We were both born at the same hospital 55 days apart but grew up on opposite ends of town in La Crosse and moved away in our early 20's, then each married other spouses and lived in different cities far from each other for many years of our lives.
Back in the 1990's, we each set out to pursue our goals and our careers separately, not knowing each other or even if we would meet anyone in our futures to spend our lives with and eventually move back to our same hometown of La Crosse to the place we were born, to get married and to live happily together.
Pamela left La Crosse for Menomonie in 1992, and she finally settled in Eau Claire, Wi. I left La Crosse for Miami, Fl, in 1990. Eventually, we both came back to be closer to our parents. We had some similar friends and attended similar events early on.
We both graduated from the same high school class, but in different schools in La Crosse. We were both in 'The Class of 1985.' But our paths never crossed until a special summer day on July 30, 2019.
Initially, Facebook happened to recommend that we become friends, which peaked each other's mutual interests. "We then decided the other was cute." She says that I said, 3 minutes into our first conversation, "Well... we are now officially dating and going out." I realize scrolling may be an odd way to meet, but I found her interesting right off the bat, so we went on to share a lot more things in common that are going on in our lives, like the love for our family, good friends, and our animals at home.
Now it is Sunday August 18, 2019 when we both decided our first date would be to coordinate at the Holmen Kornfest Auto Show, in Holmen, Wi. I had a '26 Chevy, one of the old cars in my family's collection of my dad's old automobiles entered in the show to be judged, just hoping to make it through to the awards ceremony. Pam hadn't shown up yet and I was getting nervous. But at the end of the car show, I was still standing in the crowd still waiting for her, just holding my newly awarded trophy in my hands... when all of a sudden, she tapped me on my shoulder, so I turned around to look. I remember thinking that I was pretty lucky for getting two trophies at the car show that day. One was for 'Best in Show'... (1926 Chevy) ...and the other, was seeing her for the first time.
She said, "You are a lot taller and muscular than I expected." And I remember thinking Pam was a very pretty woman who fit in with me immediately, right from the moment I saw her. I knew she was the woman I wanted to marry. Our friendship grew much stronger and we decided to marry each other on July 30, 2022. Our wedding took place exactly three years to the day since we first talked on the phone.
We joined our "families" including 1 dog, 3 cats and 2 fish and a lot of extra stuff. Pam has a separate job of working from home and is Ron's #1 cheerleader and business refiner of our table making business. (the title she came up with that sounded more exciting than office manager). When we are not working from home, we love to go on motorcycle rides to our favorite scenic destinations, go hiking or camping but most of all, after a hard day's work we enjoy time together and spending it at home caring for our "mini zoo".
The best type of coffee table is a genuine craftsman made hardwood table
Explore the fascinating history of the Driftless Area, where ancient landscapes and unique geological formations have shaped the growth of hardwood trees!
These magnificent trees, some over a century old, provide not only stunning materials for furniture, but also tell a story of resilience against environmental challenges.
Driftless areas can preserve ancient landscapes and geological history, providing valuable insights into the region's past. The unique evolutionary and genetic histories developed older, locally adaptive gene pools in some hardwood tree species and are tied to long-term persistence in parts of the Driftless. The forests eventually cleared the way for the beautiful, fine grade individually finished hardwood tables made by Hanson's Hardwood Designs LLC.
Did you know that all of our ash trees across the Driftless Area and beyond are rapidly disappearing and dying off due to the invasive emerald ash borer beetle? This situation makes the wood particularly rare and valuable when in good condition, especially since the trees used for these elegant tables are often 100 years or older and are in perfect form, adding to their historical significance and specific individual character that comes through in the wood table.
--------------------------------------------------
The uniqueness of the Driftless Area supports the region's diverse woodlands and provides the raw, beautiful, and unique wood that is at the cornerstone of our own local business of making traditional hardwood tables from Ash, Cherry, Hackberry, Walnut, American Elm, or White Oak. Although there are many other hardwood species that grow here, only a few of the most suitable species of trees are preferred in our table making business. Most species are abundant and also have unique ecological interactions and ties to the Driftless Area, which are different than other regions due to local topography, microclimates, and soil conditions that stem from the area's unglaciated history. Its landscape is characterized by steep hills, forested ridges, deeply carved valleys, and karst geology with spring-fed waterfalls and cold-water trout streams.
--------------------------------------------------
Did you know that wood from trees is the single rarest material in the universe? There could be entire planets out there made of gold and diamonds, but as far as we know, Earth is the only planet in the universe that would have wood. Wood as we know it, only exists on Earth.
--------------------------------------------------
The long process involved in sourcing and harvesting of high-quality tree specimens significantly impacts their cost for making a complete and flawless table. Premium woods such as ours can sometimes be classified as expensive furniture wood, due to their rarity and exceptional qualities. Live edge tabletops that are crafted from a single slab of wood will require more specialized equipment with delicate and advanced woodworking skills learned and rehearsed from many years working as a craftsman and as a finish expert as well as a house painter.
------------------------------------------------
The labor-intensive process of finding these rare slabs of hardwood and cutting, drying, then finally finishing it into an heirloom piece contributes to the overall cost of these expensive tables. The live edge slab finishing process itself involves many layers and careful application with many years of experience to achieve flawless results. When compared to other types of expensive wooden furniture, live edge tables stand out for the distinctive features they represent and are able put you in the right mood, if not.
Coffee tables, particularly live edge ones, are our specialty. Often, these large tables are expensive because they serve as a centerpiece in living rooms making them a primary focal point. Live edge or straight edge slabs offer both functionality and artistic appeal, making them worth the initial investment for the long run. When it comes to our incredible hardwood tables, they always greatly excel in quality, affordability, and uniqueness for your home.
If it's a central focal point you want, it's hard to do better than a big, perfectly finished slab. You have the continuous grain pattern from top to bottom which is the beautiful part. You witness the maximum potential of a single solitary slab of hardwood. We don't glue boards together to make a wider or larger table, so as a result, we can only create a limited number of the widest single slab tabletops you can get. Woodworkers like me, want to know the tree's history and can be informed of it through looking at its tree rings. These hardwood table are the absolute witness to nature's slow renewability process, meaning trees take decades to mature, so our supply of tables cannot be rapidly expanded.
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
Testimonials:
Steve and Pamela of Wisconsin said, "We bought 2 live edge tables from Hanson Hardwoods. The tables are inspiring artworks that we use every day for office and home. Ron and Pam were great to work with. They patiently helped us through each step- selecting the right tables, finding and mounting the legs we wanted. Everything was finished perfectly. We highly recommend Hanson Hardwoods!"
Steve and Pamela found our hardwood tables to be so delightful, they bought a 3rd table from us to use in their lovely home. One is a coffee table for their main living room; the 2nd is used as an inspiring crafting table downstairs for those special creative moments inventing important gadgets in his newly minted retirement years. The last table the couple bought from us, was one more of our smooth live edge tabletops for their main floor. But this time, it was used as a beautiful bar top for Steve's home bar.
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
Local Radio Station Crew
Classic Hits 94.7 radio station was at Hanson's Hardwood Designs LLC on Oct. 25, 2024.
WOW! Hey there, it's Ken Cooper, what an amazing discovery the other day. At Hanson's Hardwood Designs, every piece of hardwood and live edge furniture is a labor of love from Ron. He's a true artisan making handcrafted tables, bars and benches. I don't know how he does it but Ron's work is elegant and rustic at the same time. You can see that he uses all kinds of hardwoods so, really, whatever you can imagine, Ron can probably bring it to life. Search Hanson's Hardwood Designs with online and get ready to be blown away. Then give Ron a call and talk wood.
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
Tree history significantly impacts woodworking in several ways. The chemical composition of wood changes in nature as it ages and eventually produces the kind of aged hardwoods chosen to make the premium tables you receive when you buy from Hanson's Hardwood Designs LLC, of La Crosse, Wi.
Our tables will always represent stability, strength, durability, longevity, and nature's beauty meant for your home or business. We hope you will always be willing to choose Hanson's Hardwood tables in this new year of 2026.
The legend of mother nature reserved until now, for today's stylish hardwood tables
Each piece of furniture from Hanson's Hardwood Designs has a unique story behind it because it is sourced from hardwood trees with rich histories. Also, each tabletop is handcrafted with extreme care and attention to details, aiming to preserve the natural beauty and shape of the hardwood and its story behind it. The larger diameter logs used for our core hardwood slab tables are generally more valuable due to their potential to produce wider tables. Older trees tend to have a more consistent grain pattern, which can result in a more stable hardwood table, since we make tables from one single slab of hardwood. Older trees typically also have a higher proportion of heartwood, which is more resistant to decay, insect damage and warping.
The result is a type of table that can be described as a superior, well worked hardwood masterpiece with unique twisted curved gnarls and contours that are especially eye-catching; It almost feels like both nature and design had a collaboration. All of our centerpiece tables capture and announce the very scope of the buyer's particular unique personality, just at the moment one sees it.
--------------------------------------------------
One option is to buy assembled table units or unassembled tables from boxes in stores from big manufacturers using synthetic and engineered wood products. Just remember they use materials like glued particle board and plywood or pine topped in layers of artificial wood veneers and laminates that won't convince anyone of quality. It may turn out wobbly in the legs despite your best efforts to somehow manage to put it together. A cheap table looks good for a while but eventually it loses all of its value you paid for it and just appears tired and shabby looking as time goes by. Our tables aren't made of anything cheap, just hardwood, and will keep their investment value for you, lasting for generations to come.
Normally, one would think that buying cheaply made tables saves you money up front. It doesn't, really. You get what you pay for with furniture, especially. But this is what I call, "temporary" furniture and trying to get it fast and right now, is probably something you should avoid at any cost. Our tables take proper time to make. Our hardwood tables are carefully handcrafted so that no two pieces are ever alike. It's a table that has consistently yielded big results for our satisfied customers using them. These tables greatly excel in fit, finish, and shine. They are strong and most importantly they will last and still look good down the road.
We can guide you and help you along the way in choosing a hardwood table while considering the size, style, and height you need for your new table. You can choose from different types of wood types we have on hand, and you can also choose from our different types of lengths and widths out of dozens of highly finished tables you may prefer.
As conscientious business owners, we walk you through and help you with all the pain points in order to help you to be able to meet all your needs with a table. Choosing a table is all about nature's gentleness and you, and making a great table for your home, is all that we do.
-------------------------------------------------
The look of each and every one of our tables illustrate all of the wonderful personal artistry contained in them. See all of their natural edges, rich grains on curved geometric angles in your choice glossy or matte finishes. Each one has its own individual character. For a hardwood table buyer, it's a wood lover's dream but isn't just furniture-it delivers psychological, aesthetic, and social satisfaction that goes well beyond utility.
Buying a finely made hardwood table at Hanson's signals wealth quietly and is not flashy. It communicates taste, recognized discernment, and confidence with some understated boldness. This is the kind of status that I like, that is more satisfying than just the names of famous brands you have never heard of before and you don't have a clue, as to what kind of materials it is made with. Obviously, ours says, "I can afford quality, and I know what quality is." The satisfaction comes from knowing the piece is real, not veneered. Something this good and well-made is something you notice daily, not something that fades slowly into the background.
--------------------------------------------------
The table you purchase from us will enable you express yourself easily and stretch your imagination by exploring your hidden personal tastes in furniture that invokes feeling, not something in a page from a catalog. Its warmth, color, its smoothness and sensory richness of the hand brushed ultra power sanded, and multi-coated polyurethane layers, give it the depth it needs to catch your eye every time.
Your new, well-chosen hardwood table will often become a conversation starter that extends validation to your good judgement at the time of your purchase. It should easily earn the compliments it will receive!
--------------------------------------------------
A real wood, authentic Hanson's Hardwood Designs table will not need replacing every 5 to 10 years. It's timeless and doesn't actually respond to trends. It can't be cancelled, and it won't go out of style for your space at home. Knowing that you will avoid future hassles of replacing it is part of the luxury of owning one of our tables. From my personal experience, you might personally experience deep pride, quiet status, sensory pleasure, and the feeling of permanence by investing in a hardwood table made by Hanson's Hardwood Designs LLC.
--------------------------------------------------
At Hanson's Hardwood Designs, we don't always make big tables, but big is what speaks to us. Small tables are beautiful in their own way, but big is when a slab took over 100 years to grow, and there lies a different responsibility to follow there with both weight and gravity.
There is a seriousness of importance of natural design. George Nakashima said, "The work is not about me, it's about the tree."
For my own part as a business owner, I won't force any table designs in any profound ways. It is exactly what I want to make it to be. The unworked hardwood piece is there to make even more beautiful than it is already. Memorizing the hypnotic movement in the wood grain begins the process of incorporating and listening to the story that's already in the wood.
Nakashima also said, "Trees yearn to live again to serve man." I think about that line every time I start to build. Hanson's Hardwood Design wants to build a hardwood table worthy of the time that tree took to grow.
--------------------------------------------------
Investing in our special local brand of handmade luxury hardwood living room tables is an investment in longevity, sustainability, stability, and art. These pieces offer unparalleled aesthetics and functional value to your room like no other table pieces available. Most of the time, they sell themselves. We offer superior craftsmanship and materials that maintain their beauty and functionality over decades, appreciating in both sentimental and monetary value. We create these tables to alter how people see a table's form, function, imagination, and emotion in an entirely new age.
Thank you... (continued below)
At Hanson's Hardwood Designs LLC, we strive to provide our customers with furniture that is both stylish and functional. We believe that everyone deserves to have a beautiful home, and we want to help make that a reality.
We will search far and wide in order to hand select all of our hard-to-find center slabs to create our genuine original tables that will go well in your home, business or center.
We provide the living room or entryway tables of your dreams, with excellent handcrafted hardwood tables for your home or business.
Basic information and cost estimates for a new hardwood table with legs or bases
---------------------------------------------------------------
Legs or bases
Legs, bases, or the bottom parts for a hardwood table is what a stage is to a play. You've got to have it to have a complete table.
Our prices for the tabletops we create listed below
Basic information and cost estimates for a new hardwood table with legs or bases
---------------------------------------------------------------
Legs or bases
Legs, bases, or the bottom parts for a hardwood table is what a stage is to a play. You've got to have it to have a complete table.
Our prices for the tabletops we create listed below are separately priced from the actual bases. We can help you purchase your favorite choice of legs or bases from separate makers or manufactures that we can recommend for you. Our retail prices for our tabletops are separate from the prices of your legs or bases. No mark-up costs are added when you get the legs or bases. What you pay for them is the list price advertised. No costs for the installation of legs or bases when purchasing tables from Hanson's Hardwood Designs LLC.
Legs for the hardwood tabletops need to be ordered at least 2 weeks prior and pre-paid before installations can be performed. We will install the legs for free and will be ordering them from your choice of all reputable table leg dealers and adding the cost of the legs to the full price of the tabletop. We do not rent our tables out for any type of occasions. No table buy backs. Free leg installations are subject only to a complete hardwood table purchase with legs or a base.
The price of table bases or legs costs run about $200 to around $450 and up for the heavier duty ones, depending on the specific style and\or quality. Bases or stands are not included in the price of tabletops alone. We will only install legs of your choosing that can safely and fully support the weight of our handcrafted tabletops, under normal use.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Hardwood Tables
Our Best Hardwood Tables; 2" thick 55"- 63" x 30" (average width and height) some with decorative epoxy inlays. Live edge ash tabletops are starting at $1195 - $2195 +tax. (10 in stock) Supreme Hardwood Tables; $2145-$2395 +tax. (Limited, only 3 in stock) Each piece priced separately based on figurations, weight and beauty. Average cost for our largest hardwood tables is $1595 +tax. Bases ordered separately.
Large Round lamp, coffee tables or end tables; 3-4" thick 30" (average diameter) solid ash hardwood round ash tables $845 +tax. (Limited, only 3 in stock) $945 +tax. (one available of only one) Bases ordered separately.
Smaller Living Room Tables; Type B 2' thick, from 2' to over 4' in length and about 16" wide+. Starting at $205 - $1195 +tax. (27 in stock) (1 at $1195) Each piece priced separately based on wood type, figurations and beauty. Average cost is $595 +tax per tabletop. Bases ordered separately.
3' to 4' long Real American Chestnut wood benches for one two people to sit
$295+ tax (limited only 3 in stock) (1 pine and 1 ash bench) $245 +tax.
Beautiful real American Chestnut wall clocks with American quality made quartz movements with aluminum hands and thick stainless-steel numbers on clock face. Very accurate clocks within seconds per year. $205 +tax. (12 in stock)
Handcrafted finished pinewood front porch Welcome signs, all with interchangeable block letters. 7 extra letters included of your choosing to form other words of your choosing $135 +tax. (6 in stock with letters plus 7 extra)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Normally, we wouldn't favor your new tables to be brought to a shipping outlet and sent by a shipping company because of inherent extra costs that are involved and possible damage that could occur without any personal oversight. We prefer all of our customers to arrange a product pick up at our business. Please let us help you load your
Normally, we wouldn't favor your new tables to be brought to a shipping outlet and sent by a shipping company because of inherent extra costs that are involved and possible damage that could occur without any personal oversight. We prefer all of our customers to arrange a product pick up at our business. Please let us help you load your new table directly to your vehicle here. We recommend tables being picked up at our place of business located at 718 13th St. S. La Crosse, Wi.
If you do not have access to a pickup for transporting your new table, we have option for a nominal fee, within certain areas and a choice or limited amount of distance. We may be able to bring the table right to your place. Hanson's business recommends picking out your favorite hardwood table from our gallery of tables website and then coming to see the products of your preference at our place of business. Please set up an appointment time prior to viewing hardwood tables or other products during business hours.
If you compare the price to the number of years a Hanson's hardwood table piece is likely to remain in use, the value behind our hardwood furniture wins every time. Buying cheaply made furniture may save you money upfront, but I'm pretty sure it will cost you more in the long run.
Our real hardwood tables are a great value for your home, absolutely worthy of your investment for a table that can be easily maintained by simply periodically wiping it down with a damp micro-fiber cotton cloth. Truly nothing beats the versatility of wooden furniture and one from Hanson's can be very rewarding.
Thank you for your time in viewing our website of fabulous hardwood tables and hearing the story behind them. We would gladly be able to answer any and all questions you may have about our hardwood tables, along with any of our other products we make. We would love for you to choose Hanson's Hardwood Designs LLC.
Just drop us a line, anytime-
Best regards, Pam and Ron Hanson.
La Crosse, Wi. (608) 304-5475.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, Welcome to Hanson's Hardwood Designs. What type of table do you need? Coffee, sofa, bench or entry? We have them all. Text, call or message us.
%20(1).png/:/rs=w:370,cg:true,m)
