Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sara Lovell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sara, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so one thing we think people don’t talk about nearly enough is investments – either time or money. What’s one of the best or worst investments you’ve made and what did you learned from the experience?

The best investment I’ve made as a business owner was…myself! My husband, Russell, and I used our savings to start our furniture refinishing business, Against the Grain Studio. We really just jumped in head-first with hope, a wish, and a prayer, haha!
But we also put so much hard work, dedication, and persistence into it.
We started the business about 5 years ago (I had been refinishing furniture for a little over 3 years prior to that as a side hustle), and from there we really just put in the work, and we believed that our business would become something…and it has!
Don’t get me wrong, business ownership is a daily challenge, but it’s also one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.
My biggest takeaway from starting a business would be this: GO FOR IT!! You don’t need a lot of money…you just need passion.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Sara Lovell, and I’m the owner and artist behind Against the Grain Studio. I run my business alongside my husband, Russell.

We provide furniture refinishing services, which include painting, traditional refinishing (staining), and restorations/preservations.

I also create abstract canvas paintings!

I am a proud Charleston native, and have lived here most of my life.

I began working with furniture back in 2014 as a single mother who needed a creative outlet, and then as a way to make some extra money to help support my son and I through some challenging times. Then I realized I had a passion for it, and I enjoyed the process of refinishing, repairing, and restoring furniture.
I really didn’t know it at the time, but that’s how Against the Grain was born, and since then it has become my full-time business.

Although I had the good fortune of being mentored by some master carpenters and woodworkers in the area, I am mostly self-taught through research and a whole lot of trial & error. Beyond that, I have always been involved in creative pursuits and enjoy working with my hands.

My aim is to provide my clients with excellent service and high-quality pieces that will last for generations. I work collaboratively with every client to ensure that they end up with furniture pieces that are one of a kind and designed specifically for them.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I think the biggest lesson I had to unlearn…well actually, LEARN, was how to get out of my own way. How to believe in myself, and believe that my art and skills were worth something; that my work was something that people would not only want to buy, but they’d also pay me for it on a commission basis. It was such a humbling and exciting experience when I started to have clients regularly reach out to me for commissions.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think the biggest factor in building a great reputation within our market would be the quality of work that we do, as well as our customer service. We’re always…ALWAYS…willing to go the extra mile for our clients to ensure that they’re happy with the project/s we do for them. We’ll take a profit loss if we have to, but we’ll always provide great service and quality finishes; that’s priority #1 above all else. We hold ourselves to extremely high standards, and our customers would attest to that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.furniturerefinishingcharleston.com/
• Instagram: @against.the.grain.studio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgainstTheGrainCHS

Image Credits
Images provided by Sara Lovell (Owner – Against the Grain Studio)