Lighthouse Woodworking — Local services in Berryville

Several months ago we moved to the Winchester VA area to build a new home in which to retire. Our exploration for local products (Eat Fresh, Eat Local) landed us in the Mt. Airy Market one day, where in addition to local produce and meats we found an assortment of handmade wood crafts: cutting boards, cheese boards, trivets etc. They were beautiful, and upon noting our admiration to the market’s proprietor he said “oh, those are made by a guy who lives almost next door to here.”

We planned to have new furniture in our retirement house, and our vision for the master bedroom entailed hardwood pieces from one of the numerous New England woodworking artisans. But we thought: what if this “guy who lives almost next door” could do it instead? We preferred to invest ourselves in our new community if possible. A quick look at his website included photos of beautiful handmade hardwood furniture, so we contacted Ron Light of Lighthouse Woodworking, sending an email describing our interest, and soon we had a response inviting us to his shop and asking for some examples of what we were looking for.

Our initial visit and conversation were enlightening – Ron showed us his workshop and upstairs show room, described how he sourced his wood, showed us details of grain and color variations in his art, and asked us questions along the way. He asked for more specific details on what we were looking for, and he promised to put together a proposal with sketches and pricing for us to review. We left feeling very excited about the prospect of having him create our new furniture. We returned to Ron’s shop to review his thorough and reasonable proposal. Ron’s interpretation of our described vision was spot on – there were a few details to sort out but he assured us we would be consulted, look at mock-ups and make approvals before any final work was committed. As the design and our relationship grew, we were inspired that this artisan wasn’t just making furniture, he was creating “our” furniture, and his goal was to deliver precisely what we were looking for.

Ron sent progress photos (which were thrilling to see) and kept us informed every step of the way. It was clear that our vision was being fulfilled.

At long last we moved into our new home, and the next day Ron arrived with our new bedroom furniture. Each piece was assembled, Ron tested every screw and drawer until everything worked to his satisfaction (he actually returned a few days later to replace a few screws he wasn’t 100% confident in). We were absolutely thrilled – and a month later we are still thrilled.

Everyone who walks into the master suite stops and says “wow.” The bed, side tables, dresser and bookcases are stunning. The cherry wood gleams and glows, the lines of the design are clean, harmonious and esthetically pleasing. We couldn’t be happier. The bonus is that we have made friends with Ron and his wife, and we are very much looking forward to our next...

I brought a table to Ron for refinishing. The table was designed by my mom over 65 years ago and had survived numerous moves and much use over the years. It was sorely in need of help. Ron carefully examined the table and its condition. He showed me all the stains available. I liked several of the choices and Ron graciously mixed up my choices and applied them to wood in his workshop so I could see how they looked. Ron was gracious with his time and advice. After I left, I fully expected to hear from Ron only when my table was ready to be picked up. Ron not only emailed updates on the progress of the project throughout the entire refinishing process, he sent pictures and explanations as well. He is a true professional with an incredible gift. Ron is an amazing woodworker, craftsman, and artisan. He restored my table and gave it new life. It is once again a beautiful heirloom to...

Lighthouse Woodworking provides top quality one-stop shopping for custom fine woodworking, with excellent customer service - all at a fair price.

Our large job included log hauling (our own trees), rough saw, kiln dry, finish saw and sand, assembly, finish and delivery. The final product included many quarter sawn white oak components for our kitchen/dining/living room renovation: (6) cabinets, (3) floor to ceiling shelving units, (5) open wall shelves, a custom work table, and lots of base, cove, door/window trim.

Ron Light is a highly skilled craftsman who takes great pride in his product. He communicates closely, keeps careful accounts, pays high attention to detail and works tirelessly to ensure a top quality job. We couldn't be happier with Ron's work, look forward to future collaboration, and give our highest recommendation (if only 6 stars...