Heartstrings Design House is a family-owned and operated business. We create hand-made wood crafted products using various techniques we've learned throughout the years!

A few years ago my dad, Bill Lyons, decided to build his own Lichtenberg tool. Now "Lichtenberg" might sound like a made-up word, but its German root translates to "light" + "berg"/"mountain hill". Lichtenberg designs have also been known to be called "trapped lightning". This is due to the fact that the Lichtenberg tool uses high-voltage electrical currents to create burn marks in wood that results in beautiful tree-like markings. You can imagine when my dad first told us about his plan to create this tool, we were slightly skeptical. It ended up being fairly simple to make and easy to use!

During COVID, my dad started experimenting with different patterns and designs that the Lichtenberg could create. Eventually, his excitement for the pieces he was creating transferred to my mom, my brothers, and myself, and from then it has become a joint project. We began honing our skills in the creation of charcuterie boards, cutting boards, and wine holders. Once our products are burned with the Lichtenberg, we pour various colors of resin in the grooves which, when dried and sanded, create beautiful and colorful designs in the wood. The whole family began getting involved in the process and it has been a great bonding experience ever since! 

We expanded upon the scope of our products by incorporating a heavier use of resin. We did so by testing our ability to preserve botanicals in our products. After our first botanical charcuterie board, we were hooked and knew the possibilities were endless. We made our very first botanical charcuterie board by creating a resin river between two individual cuts of walnut and individually placing various flowers and leaves throughout. The "finishing" process is fairly similar to the Lichtenberg in which we go through many rounds of drying, sanding, and oiling. Once that is all done, you are left with a stunning charcuterie board that could honestly double as a piece of art! 

We tested our products by entering into a few local markets and selling our favorites at a local farm market as well. What began as a fun pastime activity grew into a potential small business where each of us could express our passion for wood crafting and various artistic aspects that came with the practice! Our products grew more popular and we had more people requesting custom-made boards, gifts, and so much more. 

Although we initially started with charcuterie boards, cutting boards, and wine holders, we have realized our only limitation in the products we can create rests within our imagination! We are happy to announce that this year we will be launching our first few collections. Each collection aims to bring something new to the table while maintaining our mission to produce high-quality and unique products. Our hope with these collections is that there will be something for everyone!

Our family has developed an appreciation for the business and the joy the whole crafting process brings us. I am thankful that we have experienced great success in the various markets we have participated in and hope that we can continue developing our family business as we cherish the ways in which it brings us together. 

My hope for Heartstrings is to have it serve as a unifying source that allows my family members to express their artistic talent in various ways. Everyone has found aspects of the design and creation process that interests them the most, and it is a very rewarding thing to see it all come together in one piece at the end. I love that my dads passion has turned into a contagious source of joy for our family, and I hope that love and joy is seen in each piece we make. Heartstrings Design House brings family together and offers something for everyone! I hope you've enjoyed learning about us as much as I enjoyed writing our story and I look forward to hearing how our products find their way into your homes!