Ricky and Elisabeth’s travels took them to the beautiful country of Laos. Laos has a rich cultural history being surrounded by several other countries (China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Burma). This rich and unique culture drew the owners of The Rustic Gallery to look for new pieces to add to their eclectic collection while immersing themselves in a new culture. Read More
As one of San Antonio’s largest specialized furniture retailers, it is our mission to practice environmental sustainability throughout each stage of the design process. We believe this is essential to doing business responsibly. You will never find a straight-from-a-box, factory-made product at our gallery. All pieces are designed to last for generations, thus reducing waste. Our specialized knowledge in regards to the quality and material of each piece allows us to be as selective as possible when adding to our inventory.
We take pride in using all-natural materials, including leather, wood, iron, and copper, and use vintage, reclaimed wood derived from old haciendas. If a piece of furniture is crafted from new wood, we only offer pieces that use sustainable wood sources such as chamcha root or palmwood. Palm wood, a high-quality product similar to bamboo, is known to grow very rapidly and provides for a sustainable alternative to traditional lumber. Read More
Take home a slice of history with our new Chameleon Collection, a signature line of impressionable, vibrantly rich pieces, meticulously reworked by hand.
Like a chameleon’s superimposed crystal layers of skin, our line breathes new life into salvaged and distressed wood by modifying existing pigment and framework, to create a mixed and textured combination that cannot be replicated or replaced by any other designer. Read More
Elisabeth and Ricky’s recent excursion in Greece began as a hunt for olive tree furniture. The Rustic Gallery’s owners hoped to find some new signature pieces that are nearly impossible to come by this side of the Atlantic. Upon arriving in Greece, though, they came to an important realization: because Greek houses are so small, the furniture is not nearly the size we are used to seeing in Texas and wouldn’t be a good fit for their customers.
Olive tree furniture out-of-the way, Elisabeth and Ricky set their mind on Byzantine and Orthodox Church religious art that would catch just as much attention in a museum as they would on a living room wall in the United States. Their quest took them to the Cyclades Islands where they stumbled upon hand-carved and hand-painted Icons on tree stumps, antique wood bowls and wood panels in the pure traditional art style of Byzance.
Icons are images of religious figures or scenes. Deeply revered by the members of the Eastern Orthodox Church, they are regarded as dematerialized ideal forms and the very act of painting them is regarded as a form of worship. Icons depict Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the saints and scenes of the Old and new testaments and are believed by many to have healing powers and the ability to bring luck, wishes and even miracles. These beautiful and unique pieces are now on display at The Rustic Gallery.
Elisabeth and Ricky Vazquez were getting the itch to travel again and bring back a new collection to the store. Their travels took them to Lima, Peru where they scoured the city for providers of quality, handcrafted furniture with a colonial style. Unfortunately, the furniture that they found in Lima was not aligned with The Rustic Gallery’s standards and was either lacking in quality or originality.
The real treasures were found as they continued their journey outside of Lima further south to Arequipa.
It was in Arequipa where they fell in love with the amazing handwoven textiles. The textiles featured the cultural patterns and intricate wool weavings of the Peruvian crafters. The textiles are all completely natural made with alpaca wool and all-natural dyes. The dyes are produced using various plants, flowers and even insects!
The families raise and care for the alpacas and typically shear them once a year. Alpaca wool is much softer and luxurious than sheep’s wool. It is not only stronger but warmer than sheep’s wool and is naturally hypoallergenic.
The families who handcrafted the textiles that Elisabeth and Ricky met on their journey soon became their good friends.
Of course, the trip wouldn’t be complete without a venture to the breathtaking landscape of Machu Picchu!
Elisabeth and Ricky brought back a variety of amazing textiles (panchos, table runners, throws, etc.) which have all sold out since. They plan to go back to Peru to bring back more of these treasures!
Want to keep up with the latest Rustic Gallery inventory? We regularly post new items on our Facebook Page. Be sure to “Like us” while you’re there to see our updates!
Do you own a piece of Rustic Gallery furniture in your own home? We’d love to see it! Share a picture by tagging us at @therusticgallery.com
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