When he was 8, Jarod Huston received his first power tool, a Dremel wood carving device.

He wasted little time testing it out on what was available.

“I carved into our furniture like crazy,” Huston said with a slight chuckle. “It was (about) turning something generic into something one-of-a-kind.”

Huston went on to indulge his passion for creating and building with a woodworking and contracting career. It also led to Indivisible Hardwoods, the Scottsdale business composed of experienced, skilled craftsmen who do custom pieces for homes and businesses that Huston started in 2021.

A fourth-generation master carpenter, Huston’s business has become a popular go-to source for architects, interior designers and individuals seeking custom pieces for any room or space.

In addition to a bevy of tools needed for every job and project, and a team of experts to execute it, Indivisible Hardwoods offers more than 80 species of wood, with every piece chosen personally by Huston.

“You cannot go into that store and not be inspired,” Huston said. “They come in for one thing and completely shift and say, ‘On second thought…’”

Huston talked about a homeowner who wanted a custom dining table for his family. He was able to give the customer a 3D image of how it would look and have him select the exact wood and pieces to make it.

“He can hold them, he can choose which ones he wants,” Huston said. “It adds a level of personality to it, an intimacy with what we’re building.”

This business model has been successful. In the first quarter of 2023, Indivisible Hardwoods served 40 customers, Huston said. In the first quarter of this year, it had more than 400.

How the designs come together

Tracking down exotic species of wood gives Huston just as much pleasure as creating. A longtime collector, Huston has discovered countless of exceptionally beautiful pieces that he could not pass up.

“I love the fact that there are no two pieces alike. With every piece, I saw that it could be turned into something amazing,” Huston said.

On road trips with his fiancee across the country as far as Kentucky and Florida, Huston sought out arborists, importers and homegrown hardwood retailers. His scouring yielded truckloads of rare species that cannot be found in the southwest.

When clients walk into the shop, every single piece they see was picked by hand by Huston over the last five years.

'The wood is beautiful and it draws your eye to it'

Being able to look at and choose the wood for her custom entry table was an amenity Tammy Gatten appreciated when she visited Indivisible Hardwoods.

“I picked what would look good in my home,” said Gatten, who lives in Scottsdale. “I had options, which was amazing.”

Gatten had an idea of what she wanted the table to look like and collaborated with Huston’s team, which sent her several drawings that reflected her preferences.

This resulted in the 3-foot tall, 4-foot wide piece that’s composed of two pieces of acacia wood cased in deep bronze powder-coated steel. The wood maintains its natural color with a simple gloss coating to preserve it. It’s like a work of art used to hold keys and other essentials at the door.

“It’s like a framed portrait… The wood is beautiful and it draws your eye to it,” Gatten said. “It’s just beautiful.”

Gatten also appreciated that she was kept updated during the process with text messages and every time she shared an idea for the piece, she received a new drawing within a few days. She’s considering Indivisible Hardwoods for a dining room table.

“They’re there to please and customize, and they can make your vision come true,” Gatten said. “If you’re not finding what you want out there, go see them. They’ll make it happen.”

Born and raised in Phoenix, Huston had been working with wood pretty much his entire life. He got excited recalling his grandfather’s woodshop that was set up like a hardware store.

“Pegs on the wall, brand new (versions) of every kind of tool… it was a woodworking paradise,” Huston said.

Building the business one carpenter at a time

Huston graduated from college with a civil engineering degree that he never used. Instead, he headed out into the field where he could do what he loved - build.

After working for other contracting companies, Huston co-founded United Contracting Group in 2019. The company experienced success within a year and, inspired by his grandfather, Huston decided to build his own woodshop paradise.

But along with United’s success came growth that required more and more of Huston’s time. So much so that he didn't have time to use his woodshop utopia stocked with the rarest of rare woods, amazing tools and top-of-the-line equipment.

It was sitting mostly unused. Huston’s decision to change that was the catalyst for Indivisible Hardwoods.

“Why not bring other carpenters into my dream workshop so they can build and create?” Huston said. “One (carpenter) at a time, it turned into something bigger.”

In 2022, Huston purchased the building where the company sits today.

Indivisible Hardwoods is part of a U.S. custom architectural woodwork and millwork manufacturing market worth $8.9 billion, according to market research report firm Kentley Insights.

Being able to provide fellow carpenters with the space, materials and tools to do their work is what Huston finds professionally rewarding about what has become of his personal idyllic workshop. He takes pride in knowing that his business offers a different environment than the average shop, with everyone having full license to be as creative as they wish.

“Here, everyone embraces their imagination, passion and love for woodworking and they put that into the work they make,” Huston said. “There's something so fulfilling about building in every human being.”

What: Indivisible Hardwoods

Where: 16097 N. 82nd St., Scottsdale

Employees: Seven

Interesting stat: The U.S. custom architectural woodwork and millwork manufacturing market is worth $8.9 billion, according to market research report firm Kentley Insights.

Details: 480-999-9663, indivisiblehardwoods.com

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Indivisible Hardwoods in Phoenix builds custom pieces of 'art'