Daniel Strack designs

What it is
Guitars and furniture made from recycled wood by Daniel Strack in his Jefferson Park home.

Who he is
Strack plays the guitar and one day decided to make one himself. (He’s been in many local bands, most notably the Fruit Bats, which are on the Sub Pop label; he currently plays part time with Seattle-based band the Factums.) “I grew up around handy people and had the tools, so I thought I’d give it a shot,” he says. He got even more hands-on experience working at Lakeland Musical Instruments, a North Side company that makes high-end bass guitars. Strack and his wife, Lori, eventually moved to Seattle, where he worked at Henrybuilt, making kitchen cabinets and other pieces of wooden furniture. The couple moved back to Chicago in the summer of 2007.

What he makes
As a hobby, Strack made his first guitar when he was 16 in 1990, and a few years later he reconditioned a friend’s guitar by adding another neck and some new strings.The project was so successful that he began receiving orders for custom guitars, thanks to word-of-mouth recommendations (guitars start at $1,200). He made his first table after his wife showed him a picture of one she wanted in a magazine. The table, made from multicolored strips of reclaimed wood, now sits in their kitchen. In addition to classic, midcentury-esque tables (starting at around $1,500), Strack also makes shelves, hanging coatracks and entertainment centers. “It’s nice working on guitars and tables at the same time,” Strack says. “The guitars are a lot more detail-oriented and tedious, whereas making a table is more straightforward. It’s a nice balance.” He makes the pieces in the working space in his basement and tests his instruments out in the recording studio in his attic.

Why we like it
Strack’s clean furniture designs are versatile enough to fit in any home. And since he uses mostly scrap and reclaimed wood—much of the wood was acquired in Seattle and accompanied the couple on their return to Chicago—the designs are ecofriendly. He’s also mindful about using less-toxic finishes with low VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

Where to find it
Strack plans to place his designs in local stores on consignment, but for you now you can create custom orders at danielstrack.com.

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