What’s Special about “Real” Cherry Hardwood?

Cherry hardwood has a timeless quality to it, with a beautiful natural color and unique grain pattern. It’s durable, easy to work with and has a soft smooth finish. You can find cherry hardwood throughout our line of contemporary desks, tables and companion products. When built into furniture, cherry has amazing detail throughout the grain. The grain patterns in our Cherry furniture almost creates a 3D quality as you look from different angles. We love manufacturing high quality, luxury furniture from cherry wood and want to make fans of real cherry wood for those who love modern contemporary wood furniture. Real, premium solid cherry has very little resemblance to plastic laminate cherry, or some kind of imported mystery wood with cherry stain.

Let us start by explaining what true cherry wood is and why you will never find plastic or “mystery wood” at Caretta. Cherry hardwood is a high-grade solid brown American hardwood, with hints of red coloring to it. The hardwood from cherry trees is some of the most attractive wood in the world.  As the cherry tree ages, the wood starts to darken slightly and forms the desirable and beautiful wood that we create our contemporary desks with today. Nothing close in color to those reddish orange country cabinets that possibly comes to mind. Cherry is a close-grained wood, which creates a soft, smooth feel when finished properly. The grain patterns are all unique and dramatic, each telling a story of time, weather and the environment of where the tree was grown.

Cherry wood sounds beautiful and modern, you’re ready to buy your next furniture piece, right? If you’re still on the edge do not worry, we are here to help you understand why laminate furniture differs from cherry hardwood. To do so, let’s dive into plastic laminate furniture. Laminate, is a man-made product, usually some form of plastic that manufacturers print to look like it has wood grain. This allows manufacturers to create furniture, cabinets, and flooring for less. There is a large difference in color between plastic laminate cherry or “mystery wood” with cherry coloring, as compared to real solid cherry hardwood. Cue the reddish orange cherry flashbacks now. Consumers started mixing their view of cherry wood when companies began creating furniture and home pieces with laminate material. The goal through creating laminate items was to produce a product for a low cost that allowed consumers to have a “wood” piece in their home.

At Caretta Workspace our goal is to bring high quality, contemporary furniture to our customers without cutting any corners. With our manufacturing facility located centrally in Ohio, we're in a region known for some of the most beautiful hardwoods in the world, and our wood supplier is located just down the road. That means the solid cherry wood going into our products has been locally managed, responsibly harvested, milled, dried, hand selected and delivered direct to our facility.

We would love for you to see for yourself why we are so found of cherry wood. At Caretta Workspace we offer our cherry furniture in two stains, Natural and Estate. Simply request a free sample of our cherry wood by clicking here.

  Request a wood sample.

Forward Thinking Design for Modern Office Furniture

The hallmark of great design is found in products that are both simple and elegant, yet highly functional. Every Caretta luxury desk has been thoughtfully designed with these principals in mind. Combining a desk that is designed for the latest computer/home technology with premium handcrafted hardwood, results in one of a kind computer workstation that is both classic and modern.

Caretta Workspace founder and designer, Larry Tracewell, noticed that there was something missing within current furniture design.  There were two main types of desks available for offices, classic wood and panel desks or desks made from welded steel tubes and glass. The wood desks had a classic upscale look but were not functional with the latest computer technology. The metal and glass desks had more functionality but were not aesthetically appealing. He saw an opportunity to do something different and create a desk that integrated beautiful hardwood with a functional modern aspect.

Tracewell saw an opportunity to take the design to the next level.

“There was a growing trend in many cities where developers were taking old factories and warehouse buildings and converting them into high-end housing with a modern-retro look,” Tracewell said. “One of the first desks I designed at Caretta had a handcrafted solid wood top, matched with laser-cut steel legs, which gave it a bridge structure-like urban style. I then combined that style with a large cable tray, and designed a more functional power strip to hide under the desktop.”

Today this desk is known as the Modern Urban Series desk. This luxury computer desk finds its natural habitat in downtown luxury condos but fits just as well in any modern office. 

The Modern Urban Series Desk combined two elements that historically had been kept separate within the desk market. Providing customers with a beautifully crafted desk that eliminated unsightly office cables. Tracewell’s forward thinking resulted in an unparalleled luxury desk and has become a constant piece of inspiration for future designs. While all Caretta products are integrated with modern technology, the tradition of handcrafted solid wood and obsessive attention to detail remains front and center during the design process.


Caretta is excited to introduce new classic and modern furniture pieces throughout 2018 and beyond. All pieces will stay true to the Caretta promise of providing customers with the highest quality desk, built with American hardwood and innovative technology that completes all cable management office needs. Here at Caretta, we cannot wait to bring you behind the scenes as innovative hardwood furniture production continues.

Benefits of Cable Management and Integrated Power Strip

Imagine this scenario. You sit down at your desk and before you can get to work, you have to untangle all your cords and wires. Nothing is neatly in place, everything is twisted and tangled, and you really have no idea what cord attaches to what device. You are left staring at this unsightly jumble of cords all day every day. It’s driving you crazy and no matter how many times you try to disentangle and organize them, they seem to always end up in the same state.
Now, imagine a desk that solves all of these problems for you. A desk that has power strips and precise places for wires and cords built right into the desk. No more tangles, no more unsightly cables hanging down from your desktop, no more tripping over cords every time you go to sit down, no more power strip power outages.
Welcome to the Caretta Workspace desk! With all of our desks, cable management and power strips are incorporated into the desk system, resulting in a clutter-free and safer workspace.
Here are some of the great benefits of our cable management and integrated power strip desks:

Practicality and Organization

Why have 10 cords hanging out from every direction of your desk when you can have just one? Caretta Workspace’s design conceals cables and wires in cable trays and passageways that are hidden throughout the desk and connected to an integrated six or 12-position surge suppressing power strip. All of your equipment integrates into your desk with just one power cable coming out. Now that’s smart! Can you imagine how neat and organized your workspace would look with only one cord showing? Just think about how much more productive you could be if you didn’t have to worry about a million cords all the time.

Customization

Configure your workspace for the way that you work. Every office has its own unique requirements. With many desk accessories and companion products, you can configure your workspace to meet your specific needs. You can complement your desk with monitor arms, shelves, custom laser-engraved modesty panels, and power plugs at your desktop along with many other functional accessories.

Safety

A disorganized desk is also an unsafe desk. With cords hanging everywhere, there’s no doubt you’ve tripped over them and maybe even gotten a shock when plugging and unplugging wires from your power strip. Once you’re set up with a Caretta Desk, you won’t have to worry about this anymore. You’ll be safer with your cords organized and out of the way and all of your devices permanently plugged in. You won’t even have to worry about your coffee mug getting knocked over while you’re rearranging your cords!
If you are someone who likes to be neat, tidy, and organized, then a desk that comes with cable management and integrated power strips is really a no-brainer for you. It will save you time and a lot of aggravation. You’ll be more organized, you’ll be more productive, and most importantly, your workspace will be a safer one.

The Value of Caretta Workspace

At Caretta, we strive to design and manufacture the highest quality, most functional and attractive desks, tables, bookshelves, and other furniture available for office and home. We are designers, craftsmen, engineers, and creatives that are passionate about what we do. Our products feature the best American-grown solid cherry, walnut, and ash hardwoods that highlight the wood’s truly unique grain patterns. Our designs conceal cables and wires in cable trays and passageways that are cleverly hidden throughout our products. We have customers all over North America that rave about the beauty, quality, and functionality of their Caretta furniture. We also have a strong commitment to give back to our community and planet. We only use wood sourced from sustainably managed forests and eco-friendly finishes. Locally, we support many great programs to give back to the community in which we live and work.
As you shop around for a new desk or table, consider the following factors to ensure that you are getting the best quality desk!

Solid Hardwood

One of the most distinguishing aspects of a Caretta Workspace desk is the solid hardwood.  When you go to a furniture store and you see the fine wood furniture, it is almost expected that it is thin veneer covering some sort of manufactured mystery wood. Not here! Not only do we only use solid wood for our desk and table tops, much of it is over 2” thick, and all of it has been hand-selected for its unique grain patterns.
Our wood is harvested and milled just down the road in southern Ohio, where some of the finest hardwood trees on the planet grow. This is the same wood that is shipped to far-off places in Europe and Asia, but we happen to get the top of the stack!
The wood is also certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which means the wood is taken from forests that are responsibly managed.

Integrated Power Supply and Cable Management System

Our cable and power management system is thoughtfully and purposely integrated into the design of our desks.  There is a large metal cable tray that is embedded onto the structure of the desk, so all of your wires are neatly hidden away. Attached to the cable tray, out of sight from the rest of the world, is a large surge suppressing power strip. The outlets are even positioned wide enough so plugs don’t interfere with each other.
Consider the competition. If there is cable management, it is most likely an afterthought. How are you supposed to wire everything through a 1” lamp grommet? Is a stick-on shelf really going to hold all of your wires? Is it safe to have power strips laying at your feet? You don’t have to answer these questions. Just get the Caretta desk!

American-Made Product

All of the products made by Caretta Workspace are all designed, manufactured and assembled in the United States from our headquarters in central Ohio. This is something that most desk and furniture companies outsource in order to keep profits up and costs low, but most of the time the quality of the product suffers because of that.
“Our furniture is a combination of the latest technology and handcrafted manufacturing techniques with precision machinery,” Larry Tracewell, Owner of Caretta Workspace, said. “America was built on the shoulders of craftsmanship and innovation. People take pride in working in designing, manufacturing and producing the highest quality product in the market.”
Learn more about our American Made story, CLICK HERE!

Caretta Workspace Gives Back

Our products are extremely durable and are meant to last a very long time, just like our namesake, the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, or better known in the scientific world as Caretta Caretta.
In honor of this beautiful animal, every time a customer buys a desk from Caretta Workspace, part of the cost is donated to the Save The Sea Turtle Fund at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. That donation helps to support conservation efforts all over the world. In 2016, Caretta Workspace’s our customers’ donation topped $10,000!

Learn more about how Caretta Workspace gives back to the community in our blog HERE!

Home Decor Tips: 4 Small Changes that Can Make a Big Impact

If there’s a place that should offer you respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life, then that’s definitely your home. But when it’s not precisely the eye candy you’d wish for, it’s time to shake things up a bit. Now, you don’t necessarily have to engage in floor-to-ceiling makeovers, as often less is more. Small changes in your home décor can have a really big impact and breathe new life into your quarters in no time.
Here are some cool tips on how to transform your apartment into your own personal little paradise.
 
Image via RENTCafé

#1. Refresh the Walls

You may think that this is not that big a change, but adding a pop of color or some refreshing art to your walls will set the mood for the entire house. Pick some happy or bold colors and repaint one of the living room walls for an instant spark of vitality. When it comes to decorating your bedroom, choose peaceful blues or soothing shades of green, as these colors are known to induce an instant state of relaxation.

Image via RENTCafé

#2. Brighten the Rooms

Good light can make even less spacious rooms feel bright and airy. To ensure a nice and cozy setting for your living room, for instance, use sheer drapery or keep your windows unobstructed to allow natural light to flow inside. Additionally, consider installing some floor lighting near your living room lounger to create a cozy reading nook or some modern lamps in your bedroom which – aside from letting you enjoy your evenings in a more tranquil setting – can serve as powerful decorative elements.
 
Image via Point2Homes.com

#3. Accessorize Your Home

Talking about small changes that make a big impact…accessories can really enhance the way your home looks. Putting some pillows on your sofas is a great first step when it comes to giving your home a quick makeover. You can add some figurines as decorations and all the souvenirs from your travels, as well as photos of your loved ones here and there. Place some paintings on your walls; art never ceases to inspire and it can instantly bring positivity into any room. You can always place more shelves around the house for all those books you never seem to have room for. Spruce things up with plants and fresh flowers and both your body and mind will feel the difference. You will sleep like a baby if you put some greenery in your bedroom, and you can also add scented candles pretty much anywhere in your home for a sparkle of magic.
 
Image via RENTCafé

#4. Rearrange the Furniture

Last but not least, rearranging the furniture can also clear the way for a new beginning. Your home may feel like a whole other place in an instant, all freshened up and revitalized, but the most important thing here is that you plan ahead. You can do it the old-fashioned way with a pen and paper or with an online room planner tool. It’s not magic, but it sure feels like it, so consider it when you’re thinking of rehabbing your home.

Did you find any of these ideas helpful? Or do you have any other tips that have proven to be successful in turning your home into your personal sanctuary? Let us know!

5 Reasons Why Buying American Products Helps the Economy

When Americans hear about the troubles facing the economy, they want to take an active role in the solutions. With so many issues facing the economy that active role seems out of reach to many regularly Americans. However, there is something everyone can do that will impact the economy — buy American-made products.

Bolster employment

Buying American products has many positive impacts on the economy, but it’s often overlooked. First and foremost, buying American reduces the unemployment rate over a period of time. When companies manufacture in America and consumers focus on buying American-made products, the demand increases.
If the demand increases, the manufacturers need to keep up with the supply, which leads to more jobs introduced into the marketplace. When manufacturing jobs return to a community, the entire labor force sees a boost. This demand boosts employment in the service and retail industries, replenishing the spending cycle in the local economy.

Provides Safety Standards

Foreign products are manufactured under low safety standards. Poisonous levels of lead, or other toxins, have been discovered in products shipped to the USA, especially in toys. When you buy goods manufactured in the USA, you can be confident that American consumer protection laws and safety standards are in place to protect your and your family.
Not only are you protecting your family, but you are protecting the rights of those who would be exploited overseas. Lack of minimum wage, worker safety, or environmental pollution controls in many countries undermines the safety and well being of their citizens. No nation can compete on product price with a country willing to massively exploit and pollute its own people with cheaper and less safe manufacturing practices. When you buy only American-made products, you insist on a higher standard in your own country, but also countries around the world.

Balance Trade

Buying American-made products helps combat the trade imbalance we often see in our country. The United States is importing so much from other nations and not exporting in the same proportion. When you are just consuming and not equally bringing in income a nation will run a deficit on trade alone.
Americans put a high demand on American made products the nation imports less from foreign nations. Pair that with increased exports on our American made products if they gain international transaction and we can begin to balance a small area of our budget.

Buy Once

When you buy American you are buying a quality product you won’t get anywhere else. When something has been manufactured in America it is held up to the highest standards. Andy Tracewell, Director of Marketing for Caretta Workspace, knows the quality of the wood they use for their American made furniture.
“We use American made materials because they’re the best materials in the world,” Tracewell said. “The cherry, the ash and the black walnut that we use, grows in the state of Ohio, and, in a lot of cases, is the best wood in the world. The wood grain, the feature, and the color - you just don’t find better wood.”
When manufacturing is done in America, waste is also reduced. Products aren’t damaged during long transportation overseas and quality products don’t break down over time as easily. So even if buying American costs a little more upfront, which is not always the case, you buy once and waste less.

So what can you do?

So what can Americans do for their country? They can sit behind American made desks. They can build with American materials and American made tools. They can drive American made cars and made with American steel. Together every citizen can be part of a solution to boosting our country’s economy.

From The Best Materials to Excellence in Manufacturing - Our American Made Story

“I never did anything by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by work.”

American inventor Thomas Edison’s quote holds a special place in the heart of Columbus, Ohio based company, Caretta Workspace.
All of the materials found inside of Caretta’s manufacturing plant are American made.

Caretta believes in innovation, and their high quality wood desks and furniture with precision, fabricated, heavy-duty metal and high quality manufacturing standards is what sets them apart from the competition.

The Best Materials

“We use American made materials because they’re the best materials in the world,” Andy Tracewell, Director of Marketing for Caretta Workspace, said. “The cherry, the ash and the black walnut that we use grows right here in the state of Ohio, and, in a lot of cases, is the best wood in the world. The wood grain, the feature, and the color — you just don’t find better wood.”
The quality of the wood in Caretta Workspace desks and tables is more than just a local secret, it’s shipped all over the world for the “crème de la crème” of furniture. Caretta’s wood supplier ships their lumber to Europe and Asia to make fine furniture, but Caretta has access to that wood locally. Plus, Caretta’s wood is individually hand-selected for each desk. The wood is also certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which means Caretta’s wood is taken from forests that are responsibly managed.
“If you look at all the stuff that’s made in Asia, there’s very low regulation in the finishing materials that they use,” stated Andy Tracewell. “We have control over that here. We make sure that the finishes that we use are formaldehyde-free and really eco-friendly finishes.”

The Best Craftsmanship and Design

Not only are the materials high quality, but also the craftsmanship and design that goes into an American-made desk is second to none.  
“Our furniture is a combination of the latest technology and handcrafted manufacturing techniques with precision machinery,” Larry Tracewell, Owner of Caretta Workspace, said. “America was built on the shoulders of craftsmanship and innovation. People take pride in working in designing, manufacturing and producing the highest quality product in the market.”
Thick, solid wood used in desktops permit beautiful soft edges versus particle board glued edge banding. This takes the quality of the product to a whole different level compared to desks and tables found in “big box” stores.

The Best Sustainability

American-made products such as Caretta Workspace desks and tables are not only high quality because of the materials, but also because of the highly skilled employees who take raw lumber and turn it into furniture that will not only last your lifetime, but for multiple generations to come.
“It’s an heirloom quality piece of furniture,” Andy Tracewell said. “The craftsmanship of the skilled people that we have working with wood are cross-trained in all woodworking disciplines. The craftsmen are not sitting on an assembly line making the same exact cut for 1,000 boards coming down the line. Everyone knows how to do everything very well. That’s why each piece is sanded, finished, assembled and packed at our plant.”
Each product from Caretta contains a laser engraved badge and serial number, which confirms each desk and table are one-of-a-kind. Each desk created by the Columbus-based company also contains a cable management system that is superior in the marketplace.
A main differentiator in the furniture industry is the functionality and mobility of the product, which for Caretta gives the desk the ability to travel wherever life takes you.
“The mobility of our desks allows for it to be passed down from generation to generation,” Larry Tracewell said. “Whether you’re moving to a new home or you’re passing down your desk for the next generation, you will be able to assemble a Caretta desk exactly the same way each time. That is a testament to the sustainability of the desk.”
The next time you’re buying new furniture, take into consideration what you’re getting when you buy an American made product. Buying American not only ensures that you’ll be getting the best product, but you’ll be supporting American families, communities and the proud, historic tradition of American woodworking and manufacturing.