Behind newly arrived slabs of wood, Furniture Wiz, Lindsy Barton is working on the next bespoke furniture creations for his clients.

Smoothed wood pieces are awaiting finishing and assembly into kitchen shelving and coffee tables. There’s even an interior fit out for an old Ford car, complete with an inlaid redback spider.

Lindsy and his wife Heidi today officially opened the doors of Casino Street’s Furniture Wiz to the public.

It’s been a long few months since the flood turned their South Lismore shop into a vortex of woodworking machinery and wood. But the couple are now relieved to be open for business.

Lindsy said it’s all thanks to the help of the community and local businesses that helped out in getting the shop open again.

“I had a dozen people help me over three weeks to clear out the shed after the flood,” he said. “Summerland Tools have also supported us with getting our machinery needs met,” he said

Getting back open again was a mammoth task after the flood destroyed their home and business. 

Still waiting for their insurance company to assess the business claim, the couple and their son are still living in the upper floor of the business. Read more: https://lismoreapp.com.au/news-sport/news/getting-on-with-life-post-flood-one-day-at-a-time?id=62ad3e21edbc63050eaf9045.

“We’ve done all the work here ourselves with the help of friends,” Heidi said.

“It’s been perseverance to get it to the stage where it’s open - and we’ve kept it as a barebones structure – we are still mindful about another flood.”

Bespoke slab and pailing furniture       

Lindsy said as well as making his signature rustic furniture out of recycling pailings, he is now making more bespoke wooden furniture from slabs of wood.

“Customers can come in and have a chat with me about what they need and I’ll see what I make for them and give them a quote,” he said, “I have at least 600 slabs right now and if someone wants to make their own project, they can buy one and do it themselves.”

First project

Lindsy’s said his first wood project was using the palings after he took down his son’s wooden fort.

“I made planter boxes out of the recycled timber,” he said.

Before that he managed the furniture shop at Lifeline, where he “tinkered” with making furniture while working there.

It was after the 2017 flood that the couple grabbed the opportunity to start a business with second-hand furniture and opened Furniture Wiz.

Lindsy’s furniture has featured in other Lismore businesses such as Daley’s Homewares and The Garden Plate.

Helping others

After the February flood this year, Lindsay donated his time and helped out Garden Plate owner Vanessa, restoring the sodden cafe furniture he’d made for her.

"He spent time helping other businesses get back on their feet again," Heidi said. "Vanessa has supported our business since we opened - it was the least we could do to help her get back up and running again.

“All around us, the South Lismore community is opening up for business again. It’s an amazing community here - like a family and we check in with each other and make sure we are all alright.

“Now, we are finally open again. It's onwards and upwards. We are doing our best in making life positive out of a horrible experience.

“Our house has been written off by the insurance company, but we still waiting for the business insurance decision.

“It’s hard to run a business without the money to get it off the ground again after the flood - not being able to pay suppliers and reassuring them we are coming back bigger and better.

"But the hardest thing has been living off my one income for our family – it’s been six months waiting for a decision and it’s bloody hard."

Furniture Wiz at 35 Casino Street, South Lismore, is open Tuesday to Friday 10-4pm and Saturday 9-12pm.

You can just pop in or call Lindsy on 0421 715 476 if you have an idea for something you would like to see made.