furniture to fit many needs and tastes. We currently create, market and sell our own products. With this new business venture we not only maintain the freedom to create, but also a chance to help another persons vision come to life.

Our customers have a say in what we do and the freedom to choose what they want, from the smallest of projects to a one of a kind design for us to create. Every piece is thoughtfully designed with guaranteed quality which is both functional and beautiful. Our goal is to listen to our customers, turn their vision into reality and bring to them the ultimate piece of furniture which will last for many generations. To the lover of all things handcrafted, it is a pure joy to own an authentic American made piece of modern rustic juniper log furniture.

We offer our clients on site collaboration, where we can get a better “feel” for their vision and the space it is to enhance. They are also more than welcome to stop by our shop anytime day or night, look through our inventory of wood, and help choose a piece that is right for them. Some customers have also been a part of harvesting and cleaning the wood and getting a more hands on approach in the design process. No matter what the approach we will deliver a high quality work of art and a very memorable experience in being a part of something so amazing.

What can our company offer you and your clients?
Limitless design ideas for unique and one of a kind items; which are branded, numbered and dated, making these items great for collectors. We specialize in custom designs which are tailored to fit individual tastes. And where else can you find art like this that is rustic log but still have that modern elegance that will fit into any décor?


Our main product line consists of (but not limited to):

Tables:
Occasional/lamp
Console/sofa
Dining/breakfast
Planters/shelves

Lighting
Table
Bedside/Desk
Floor
Lamp Tables
Centerpiece
Sconces

Home Accents
Wind Chimes
Candle Holders
Wood Art
Wall Clocks
Entry Way Pieces

All of our products are made from dead or dying Juniper/Cedar trees, which are a renewable resource. Not all junipers are twisted, like the pieces that we use. It takes many hours of scouting to find pieces of wood that we will use in our projects. When harvesting the wood we only cut a branch or two off a tree and on a rare occasion we will use the whole tree; this helps eliminate any needless waste. Once a project is completed and ready for finish we use a water based polycrylic by Minwax, in the effort to be more environmentally friendly we are willing to discuss any new finish ideas to create a green product.