Furniture and More

 
 

Burnt Canoe Wood Shop – Custom Wood Furniture in New Orleans

Pieces with Soul

At Burnt Canoe Wood Shop, we create heirloom-quality furniture and functional art that carries the spirit of New Orleans. Every piece is thoughtfully crafted, whether from freshly milled hardwoods or reclaimed materials, and designed to bring warmth, character, and longevity into your home. Our work is rooted in storytelling: each table, cabinet, or sculpture reflects a connection between maker, material, and the community we serve.

Custom Wood Furniture in New Orleans

No project is too big, too small, or too unconventional. While we often craft custom dining tables, desks, Murphy beds, and record cabinets, our work is not limited to those pieces. From outdoor furniture and planters to unique one-of-a-kind designs, we approach every request with the same level of care and creativity.

If you have a vision, we can help bring it to life. Whether it’s a centerpiece for your home, a functional everyday object, or something entirely unexpected, Burnt Canoe is here to collaborate and create with you.

What We Make

Our range stretches from hand-carved spoons and kitchen goods to large-scale furniture like custom desks, dining tables, and conference tables. Every project, whether intimate or ambitious, is approached with the same level of detail, creativity, and craftsmanship.

Furniture and Large Projects

  • Desks, dining tables, coffee tables, and console tables

  • Bed frames, Murphy beds, chairs, and benches

  • Modular and custom workbenches designed for artists and makers

  • Outdoor furniture, planters, and wooden ice chests

  • Pedestals and display stands for artwork

  • Floating shelves and shelving units

Kitchen and Home Goods

  • Cutting boards and serving boards

  • Magnetic knife racks

  • Heirloom boxes and keepsake containers

  • Bookends

  • Carved spoons, spatulas, and crawfish paddles

  • Chopsticks

Lathe-Turned Objects

  • Functional pieces like bowls, plates, and vessels

  • Custom handles, spindles, and furniture legs

  • Specialty items such as pens and other one-of-a-kind turned works

Featured Projects

To show the spectrum of Burnt Canoe craftsmanship, from large-scale heirloom furniture to finely detailed hand-carved goods, here are a few recent highlights:

Sinker Cypress Desk

This reception desk was commissioned by a landscape architecture firm in New Orleans and built from a mix of sinker cypress reclaimed from the swamp and freshly milled Louisiana cypress. The sinker cypress reflects the environment it rested in for decades, producing tones that shift with soil, water, and light, while the fresh cypress adds balance and brightness. Designed with curved details throughout, soft-close hinges, and integrated cord grommets, the desk serves as both a striking introduction to the firm’s space and a highly functional workstation.

Mahogany Murphy Bed

This custom Murphy bed was designed for a client’s office to function as both refined furniture and a hidden guest room. Handcrafted in rich mahogany with a mid-century inspired design, it includes floating shelves on either side with integrated plugs beneath them. Most of the time it serves as a polished office centerpiece, but during Mardi Gras or family visits it easily transforms the space into a bedroom. It’s the perfect blend of space-saving practicality and high-end custom woodworking.

End Grain Cutting Boards

Constructed from a variety of hardwoods turned on end, the end grain cutting board balances utility and design. The end grain surface is gentle on knives and exceptionally durable, while the mosaic of natural tones creates a pattern that feels more like artwork than a kitchen tool. It embodies Burnt Canoe’s approach: elevating everyday objects into lasting pieces of craftsmanship.

Roux Spatulas

Roux Spat in cherry

A Burnt Canoe signature, this roux spatula is curved on one edge to hug the pot and shaped with a hand-carved handle for comfort. Built with Louisiana cooking in mind, it’s a versatile kitchen tool designed for heavy use. At the same time, its thoughtful form and handmade character make it an object worth keeping out on display—both practical utensil and cultural heirloom.

Why Burnt Canoe

Every piece that comes out of the Burnt Canoe Wood Shop is designed and built right here in New Orleans. We take pride in offering custom solutions that fit your exact needs, whether that means a dining table made for generations of family meals or a single handcrafted tool for the kitchen. Our work is grounded in sustainability, using reclaimed wood and responsibly sourced hardwoods whenever possible. Above all, we believe in functional design with timeless character—pieces that are meant to be used, lived with, and remembered.