No Result
View All Result
Tampa Magazines
  • Local Knowledge
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Tampa Culture
  • ADVERTISE
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • ABOUT
  • PURCHASE A COPY
  • DIGITAL ISSUES
  • EMAIL NEWSLETTERS
  • CONTACT US
  • SHOP
  • MY ACCOUNT
    • Your Membership
    • Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Login / Logout
Tampa Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Tampa Magazine
No Result
View All Result

Made in Tampa: Built Custom Furniture Makers

Built makes custom furniture with a modern touch and a green footprint here in Tampa

by McKenna Kelley
March 26, 2020
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

From the loading dock of his furniture company’s North Hyde Park warehouse, Built founder Andrew Watson can see the cranes that increasingly dot the downtown skyline. It’s a constant reminder that Tampa’s rising wave is bringing people like Watson and his team right along with it.

“At the base of every one of those cranes, somebody needs furniture. So it’s such a cool time to be here,” Watson says.

He founded Built back in 2013 with a focus on sleek, modern, minimalistic, custom-made wooden furniture. The following year, his designs caught the eye of the BECK Group when they were in the process of building out Ulele. Built created the restaurant’s tabletops from reclaimed oak salvaged from a barn in North Florida, along with two 10-foot tables made with local Norfolk pine. It was this project that helped the company catch fire, Watson says.

“The Ulele project was kind of what gave me the push I needed to become an actual business, not just hang out with a table saw by myself,” he adds with a laugh.

The Franklin credenza by Built

The team of 12 has since seen their work installed in homes across the Tampa area and at commercial spaces like the offices of Embarc Collective, McKibbon Hospitality and Water Street Tampa developer Strategic Property Partners. Built has also created dining tables for places like Foundation Coffee, Haven and Armature Works. Most recently, they delivered a complete furniture package to the co-working and event space Hyde House. While Built made its name on built-in millwork pieces, Watson says they’re looking to do more furniture (like benches they built for Water Street Tampa’s brand-new office at Sparkman Wharf).

Every piece that Built makes is custom-created in their warehouse to each customer’s exact specifications. With the ability to come in, select specific woods and finishes, and see their piece in progress, customers get a hands-on experience that big box stores and online retailers can’t offer, Watson explains.

“Let’s say you want a TV cabinet, but you want drawers over here and doors here, and you need to fit a subwoofer,” he says. “We can build it exactly how you want it — the aesthetic that you want, the functionality that you want,” and the size that you want.

Plus, as Watson points out, a table or headboard created from a slab of a fallen tree is an inherently unique piece. “If somebody buys a table [from us], they’re the only person in the world who can have that table.”

The Built team works with the wood’s unique imperfections to create one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture

Sometimes, clients’ visit to the workshop is their first realization that their furniture will be made locally, Watson says.

“I don’t think people know we manufacture here, which is interesting. I don’t know what they think, but people walk in and [say] oh, you actually build in here,” he says with a chuckle. “We’re literally manufacturing. We’re taking raw material and making it all here.”

This summer, Built will roll out its first furniture line. The collection is made up of some of the company’s staple furniture pieces, all of which are customizable. Pieces like the Willow chair, the Franklin credenza and the Fig stool are named after Tampa streets that have had an influential role in Built’s development. New machinery that will automate part of Built’s production process has finally allowed the company to offer some of its pieces to a broader market.

Like all businesses, Built is constantly looking forward — less for themselves than for the planet.

Watson has been passionate about sustainability since long before it was an industry buzzword. For all of their pieces, the company sources wood from trees that have already fallen or that are replanted after they’re cut down. Built uses small, leftover pieces of wood from large projects to create cutting boards, bowls and other small trinkets to prevent the material from going to waste.

Woodworking is inherently a carbon-neutral process, Watson explains. Carbon in the atmosphere is absorbed by trees. Even when a tree falls or is chopped down to become wood, the carbon that was removed from the atmosphere stays trapped inside — offsetting the carbon released while building furniture.

“But we’re constantly trying to be better at that. We’re trying to find wood that’s closer to [our facility]. We’re trying to have less waste,” he says. “[Sustainability] is constantly top-of-mind.”

“I grew up tinkering. I was always building something, starting with LEGOs and then graduating to tree forts,” Watson says. He worked his way through middle and high school painting houses, building decks and doing renovations before landing at an architectural millwork firm. “I had seen it from both angles — the garage-style woodworker, handyman type thing, then I saw it from this multimillion dollar penthouse buildout [side]. I wanted to be somewhere in the middle,” with Built, he says.
Built even has an internal goal of going carbon negative (that is, offsetting more carbon than they produce) by 2025. Yet you won’t find the “S” word anywhere on their website or company marketing materials. Why?

“We just do it because it’s the right thing to do,” Watson says.

Not to mention, it can be pretty darn cool.

“I would love to run this with solar,” he adds, gesturing to the production facility around him. “I would love to get to the point where we could build furniture with the power from the sun.”

He grins.

“How insane would that be?”

Tags: andrew watsonbuiltfurnitureMade in Tampa
Next Post
Chocolate Pi Reopens in Seminole Heights

Chocolate Pi Reopens in Seminole Heights

Please login to join discussion

INSTAGRAM

tampabayliveworkplay

TAMPA BAY Live+Work+Play
The chickens of Ybor City can pretty much do anyth The chickens of Ybor City can pretty much do anything they want 🐓❤️-
-

#tampamagazine #southtampamagazine #downtowntampa #tampadowntown #tampabayisawesome #thingstodointampa
 #tampaflorida #yborcity #ybor #chickens #tampafl
It’s National Carrot Cake Day 🥕 Tag a carrot It’s National Carrot Cake Day 🥕 Tag a carrot cake lover who will appreciate this delicious slice from  JW Marriott Water Street’s Driftlight.-
-

#tampamagazine #southtampamagazine #downtowntampa #tampadowntown #tampabayisawesome #thingstodointampa
 #tampaflorida #carrotcake #carrotcakes #jwmarriott #harbourisland #tamparestaurant #tampafoodie #tampafood #tampaeats #tampabayeats #tampafoodreview
Wagamama first look! The long-awaited Asian fusion Wagamama first look! The long-awaited Asian fusion restaurant opening Feb. 11 at Water Street Tampa 🍜 Reservations are on OpenTable. This marks the first US Wagamama location outside of New York, Boston and Atlanta 👏-
-
-

#tampamagazine #southtampamagazine #downtowntampa #tampadowntown #tampabayisawesome #thingstodointampa
 #tampaflorida #tamparestaurant #tamparestaurants #tampafoodie #tampabayeats #tampaeats #tampafood #wagamama #waterstreet #waterstreettampa
With this Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded restaurant With this Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded restaurant in Tampa Bay, you don’t need to travel all the way to Italy to taste the flavor and tradition of the food! 🇮🇹 🍴 Tampa native, Chef Bryce Bonsack, brings the spirit of Italian tradition into each of his dishes. To read more about his award-winning restaurant, visit the link in our bio. 

#tamparestaurants #rocca #tampaeats #southtampa #tampafl #thingstodointampa #italian #stpetersburg
Need a fun activity to do this week with friends? Need a fun activity to do this week with friends? 👀 Tap the link in our bio for our full list of the BEST places to play Trivia in Tampa Bay! 

#TampaTrivia #TriviaTampa #ThingstodoinTampa #TampaBay #SouthTampa #TampaBreweries #TampaBay #stpetebeach
Meet the 2022 Athlete of the Year for Special Olym Meet the 2022 Athlete of the Year for Special Olympics Florida! She’s a top fundraiser and an advocate for people with disabilities. 💪😍 Tap the link in our bio read her story 🎾

#tampaAthlete #PeopleofTampa #SpecialOlympicsFL #TAMPA #SouthTampa #ThingstodoinTampa
We got a good look at the exteriors of some of Tam We got a good look at the exteriors of some of Tampa’s most beautiful homes during Gasparilla but here’s a glimpse inside a High-end Bayshore Boulevard Condo Exuding Modernism and Comfort. Don’t miss our Home department each issue. Businesses: we are running a pricing promotion for downtown living and landscaping/outdoor spaces. Email info@TampaMagazines.com for details. -
Builder: Plaza Construction
Architect: Place Architecture 
Interior Designer: Carin Zwiebel, of CZ Designs Tampa
Flooring & tile: Ceramic Matrix
Other Tile: Casale Design Source
Technology: Haven Smart
Lighting: Hammerton
Photographer: Rickie Agapito, of AOFOTOS

-
-
-

#tampamagazine #southtampamagazine #downtowntampa #tampadowntown #tampabayisawesome #thingstodointampa
 #tampaflorida #tamparealestate #tampahomes #bayshoreblvd #stpetersburgflorida #tamparealtor
Ever wonder what a magazine publisher does? Hint: Ever wonder what a magazine publisher does? Hint: lots of meetings, emails and phone calls with some fun mixed in. Follow us along for a day in the life of Tampa Magazines Group Publisher Shawna Wiggs ✍️ Like and follow for more behind the scenes content. 
-
-
-

#tampamagazine #southtampamagazine #downtowntampa #tampadowntown #tampabayisawesome #thingstodointampa #southtampamoms #southtampalife 
 #tampaflorida #tampaflorida #tampabae #stpetersburgflorida #southtampa #bayshoreblvd #tampafoodie #tampabayeats #dayinthelife #dayinmylife
February is Black History Month, paying tribute to February is Black History Month, paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. One of the best ways to support the Tampa Bay Black community is to shop small. Visit the link in bio for a list of Black-owned restaurants, shops, crafters and more from around the Bay area.
-
-
-

#tampamagazine #southtampamagazine #downtowntampa #tampadowntown #tampabayisawesome #thingstodointampa
 #tampaflorida #blackhistorymonth #blackownedbusiness #blackowned #tampafl #stpetersburgflorida
Tampa Bay has awesome Farmer’s Markets every wee Tampa Bay has awesome Farmer’s Markets every week for all your #ShopLocal needs! 🥬 🛒 You can find produce, arts, and more. Link in bio to find the one closest to you! 
📸: The Market at Water Street, courtesy of Strategic Property Partners
#shoplocal #farmersmarket #TampaBay #FloridaProduce #LocalMakers #SaturdayMarket #SundayMarket #tampabayisawesome #tampaflorida #tampabayarea
Load More... Follow on Instagram

  • Local Knowledge
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Tampa Culture
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Purchase a Copy
  • Digital Issues
  • Email Newsletters
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2018 Tampa Magazine. All rights reserved. Part of the Tampa Magazines Network.

No Result
View All Result
  • Tampa Culture
  • Food and Drink
  • Home & Garden
  • Travel
  • Moving Tampa
  • Sporting
  • Health
  • Local Knowledge
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Purchase a Copy
  • Shop
  • Digital Issues
  • Email Newsletters
  • Contact
  • MY ACCOUNT
    • Your Membership
    • Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Login / Logout

© 2018 Tampa Magazine. All rights reserved. Part of the Tampa Magazines Network.