Today we’d like to introduce you to Alevtina.
Hi Alevtina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey began in a completely different field —veterinary medicine. I graduated with honors and spent over 15 years working as a veterinarian for small animals. But during the pandemic, something shifted. I returned to a childhood love: creating with my hands.
And at the heart of that spark was my mother. She was not a designer by trade, but by instinct. When times were hard, she transformed our home with whatever was on hand — and the results were nothing short of magical. I grew up surrounded by her ingenuity: a bright yellow painted floor that made even gloomy days feel sunlit, a nightstand crafted from the headboard of an old bed, a lampshade sewn from my childhood skirt, and glass panels of our kitchen’s French doors hand-painted with nail polish, adorned with tiny berries and fruit. She stitched our clothes, crocheted doilies, and wove rugs from sliced-up fabric scraps. Nothing was wasted — everything became something.
That environment shaped me more than I realized at the time. When I began restoring old furniture during lockdown, it felt like coming home. It wasn’t long before I moved from restoration to creation — building sculptural console tables with hand-carved legs, botanical motifs, aged patinas, gilded surfaces, and layers of texture that echo both nature and nostalgia.
Today, I bring that same spirit — of reinvention, artistry, and soulful storytelling — into every piece I make. Each table is a quiet celebration of the handmade, of history, of feminine resilience. Of the belief that beauty doesn’t ask for permission — it finds a way.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It certainly hasn’t been a smooth road. Transitioning from being a professional in one field to starting from zero in another is never easy. Leaving behind a 15-year career in veterinary medicine, I stepped into the creative world with no formal training — only passion, curiosity, and a strong desire to build something meaningful.
What made all the difference was the community I found along the way. I met extraordinary women — organizers of art shows and craft fairs, the founder of a woodworking academy, workshop hosts, material retailers, and creative entrepreneurs who opened their arms and shared their knowledge. This vibrant, passionate community welcomed me and gave me the encouragement I needed to grow.
Over time, I opened my own studio, workshop, creative supply store, and online shop. I recorded an online course and led hands-on classes. But eventually, I realized that I needed to focus on what truly lit me up: designing and building console tables as functional art. That clarity came through many twists and turns, but every challenge along the way taught me something essential.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I draw inspiration from nature as well as from early 20th-century decorative movements such as Art Nouveau and the work of William Morris. My tables are not minimalist objects; they are expressive forms imbued with story, symbolism, and presence. They often evoke a sense of nostalgia or reverence for nature, while remaining resolutely contemporary in execution.
What distinguishes my work is its deep materiality and intentional irregularity. I embrace imperfection, layering textures and finishes to create surfaces that feel aged, tactile, and emotionally resonant. No two tables are ever alike — they are built slowly, intuitively, often in response to a client’s space or to the memory of a place, a pattern, or a mood.
I have been honored as a finalist in international and national design competitions, and my work has been featured in curated exhibitions and craft programs. For me, the table is not just a functional item — it’s a site of transformation. A meeting point of art, utility, and soul.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite childhood memories is tied to quiet Sunday mornings with my father. He was a truck driver, now retired, and we didn’t get to spend much time together during the week. But on some Sundays, we’d wake up early and go to the “bird market” — as people in our small town called the open-air market where live animals were sold alongside a spontaneous flea market.
There were no pet stores back then, so we’d buy food for our parakeets and fish, and wander between crates of rabbits, ducklings, and farm animals. We were walking slowly past the old sellers’ tables filled with secondhand treasures — odd clocks, broken typewriters, vintage dishes. We always came home with something. If it were just the two of us, it might be a hamster or snails for my aquarium. But if my mom came along, which was rare, we’d always bring back some beautiful old thing for the house.
Pricing:
- One-of-a-kind console tables: $1,200–$3,100
- Custom commission work: starting at $1,500
- Furniture refinishing and decorative restoration: $600–$1,300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.birds-and-gardens.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birds_and_gardens
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alya.lyalka
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@birdsandgardensinc
- Other: https://birdsandgardens.etsy.com
Image Credits
Photo credits: Diana Bisnette, Alevtina Grishina.
