American Made Design: Moran Woodworked Furniture

When Michael James Moran begins a new piece of furniture in his Charleston, South Carolina, wood shop and studio, he often begins with one plank that he imbues with a singular purpose: One board must be a cabinet, another a coffee table. "I try to take what already exists in the wood’s inherent beauty and make it into a functional piece," he says. This intuitive, organic process yields furniture that pays homage to its arboreal origins, rather than obscuring them. With the help of his partner, Celia Gibson, Moran’s approach has earned him a rapidly expanding group of clients: homeowners, interior designers, and galleries around the country.