On a Warren County, Ohio country road you will find a 1720s Connecticut-style salt box house encircled by perfectly weathered board and batten buildings. Constructed one by one starting in 1971, this village like setting originated as the family home for David T Smith, wife Lora, and their three children – Kelly, Julie, and Jason. Over time, it grew to become The Workshops of David T Smith, and is where the heart of this small family business can be found hosting a talented team for over 40 years.
The roots of this rural property trace all the way back to David's great grandfather who originally purchased the acreage, at the time almost 100 acres, in 1929. David’s father, Ray, and his wife, Louise, raised crops and their family on the old farmhouse site from the mid 1930’s-early 1950’s. They eventually traded part of their land so they could have a more modern ranch house built towards the front of the property. In 1970, David began building his home on the very front piece of the remaining farm, in front of his parents’ home.
David’s father, Ray, had a great appreciation for all things nature and treasured his country property. He treated it with care, growing huge gardens organically year after year. The property is filled with trees that he planted and lakes that he dug himself. Both Ray and Louise, appreciated the arts and American crafts and she spent her free time painting, tending their garden, listening to books, and cooking homemade meals for her family. While David was young, his dad taught him to carve and introduced him to woodworking. They enjoyed going to auctions together where they would acquire antique furniture in disrepair.
They spent time repairing and refinishing these pieces and later David began to purchase items to repair and resell. After he and Lora married in 1967, they expanded the antiquing even more.
During the late 70s, David balanced a full-time job as a mechanic while also dedicating himself to restoring and reconstructing antiques for dealers, collectors, and museums. Inspired by this process and the time and research necessary to accurately restore the antiques, the spark was lit for what would ultimately become his life’s work.
After experimenting with aged painted finishes, he developed his first antique furniture reproduction line, which he offered to the public. By 1980, with local resources for aged lumber and antique parts exhausted, David left his full-time job to devote himself to reproducing American antique furniture in historic New England, Shaker, and Pennsylvania German styles. The full-time business was born -
"David T. Smith - Cabinetmakers and Grainers"
After the reproduction furniture line found a market, David and Lora sought to fulfill the need for hard-to-find quality accessories for their furniture. In 1984, Turtlecreek Potters was established and began crafting a very authentic line of redware plates and thrown forms that antique and pottery collectors embraced. Through many hours spent in museums and their archives researching early American redware, an original lead glaze was developed and an outdoor wood fired kiln was built.
Despite David’s original passion for historic designs and reproductions, he has also enjoyed opportunities designing other styles and commercial projects. In 1982, he completed his first large commercial job by building and finishing 200 large tables and 400 benches for that year’s newly opened Festhaus at Kings Island Amusement Park. Those same tables and benches are still in use today.
The first kitchen David ever made was in his home that was built in 1971. It has been updated since of course, but that was the first one of the hundreds of handmade kitchens designed, built, and installed all over the USA since the 1990’s.
After years of creating furniture, custom built-ins, and vanities, the business naturally progressed into kitchens as collectors were seeking the same quality and customization throughout their home. His experience in the antique world made for an easy transition designing and building new kitchens that offered the same authentic look and feel of his furniture.
What first began as building kitchens for collectors of David T. Smith antique reproduction furniture evolved into creating them for admirers of quality craftsmanship and owners of fine and beloved homes in any style - primitive, traditional, rustic, modern, contemporary, etc.
Committed to transforming the property to a site that showcased many American crafts, a blacksmith forge, and grain painting, broom making, and wood carving shops were eventually added. At this time, the operation was permanently named -
These shops each served a needed purpose in the our production and also served as demonstration areas during seasonal open houses. As projects from The Workshops were frequently featured in books, publications, and magazines, the open houses became a popular destination for antique, reproduction, and high-quality American made craft collectors. Guest artisans would exhibit all types of traditional crafts – some even demonstrating – in effort to make clear the importance of the preservation of American-made crafts.
Open houses were held each season for many years but the resounding favorite was the long-time summer “Festival of American Crafts”.
Many juried guest artists from around the country were invited to set up and offer their own high end, hand-crafted wares. As this show was highly popular and well attended from collectors all over the US, The Workshops was asked to host the 2007 Country Living Magazine “Country Living Fair.” If you were there, you will never forget it and the Workshops’ neighbors, town, and county still talk about this unbelievable event. Many craftspeople that were included in the show still say it was their best show ever. It was quite the event, in more ways than one.
The world has seen a lot of changes in the past 40 years. The economic crisis of 2008, the internet, social media, Covid, and many other factors have all contributed to many transformations in the world, and at The Workshops. We are still here, but we are different.
We are happy to still be creating pottery, furniture, and incredible custom kitchens.
It is truly our life’s work. And when we say our, we mean all of us.
Our dedicated and loyal staff is smaller and like family; most have been here for decades.
Each one cares about their work and takes pride in what they create for you.
We could not do it without them, or you.
We are still excited about and proud of what we do, and we hope you are too.
David is still doing what he loves - designing custom kitchens, furniture, and architectural work for projects. He and Lora also sell New/Old beds on their antique related website, Neat Pieces, as well as The Heart of Ohio Antique Center in Springfield, Ohio. Lora and David have been married for over fifty years and her creative input and decorating style have been essential to their businesses. Their love for craftsmanship has carried on through the family—son Jason, as well as his two sons, have continued the tradition in woodworking.
Daughter, Kelly, and her husband Andy, own and operate Smith Redware, a redware pottery business located in Springboro, Ohio. They both enjoy doting on their 10 grandkids as well as fostering & rehoming rescued cats & kittens. Her son, Cody, worked for the Workshops since childhood and recently completed his masters degree in Biblical Studies. He is now focused on his family while furthering his career and education.
Daughter, Julie, her husband Jason, and their daughter, reside adjacent to the shop on the land that became her grandparent’s final and much beloved home. After running the family business since 1998, she opened a farm market/specialty store in the old onsite mill shop. Hawks Run Market, named in tribute to her grandparents, carries farm market produce, plants, canned & baked goods, artisan foods, teas, spice & herbal mixes, as well as other fine foods & crafts. It is a charming store with a real old time feel that brings new possibilities to the property.
