Imagine a business where a natural resource that has outlived one lifetime of usefulness is transformed into another, creating a beautiful environment for generations to come.
Such is the mission of Reclaimed DesignWorks (RDW)—a family-owned business that has quickly become the nation’s leading provider of custom reclaimed building products, most notably antiqued reclaimed woodwork. With showrooms in Denver and Dallas, the nationwide company works extensively with decorators, architects, builders and consumers.
Amall Alzuraqi, the company’s senior design specialist, says as people become more aware of the myriad of reclaimed wood varieties, they become more interested. “This is a go green movement,” she says. “Ideally, we are taking something that is old and making something new, and we do it with the utmost care and love. We are very concerned about our environment.”
RDW has been in business for more than a decade. Many other companies are doing their best to enter the world of “reclaimed” because of its increasing demand and popularity, but clearly RDW has a jump on them. “We’re known for providing customers with the best reclaimed and wide plank flooring products, expert advice and quality service,” says Alzuraqi.
The company reclaims wood from some of the very first establishments in the United States. “Our products are antique and significantly old. They are not just recycled from our neighbors down the street. There is real history being restored here,” says Alzuraqi.
RDW has widely acknowledged traits that set it apart from the competition. Unlike other wide plank flooring and reclaimed wood suppliers, RDW is not limited by narrow product lines, localized lumber species selections or limited geographic reach. The company can provide what a customer wants, shipped to wherever it is needed. “When you walk into one of our showrooms or speak with one of our design specialists, you’ll see and hear the difference,” Alzuraqi promises.
Boasting an immense product line, RDW offers one of the largest selections of reclaimed wide plank flooring, traditionally milled Woodland Cut (live-sawn from fully matured, slow-growth trees) and other reclaimed building materials.
“And when it comes to walls, we don’t stop with just your standard rough stock brown and gray barn wood,” notes Alzuraqi. “We offer barn siding in a wide variety of original patinas, prefinished colors and unique sizes and formats.”
The key to RDW’s success is its unique approach to each customer. “All of us at RDW are here to help you incorporate authentic reclaimed wood and authentic wide plank hardwood flooring into your home or business exactly as you have envisioned it,” says Alzuraqi.
Repeat business, social media and recommendations from designers, architects and consumers keep RDW in sustained growth mode. “A lot of our clients are recurring, and they send us people all the time,” says Alzuraqi.
For Alzuraqi it’s the creative process with the architects, designers and builders that keeps her engaged. “I personally love working with the interior designers,” she says. “They come to me with their creativity, and I get to bring it to life for them. In many cases, the entire design aesthetic comes from them.”
But as she is quick to point out, it all begins with a superior product. “We harvest our wood from traditional timbers, which have quality and durability. You can only get that from real wood,” says Alzuraqi. “We use only natural finishes. Would you rather stand on a factory product, or would you prefer to have a natural product?”
The antiqued woodwork that has been reclaimed from various agricultural and industrial buildings primarily comes from the East Coast, where it is milled down to antique flooring.
“We care that our customers end up with the product of their dreams and that the experience is hassle free,” says Alzuraqi.
For RDW’s team, that experience is also a source of pride. “We are the American Dream,” she says. “We were founded in America. Our product is reclaimed and processed in America, and it is sold primarily in America.” *
Ellen Uribe is an award-winning journalist and a communications expert. She is a sought-after speaker, participating as a moderator and panelist at numerous industry events, conferences and broadcast outlets. She has contributed to Vanity Fair, Palm Beach Life, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Women’s Wear Daily and Time Magazine.
