Our Story
Experience and Passion
Hey, Simple Farmhouse Furniture lovers! My name is Shannon Klaas and I’m the exclusive designer and builder of Simple Farmhouse Furniture! I was born and raised a Midwest country girl in the fields of my grandparents’ farm, as well as a carpenter’s granddaughter. My love for beautiful craftsmanship and simple design aesthetics have led me to create one of a kind custom furniture with simple lines, practicality, and rustic appeal.
The love I have for “creating” began at a young age when I’d watch my grandfather build furniture and children’s toys, before eventually working alongside him to create some of my very first wood-working pieces. I clearly remember every Christmas holiday he would build each of his grandchildren (all TWELVE of us!) something out of wood and we’d reveal what it was one-by-one. Over the course of time my mindset switched from “I wish I had that” to, “Oh, I could MAKE THAT!”
With a strong work ethic, love for creativity, learning, and a desire to create, my early path led me to pursue a career in teaching. I spent several years teaching elementary students summer school, substitute teaching, and taking on a permanent year-long fifth -grade position at an elementary school. Aside from this, my college track and field days were put to use by coaching both girls’ and boys’ Varsity Track for several years.
*Insert family life here* and you can imagine that a small house with 2 boys under the age of 3, a dog, and a husband who worked nights and weekends as a tennis Pro, did not allow for much flexibility! Eventually my husband landed a job in Madison as a Country Club tennis director, allowing me to be a full-time stay at home mom.
My personal wood-working endeavors slowly began by renovating our (slightly less than desirable) new home. After the birth of my daughter, I decided to remodel our house room by room. I would take on larger and larger projects including installing wainscoting, rebuilding a fireplace mantel, and refinishing cabinets. Before I knew it, I was starting to build my own built-in benches, stools, and tables to go in them!
Over the course of time, I eventually ran out of space to put all my finished projects and needed to find a home for them! My small-scale business began as a modest Facebook page @SimpleFarmhouseFurniture where I (still) share many of my current, past, and future projects for all to see. I LOVE taking inspirational pics (often off Pinterest) and replicating them in my aesthetic.
Today life still includes running 3 kiddos around to activities, 3 dogs whom I love DEARLY, and escaping to tackle new wood-working projects whenever I can! I’m excited to see what the future holds for Simple Farmhouse Furniture!