This “modern and rustic mantel” style has become a personal favorite — and it’s easy to see why. A sanded hand-hewn White Oak face, shaped by folks swining axes somewhere back in the late 1800s, gets paired with clean-cut top and bottom sides for a look that feels both timeless and completely fresh. It’s the kind of piece that bridges two worlds beautifully.

White Oak is having a well-deserved moment right now, and old-growth White Oak takes it even further — tighter grain, richer color, and a depth that new lumber simply can’t replicate. The character here is the real thing: a series of natural cracks streak confidently across the face at a similar angle, an original peg hole that tells its own quiet story, and a few nail holes left over from a long working life. The peg hole can be filled or left open — your call.

This is authentic reclaimed wood at its best. History you can actually put your hands on.

• This modern and rustic mantel is shown as sanded, but no finish has been applied
• We can preserve the current color or darken it with various techniques
• Sizing (cutting and sanding the ends) as well as finishing are included in the price
• We can fill the peg hole or leave them open — your call
• Great depth at almost 9in.
• It is currently 5.0in x 8.75in deep x 63in long
• We can square up the ends if you’d like for no additional charge
• It ships via UPS Ground for $150

The source wood comes from our Amish friends in Wisconsin, and making the trip out there is half the pleasure. Rolling hills, grazing milk cows, and a pace of life that feels genuinely unhurried. We began working with the father, Abe, two decades back, and today his children have grown into the business alongside him. There’s always wonderful smiles in the yard and a warmth to their hospitality that stays with you long after you’ve headed home. The family takes down select barns themselves and also collects wood from neighboring non-Amish farmers who are doing the same. We’d love to see every one of these old barns standing — but the reality is that most farmers can’t justify maintaining structures that have outlived their use.

About the tag – This one is modern, but I liked it. (actually is 44 years old modern? Vintage maybe? Am I vintage at 50-something? Ugh!) It is a 1982 Rolf Lindberg Trolls Swedish Greeting Card. LOL, looks like I should have put it on eBay instead. There’s one for sale for $12. Oh well this one is laminated with a couple of staple holes. Lindberg lived from 1930 to 2005. He was a Swedish artist, illustrator, and botanist. He was well known for his watercolor paintings and his children’s books about trolls and Santa Claus. The trolls were very human-like, often depicted berry or mushroom picking, fishing or enjoying the outdoors.