“DREW AND MELANIE MORGAN WORK TOGETHER FROM THEIR HOME IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA TO CREATE SLEEK, MODERN CONCRETE DECOR. THE MAKERAGE STRIVES TO ENHANCE COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION. TO BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER AROUND THE TABLE OR TO BRING MINDS MOMENTARILY TO A MORE SERENE PLACE. THEY HOPE TO INSPIRE SIMPLE, SOCIAL LIVING WITH BEAUTIFUL CONCRETE DESIGNED FOR FORM AND FUNCTION”

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(all photography above provided by The Makerage)

I’ve been a fan of Drew and Mel's The Makerage for awhile now. It’s been great working with them to promote their gorgeous collection of modern handmade decor. We have a few of them in the condo and they are even more gorgeous in person. It’s so easy to fall head over heels over the cool planters they provide. They’re affordable, incredibly sturdy and versatile. And I cannot even begin to tell you about the sleek modern Lazy Susan's they make. I have wanted one for a long time now for the center of our Sarringen table but of course it needed to be something attractive and a piece that complimented the already stunning table, not compete with it. It's been so fun adding some concrete into our space and I cannot wait to show you our new pieces but first let's meet Drew and Mel!

THE MAKERAGE INTERVIEW

-Introduce yourselves and the beautiful products that you make.

Hi, we are Mel and Drew Morgan, owners of The Makerage. We live in mid-town Tulsa. Our home is the place where we create our handmade concrete, raise two children, and figure out how to adapt to a growing business. Our current product line includes modern planters for succulents and cacti, as well as lazy susans that make a great addition to any room, especially if you’ve been trying to figure out how to add concrete to your home without redoing your countertops.

-How did you come up with the name The Makerage?

The Makerage name started out as a consortium of creative and technical friends who wanted a market for their collaborative projects. The consortium eventually disbanded, but the concrete work made sense and continued. We still carry with us the love of community and collaboration from those beginnings.

-How did you get started in this line of work?

We got turned on to concrete by our good friends, who started the lazy susan product line. After helping them occasionally for a few years, we bought the business from them and began growing it into what it is today. We always felt like we could do so much with concrete. It’s a fun material to work with. It likes to take on the shape, textures of anything you pour it into. It’s a material that lends us to be creative, to push limits, and always has us dreaming of what we can do next, do better.

-Where do you find inspiration for your work?

We see inspiration all around us, from the color of our toddler’s shoes, to a plant growing in a pothole on Route 66, to mathematical formulas on Wikipedia. We also regularly call on our friends’ creativity to help get us out of our own perspective for a moment.

-As a small business owner what is one piece of advice you would share with other small business owners?

Get caught up in a supportive community, and share your struggles and victories. It feels so good to have a community where we can discuss the nitty gritty of owning a business, but also join alongside our fellow business owners and cheer each other on. Also, don’t let your personal fears or hang-ups get in the way of what your business needs to do—you have to grow with your business.

-What does handmade and handcrafted mean to you?

We do make all of our concrete with our own hands, carefully concocting and pouring liquified stone into molds one by one. But handmade and handcrafted is not really about that to us; it’s more about recognizing and embracing that any product affects the lives of those who make it, the lives of those who sell it, and others, not just the person who buys it in the end. It’s about celebrating creation and trade as a two-way street.

-What is a quote that you personally live by, or that you have shared with others for inspiration?

You can make anything, but you can’t make everything.

-What are your favorite places In Tulsa to eat sip and play?

We love to hang out at Fuel 66 as a family for food trucks, drinks, and play space. We often swing by Retro Den to visit and see what new treasures they have. In the summer we frequent Josh’s Sno Cones. We’re always hungry for Mexican food, so we often find ourselves at Tacos Don Francisco or Cancun. At night, if we can get away from the kids, we sometimes head to Mainline or one of the many great taprooms in town.

-What's on your playlist right now in the studio?

Paul Simon-‘Call Me Al’, Linda Ronstadt-“Love is a Rose”, Gotye-“Somebody That I Used to Know”, and Janelle Monáe-“Tightrope”.

-What's next for the Makerage?

We’re always working on the next production improvement to make the quality of our products better and our process faster. This year we’re also planning some exciting new products, and we are working on collaborations with a couple of other small businesses. We are also looking to grow the wholesale side of our business. We hope you can find us locally in a city near you!

OMG----how exciting!!!

Going to link all their info at the bottom of the post for you!

They just released a new color too that is being carried at Retro Den and I am like WHOA...in love.

Check it out here.

So we just recently did a seasonal update to our living room with an entirely different color palette incorporating a lot of flesh tones. Check it out here. I wanted to add some simple greenery to the space too with some cacti. I knew that The Makerage was the perfect fit for us and supporting local was something we really wanted to do more of in 2018. The Makerage did have some small planters in a gorgeous blush which would match the new pillows perfectly but then I saw them in this vivid berry color that you can see below. They call it Bite and it's just perfection with the grays and blush!!

GASP!

And now time to introduce you to the gorgeous Lazy Susan. You have some sneak peaks already on my stories and various posts of mine.

The Makerage's hexagonal Lazy Susan is handmade out of specialty fiberglass-reinforced concrete, which provides strength and a smooth surface. The Lazy Susan spins easily and quietly on a bearing with a silky-smooth motion, and is outfitted with a felt bottom to protect any surface. Trust me--Lin had major concerns about that!

Each Lazy Susan is handmade so there will be variations in height, weight & surface finish.
Weighs between 7.5 -10.5 lbs
16" across the flats, 18" across the points, 1/2" -3/4" tall

This piece has a waxed finish with unique characteristics that will endure for many years with proper care:

-Wax every six months using a soft cloth and beeswax or liquid carnauba wax
-Avoid contact with acids, including vinegar & citrus juice
-Wipe up spills quickly, clean with mild soap
-Should not be used as a cutting surface or with sharp utensils

We adore this piece so much! The natural sheen of the concrete is such a great color and it has such an organic feel. And it just blends so beautifully with the marble in the table.

You can get this piece is various colors and it also comes in a circular shape!!!