Kenton Jeske

Kenton Jeske began his furniture-making career in 2008, after graduating from the millwork and carpentry program at NAIT. Recognizing that no official red seal program existed to provide the specifics of furniture design, he launched his own business from a half-car garage at his parents’ home. He traded his handmade furniture with friends and family in exchange for help setting up the self-made workshop. Over time, Jeske established his signature style: a mix of Scandinavian and mid-century modern design with a nod to pioneering furniture designers like Wharton Esherick, Sam Maloof, and George Nakashima. Their use of exposed joinery, minimal decoration, and layered techniques to create interest without distraction continues to inspire his work.

Clients with specific goals — and a deep love of furniture design — are Jeske’s favourite people to work with. His pieces now reside across private collectors’ homes, as well as a few well-noted commercial and retail spaces. An unexpected call from Paris in late 2018 launched a commission request for four pieces to reside in the Louis Vuitton store in West Edmonton Mall. Over a quick 6-month timeframe, Jeske modified an existing version of a dining table he had designed and built a walnut Bell Chamber table, a small pedestal table, and an 8-foot-long walnut sideboard with a glass top to display beaded artwork created by Indigenous artists. 

Jeske continues to accept commissions to design furniture in his home workshop. Knowing the industry lacks specific, in-depth training in furniture design, he invites interested recent graduates of carpentry and millwork programs to his space for an inside look at building a career in furniture design—including the complexities of wood movement and how material costs affect a successful furniture business. It’s the kind of guidance Jeske wishes he’d had when he was starting out of his parents’ half-car garage, and now, it’s his way of helping the next generation build something of their own.

https://www.kentonjeskewoodworker.ca