Sustainable and Customizable Dining Room Furniture

As we were designing and planning our dining room, our vision was to create a space that felt warm and inviting. Sustainability has also played a big role as we’ve renovated this house, from the materials we use to the furniture we choose. I wanted dining room furniture that was sustainable, responsibly made and could withstand lots of use. We are not precious with our furniture and with 3 animals and a toddler we need something sturdy.

I knew about What We Make because we found them on Etsy years ago when we were designing the bathroom in the Rhode Island house. From the reclaimed wood and sustainable materials to the eco-friendly finishes, and handmade construction, they’re a truly sustainable, family-owned and USA based furniture brand.

One of the most unique things about their business is that their furniture is completely customizable and made to order. From the size to the wood type and finish, you can create pieces that are entirely suited for your style, needs and space. Need something faster? They have a collection of quick ship items including tables and benches.

As we head into the holiday season and prepare for hosting gatherings, I wanted to share how we designed and customized our dining room furniture with What We Make. If you’re looking to update your space or starting from scratch like us, they have beautiful options to choose from. They are also generously offering my readers 10% off any 2+ products from their site with code JESS10.

Sustainable and Customizable Dining Room Furniture

Solid Wood Dining Tables

What We Make has a variety of solid wood dining tables made from reclaimed oak, and sustainably harvested hardwoods like walnut and white oak. They use a non-toxic, VOC-free and water resistant finish in several different shades. They have modern styles like the Scandi Dining Table, rustic like the Modern Timber Frame, and a nice combination of modern and rustic like ours, the Breadboard Farmhouse Dining Table.

They also have extendable options if you tend to host larger gatherings or have a need for more seating. The Breadboard Farmhouse Table and Tapered Leg Dining Table both have extendable options.

When creating our dining table we chose reclaimed oak made with reclaimed wood from barns throughout the Midwest. I wanted a matte looking finish and something that looked similar to our floors, so we went with a clear finish. We also wanted to maximize the space we had and were able to choose custom measurements to fit our space. It could not be more perfect!

Depending on the measurements of your space, the type and color of wood you’re looking for, What We Make can make a dining set that’s truly customized and unique for you.

Chairs and Benches

Similar to their tables, What We Make has solid wood chairs and benches that can be made to order with specific size, finish and wood type. Every inch makes a difference, and it was really nice to be able to customize the size of our benches to fit the size of our table. We have the plank wood benches in reclaimed oak with a clear finish. I love that it looks traditional and modern at the same time.

There are some other benches I really love like the Modern Trestle bench (I’m thinking about getting this in a custom size for our mudroom) and the Organic Modern Wood Bench.

We have additional seating with their Farmhouse Chairs. The chairs are beautiful, so they can also easily be set aside in other places throughout the house.

---

We took our time to create a cozy and warm space where we can gather and entertain with family and friends. We made thoughtful choices for materials and incorporated pieces from sustainable brands like What We Make, as well as antique pieces passed down through generations. We didn’t want to rush the completion of this space (and we still haven’t finalized the living room portion) but designing it with intention means it’s a space we truly love to spend time in.