By JENNIFER SCHOLTEN
Crafted to last: Sandy Springs retailer deals in teak, a special wood that produces lasting pieces. 


• What’s inside: Designed to be functional art rather than furniture, each piece found at Four Seasons Teak is exotically beautiful, unique and sturdy enough to last generations, says its owner, Derek Korn.

Made in the teak farms of Indonesia and Thailand, and relatively new to the United States, these mammoth masterpieces are handcrafted by families out of the tree’s root systems. Most pieces are produced from one contiguous piece of teak root, and no two pieces are the same, said Korn.

“People are often mesmerized and just kind of stare at the product in bewilderment because they’ve just never seen anything like it,” he said.

Hand-picked for its beauty and construction, Four Season’s furniture is sold mostly to upper-end homeowners in north Fulton, at mountain and coastal island resort areas, in Panhandle communities and wholesale to stores throughout the United States.

Korn said that most pieces require very little maintenance, but they are heavy. An average swing weighs about 300 pounds.

“People are perplexed by the construction and the authenticity of the pieces,” said Korn. “Once they realize the comfort level and durability of the product, they love the concept.”

The roots of teak are very durable, he said. It’s hard to burn the pieces and they don’t break down easily in nature, so when Australians and Europeans began buying it as furniture decades ago, the farmers found a new market for what used to be considered unusable parts of the teak plant.

Perfect for a lodge-look, and offering an exotic and beautiful décor, the pieces don’t come cheap. Outdoor swings cost anywhere from $2,400 to $6,800. Benches start at $800 and barstools are $199.

The shop also sells other products made in the same region, like translucent tile patio lamps for $99, and bronze statues for $800 or more. They’ll also custom-make teak furniture, like dining room sets with chairs costing around $500 each and tables averaging $2,200.

A new item at the shop is a short and stout rocking bulldog, like the popular child’s rocking horse. It sells without the logo for $399.

•About the Owner: An Auburn University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Korn used to work in the computer industry as a network support analyst and in the trade-show industry providing touch screen services.

He noticed some teak root furniture being brought into a friend’s garden and pottery center for possible resale. Intrigued, he began investigating.

A short time later, he made a trip himself and began importing the wood, opening Four Seasons Teak two years ago.

“I love to see people who have never experienced a product like this and teach them more about it,” said Korn. “There’s an educational process involved in this product and it’s fun for me to teach people.”