LOGAN TWP. — The DIY home décor trend is getting a major boost in Swedesboro with the opening of the area’s first Board & Brush Creative Studio. The business, locally owned by wife-and-husband team of Elizabeth and Bill Nelson, is located at 503 Beckett Road.
Along with public workshops, the owners are also accepting reservations for parties, private workshops, corporate events, and group gatherings. Board & Brush Creative Studio was named the #1 DIY studio workshop franchise in the country for 2022 in the annual rankings from Entrepreneur magazine.
All Board & Brush workshops are instructor-led, with attendees guided through the ins and outs of power tools, paint, stencil art, and assembly, with all materials supplied by the studio. Each “Pick Your Project” workshop lasts about three hours and costs $73-$78 depending on needed supplies, with pre-registration required.
Along with the Pick Your Project workshops, the Swedesboro workshop calendar also includes occasional specialty projects such as doormats, mini-sign workshops, and family-friendly workshops. The studio can seat upwards of 24.
Board & Brush issues new designs on the first of every month, with the latest releases themed to the cozy winter season and sports. There are more than 800 designs in all for workshop attendees to choose from, and the Nelsons predict the designs with beach, fishing, and boat themes will be especially popular given the proximity to the shore.
Board & Brush designs are known for complementing both rustic and modern home styles, thanks to the use of natural materials and the wide variety of wood stain and color paint options from which to choose.
You could say the Nelsons, who both grew up in Gloucester County, are the perfect pair to own a Board & Brush studio based on their vocations as well as their avocations. Elizabeth is an elementary school teacher, 25 years and counting, while Bill worked in the real estate industry for 25 years, so instructing workshops and providing recommendations on home décor are second nature to them.
Add to that the fact that Bill is an avid woodworker while Elizabeth enjoys crafts, and the creative component of the ownership equation is complete. In fact, it was Bill’s woodworking that got the ball rolling to Board & Brush ownership.
“I started my own small woodworking business to create gifts to present at real estate closings, and that made me think about a business concept where people could come to my workshop and use my tools for a DIY project,” Bill shared. “After some research, we discovered there was an even better concept already out there, Board & Brush.” Elizabeth added, “There’s nothing like this in our community and it’s a chance for people to come together for a fun, hands-on, creative experience and learn something new.”
The Swedesboro Board & Brush is conveniently located in a shopping plaza just off Route 295 at exit 10, with lots of restaurants nearby so workshop attendees can make an afternoon or evening of it. The walls of the studio are lined with signs to get the creative juices flowing, plus Bill is adding to the studio décor by displaying some of his own antique woodworking tools.
Finally, the Nelsons shared that an important part of their mission as local business owners is to give back to the community they call home, and they invite local charities interested in hosting a fundraising workshop to contact the studio directly.
For more on the new studio or to register for a workshop, log on to www.boardandbrush.com/swedesboro. The studio telephone number is 856-214-3968. Follow Swedesboro Board & Brush on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/boardandbrushswedesboronj.
