From a 1700s Barn in Hampden, MA to Your Bedroom: The Story Behind SEBA
By Hopes Woodshop | Custom Furniture | Wilbraham, MA
There's a barn in Hampden, Massachusetts that's been standing since before the United States existed.
Its oak beams have absorbed more than three centuries of New England winters. They've held the weight of generations — hay, livestock, tools, and time. And now, those same beams are being given a second life as the SEBA collection: a line of custom wardrobes, tower dressers, and dressers handcrafted right here in our shop.
This is the story of where SEBA came from — and why it matters.
The Barn
The structure dated back to the 1700s. By the time it came to us, it had long since served its purpose as a working farm building, but the wood inside was extraordinary. Old-growth oak, slow-grown and dense, with the kind of character you simply can't find in lumber milled today.
We salvaged every beam, board, and plank we could. Then we brought it back to our shop in Three Rivers, milled it down, and let it breathe.
What came out the other side is what you see in SEBA.
Why Reclaimed Wood Is Different
When you look at the face of a SEBA wardrobe, you're not seeing flaws. You're seeing history.
The dark mineral streaks, the tight grain lines, the knots and character marks — these are the signatures of a tree that grew slowly over hundreds of years and a barn that stood through everything New England could throw at it. You can't replicate that in a mill. You can't manufacture 300 years of growth.
Modern lumber is fast-grown and soft. Old-growth reclaimed oak is the opposite: incredibly dense, stable, and strong. It's the kind of wood that, when built into a well-made piece of furniture, will still be around in another 300 years.
That's what we build with. That's what SEBA is made of.
The SEBA Collection
The SEBA line was designed around one idea: smart, beautiful storage that fits your life — not the other way around.
Every piece is fully customizable. You choose the configuration, the dimensions, the wood species, and the finish. We handle everything from concept to delivery and install.
SEBA Wardrobe 1 — $11,500 A full wardrobe with hanging space, shelving, and drawer storage. 5'8" wide × 6' tall. The perfect anchor piece for a primary bedroom.
SEBA Wardrobe 2 — $11,500 A two-door wardrobe with integrated drawers — maximum storage in a refined, minimal profile.
SEBA Tower Wardrobe — $8,600 A narrower, taller wardrobe configuration ideal for smaller bedrooms or as a companion piece.
SEBA Tower Dresser — $6,600 A tall, slim tower of drawers. Clean lines, deep storage, and that unmistakable reclaimed oak character.
SEBA Dresser — $6,600 A classic wide dresser format — 5' wide with six drawers. Available in walnut or reclaimed oak.
All pieces are available in reclaimed oak (from the Hampden barn) or walnut. All are built to order, fully customizable in size and configuration.
Built in New England, Built to Last
Hopes Woodshop has been making handcrafted furniture from locally harvested and reclaimed wood since 2011. We're a vertically integrated shop — meaning we mill our own lumber, dry it ourselves, and build every piece in-house. There's no middleman, no outsourced production, no shortcuts.
When you order a SEBA piece, you're working directly with the people who build it. We'll talk through your space, your storage needs, and your vision, and we'll build something that fits all three.
Our workshop is in Three Rivers, MA. Our showroom is at the Boston Design Center — one of New England's premier destinations for interior design and custom furnishings.
Own a Piece of Massachusetts History
The barn in Hampden is gone now. But the wood from it will live on in the homes of people who appreciate what it took to grow it, what it took to preserve it, and what it takes to build something truly worth keeping.
If you've been thinking about a custom wardrobe, dresser, or bedroom furniture that's unlike anything you'll find in a showroom or big-box store, this is it.
We'd love to hear about your project.
Reach out directly at marc@hopeswoodshop.com or call 401-323-9699 to start a conversation. You can also browse the full SEBA collection at hopeswoodshop.com.
Every piece we build has a story. Let's start building yours.
Hopes Woodshop Handcrafted furniture made from locally harvested wood in New England since 2011. Wilbraham MA hopeswoodshop.com | @HopesWoodshop | 401-323-9699