by Allie Higgins

photograph by Missy McLamb

Raleigh craftsmen Matthew Cronheim and Justin Johnson are putting an unexpected twist on a summer classic: the porch swing. Stacked, slotted, and strung, their handmade Harris Swing makes for a cool glide on a hot day.

Built to order from local trees, the swing is one of a handful of products from Arrowhead, their new venture.

“We created Arrowhead with the hopes of showing Raleigh that craftsmanship in this city is not dead,” says Johnson, who has also worked as a chef and metalworker. Cronheim, who has dabbled in everything from Middle Eastern politics to bicycle mechanics to urban farming, finds much of the wood for Arrowhead’s swings, tables, and chairs on the farm where he lives in rural North Raleigh.

The swings feature nifty details like cup holders and slots for i-Pads or books, and can be seen in detail at www.arrowhead-nc.com.