My name is Julia Cummings Trehy and I am a designer and welder working to create whatever I can imagine can be made with steel.
Rust Collaborative clients see their living spaces differently
They want their spaces to be as they want, rather than what they will “deal with”
Their spaces are special and unique: inspired by lifestyle & interests rather than trends
They prefer collaborating with problem-solvers over handing a “to do” list to a contractor and hoping for the best.
They want their “crazy” ideas to be taken seriously
They know solutions are always better than band-aids
They want to design the use of their space, rather than let their furniture dicatate their choices
They see redesigning space as an opportunity to invite the work of an artist into their day-to-day life
Why Steel?
I see steel’s most important advantage is versatility. It can be sleek or weighty; it can be straight or be made to bend and curve. Designs can be stripped down to their structural imperatives and forced to rely on their lines and proportions for their beauty, or they can be layered and embellished with each addition contributing to the strength of the whole.
The process of making steel is not as generous as its product. It is a dirty business. There’s an ongoing effort to get cleaner. But at least once it’s made, steel is reusable - resisting the waste of most of the things we make and buy. In this way, steel exhibits versatility way beyond what one single maker can create.
I love that the materials I use will survive me and can be reused in some new and shockingly original fashion, rather than contributing to the mass of single-use materials creating an immeasurable burden on current and future generations.
Our taste is transient and steel is a material that can survive it.
CUSTOM
I love to create for specific purposes. This is what steel is best at! In large rooms, it can define and rationalize space without shrinking it. In small spaces it can be maximally efficient, using the least amount of room to do the most work. It can become what you need it to be.
KITCHENS
BATHROOMS
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR RAILINGS
RETAIL
Each piece is individually made using some combination of new and reclaimed steel. Some pieces are designed entirely around an element of reclaimed material and these may not be replicable or purchased in number. However, a piece of similar size and design can be made. Pieces made with new material are generally replicable and can be made to custom size and color. Prices from $100
Contact us.
Julia Cummings Trehy
(615) 416-1697