For the past two years, I’ve finally lived in an apartment where I control the aesthetic. Since I’m a designer, you can imagine my enthusiasm. Only catch: I’m on a tight budget.

I’ve had fun with make-it-work pieces, down-and-dirty refinishes and wisely making a few choice investments. While I’m still renting, I don’t want to make too much of an investment in something that may not work in my next place.

But lately, my eyes have been bigger than my wallet!

My latest obsession? Modern takes on woodworking. There are a number of craftsmen out there, working with their hands, and creating stunning pieces.

Three woodworkers I follow on nearly all social media platforms are Adam Brackney (a.k.a. Workerman), Ariele Alasko, and Amelie Mancini.

Adam Brackney is local to the Twin Cities, and has an incredible line of knives, spoons, hooks and lighting. My future home is going to have several of his BLOK lights, and MUCHroom Wall Hooks. Lately, he’s been exploring various spoon concepts that make me very excited to see what he produces in the future.

Ariele Alasko is a furniture builder in Brooklyn. She gathers her materials from classic buildings in the city that are being torn down and uses them to create her unique compositions. She keeps the integrity of each piece, using the coloration and patina as she found it. As a lover of classic architecture and salvage, I appreciate her work on more than an aesthetic level. I can only dream to own one of her pieces.

You’ll find Amelie Mancini in Brooklyn as well. While she does impeccable woodwork, she creates in a variety of mediums as well. Her woodwork tends to focus on hand-carved kitchen items — cutting boards, serving platters and serving utensils. Her style is very clean and elegant, with the perfect tough of quirk and whimsy. I would throw so many dinner parties for the sole purpose of showing off my Amelie Mancini serveware.