About Us

Mustang Home Goods' origin story begins in Okinawa, Japan. While I was stationed there, I moved to an off-base house with a huge deck with an ocean sunset view.  I wanted outdoor furniture that I could simply tie down for typhoons rather than needing to bring them inside. Just having a drill and a power sander at my disposal, I paid ¥7 per cut at a local hardware store to size 4x4s and 2x8s. I then assembled them into couches and benches, deliberately avoiding angled seats to prevent them from acting as wings in the strong winds.

After completing these pieces, I had several friends who said "if you were making these to sell, I would buy some."

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After leaving Active Duty, I went to my first VA mental health rating exam, expecting to get 10%. The DR told me I should be at 100% for my PTSD.  (I eventually got that as well as a medical retirement from the Navy Reserve).

I realized that a regular office job wasn't going to be my future, so I sought a creative venture that would allow me to work with my hands while also prioritizing my mental health.

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The overarching goal of this project is to create furniture that is comfortable, beautiful, and durable, all while minimizing ecological impact. This commitment encompasses the materials I use, harnessing solar energy to power my workshop, and ensuring that the pieces are of heirloom quality and style.

 

The project started off just to make the solid wood items. However, the  flat-packed plywood furniture project came about as I was developing designs for solid wood pieces. To ensure precision with angles and sizes before cutting into more expensive materials, I initially created prototypes from plywood. When a friend tested the prototype, her response was, “This fits great! You need to make these, too.”

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I draw inspiration from my background in fine visual and performing arts, as well as a profound appreciation for the craftsmanship I’ve encountered in Japan, Morocco, and historic locations in Northern New Mexico.