This edition of Meet the Maker is an extra special one, because we're featuring one of our very own here at Saffron + Poe! Meet Rose Teplitz: Saffron + Poe Interior Design Project Manager by day, incredible woodworker and artist by night! Rose thoughtfully selects, cuts, finishes, and oils each serving board herself from her at-home Mill Valley workshop. Her work honors the natural variety and pattern of wood grain, and each piece is wholly unique.
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TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR CRAFT.
ROSE: I primarily work with wood although I also enjoy drawing. I wanted to create wood products that were both beautiful and functional which lead me to start making cutting + serving boards. The boards I create are all from solid pieces of hardwood and I take my time in examining each piece of lumber to find the wood with the most interesting grain pattern or colors. I’ve been experimenting more with carving and wood sculpture as well – that’s what I love so much about wood! There are endless possibilities of what you can make with it.
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HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?
ROSE: I always loved to draw and write, but didn’t truly become passionate about woodworking until a year or so ago. My father is a luthier who makes violins. Watching him enjoy the craft inspired me to start learning more about it. It also helped that I’m in the world of interior design and have been able to meet so many incredibly talented woodworkers and artisans. I was always fascinated with how they could take a block of wood and make something so beautiful – like a table or art piece.
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WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE?
ROSE: Working alongside other creatives and artisans always inspires me to create more. You feel the passion and love of their crafts and watch as they push creative boundaries. It gives you confidence to go and create yourself.
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WE'RE INTERIOR DESIGNERS, SO WE HAVE TO ASK: WHAT'S YOUR DESIGN STYLE AT HOME?
ROSE: I feel that my home design style is constantly evolving, being in the design world myself. I become inspired by all the incredible artisans, designers, and craftspeople I meet along the way so my home’s “look” is never stagnant. I currently have a love for wabi-sabi – I find so much beauty in aged materials – from vintage wood to patinaed brass. It keeps my home from feeling too cold or too structured – there’s a certain warmth and allure to items that are imperfect and worn by time.
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DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TREASURE OR PIECE OF ART?
ROSE: My most treasured possession - which is also a piece of art in its own right - is my workbench. My father built it by hand when he saw how much I was admiring his own workbench. I remember visiting him and seeing the bench come to life, from him showing me the wood he had carefully picked out to the form it began to take as he built it piece by piece. I sit as this bench every single day as I do my own woodwork– it’s an integral part of my life and it feels so special to not only have something my father made for me, but to be able to use it doing what both he
and I love to do.
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WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE OR VICE OF CHOICE?
ROSE: It’s so random, but I love anything miniature – like those little miniature erasers in different food shapes or those petite stools you sell in your shop. Something about seeing an object that’s life-size shrunk down several times is so endearing to me. The more realistic it is the better.
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WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO UNWIND?
ROSE: I love to curl up under some cozy blankets and watch true crime shows or read a good mystery book.
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TRAVEL IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF JOY AND INSPIRATION FOR US - WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE YOU'VE TRAVELED?
ROSE: There are so many places I want to travel to! I’m hoping to finally make it to France and the UK next summer – countries I’ve always wanted to visit. I would also love to visit Bali (visit all the amazing artisans there) and Japan (the beautiful architecture, history, and adorable shops) maybe the Maldives as well…the list goes on and on!
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TELL US SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOURSELF!
ROSE: My absolute biggest fear when I was younger - besides spiders - was splinters so I would usually shy away from wood or even playgrounds with that tan bark in them. Which I find ironic since now I’m working with wood all the time. There’s probably a lesson in there about conquering your fears, but I still find myself being extra careful when pulling out wood from my wood stock in my workshop – both to avoid splinters and also spiders!
