In 2019, St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church (West Chester, PA) sought to complete renovations to their house of worship which began in 2017. Key to the success of the renovation was conserving the qualities that made St. Maximilian Kolbe Church unique. The project, including numerous pieces of fine woodwork, required specialist knowledge of traditional woodworking techniques held today only by a select number of master woodworkers. Due to the large scale of many pieces, St. Jude Liturgical Studio (SJLS)—the general contractor assisting St. Maximilian Kolbe Church with the design, fabrication, and installation of their renovation project—decided to seek the assistance of New Leaf Woodworks.
At New Leaf, the mission is to create beautiful, functional, and durable pieces of fine wood furniture custom-designed for each client and built using time-honored techniques. As a small, tight-knit team, Matt Blackburn, Wes Potter, and Simon James–supported by New Leaf Woodworks owner Chip Potter–have a vision to inspire each client with excellent craftsmanship that positively impacts lives for years to come.
Having seen firsthand the dedication of the New Leaf team, the renovations staff at SJLS and St. Maximilian Kolbe Church entrusted New Leaf to realize the concepts they envisioned.
