Recycling materials to make new, hip furniture might be trendy, but even the most fashion-forward might see Dumpster diving for material as more than a little outrageous.

If that's the case, then local furniture-company owner Joe Bilyk is as outrageous as they come.

A few months ago, Bilyk, a 30-year-old Solon, Ohio, native who came to Columbus in 2005, started a showroom and gallery: the Luna Studio Columbus.

The idea: to promote sustainability and environmental responsibility while working with local artists, craftsmen, woodworkers and ironsmiths to design and produce furniture, art and fixtures for homes and businesses.

He's an extreme environmentalist who applies his passion to the business, which he describes as "the ultimate in recycling."

"The majority of our furniture is recycled material," Bilyk said recently in his small store in Merion Village. "My kitchen at home is all stainless steel," including a kitchen counter that was once a restaurant prep table.

He trolls the Internet looking for offers of free material and does the same thing in the bricks-and-mortar world.

"A place near here lets me Dumpster-dive, find whatever I want," he said. "I never had a problem asking people, 'Are you going to throw that away? Can I have it?' And we're getting more and more outside the box, coming up with products people have not thought of before."

The pieces for home use range from sleek metal armoires to shapely concrete countertops. "All our pieces are very raw. We use wood, stone, metal -- that's about it.

"Concrete -- people love to touch it, and you can cast it any shape you want," he said. "It's really fun to do. I've done concrete and leather, concrete and wood.

"And I can make it light or heavy. You know those peanuts you use in packing? I can mix it in and make concrete that has the same density as this heavy table, but much lighter," he said, moving a hand lightly over the top of a conference table. "And it doesn't compromise the strength or durability at all."

The recycling doesn't just apply to material but to craftsmen and artists, too.

"Columbus is such an amazing place for talent, and I think a lot of talented people have been displaced lately. I want to bring them together," Bilyk said.

While he gets the business ramped up, Bilyk employs "what I call full-time freelancers -- designers who work for me and can go off and do their own thing. Eventually as we go, I will need to bring on a full-time designer and a full-time project manager and a full-time salesperson."

He's already developing fans in the local design world.

"Joe's got some great resources, some great people surrounding him," said Tom Coffey of Thomas W. Coffey, Architecture & Design LLC, who has worked with Bilyk on many projects. "And Joe is full of a lot of energy; he has great ideas.

"I've sat at a table, brainstorming with him, and you can just see the wheels spinning. He also builds what he designs -- and that's unique."

One of the talented locals who has worked with Bilyk on projects for restaurants, stores and offices is retail designer David Fowler.

"A lot of companies want to be green, but it's hard to accomplish," Fowler said. "A lot of companies are trying to figure out how to be green in a practical way. Joe is very, very forward-looking in his green thinking. He's developing a furniture line that's totally green.

"He's reusing plastics, metals, stuff that would normally be turned into scrap, materials that otherwise would have to be trashed."

Luna Studio's environmental bent includes its small store, Fowler said. The shop, at 1332 S. 4th St., itself was recycled. It was built in the 1920s and has been occupied by many businesses, including an interior-design firm, a wig store, a bicycle repair shop, a doughnut shop and a dog groomer.

The unpretentious storefront has given him a leg up on other fabricators, Bilyk said. "My overhead is low. Anyone who walks in the door knows that. I just signed a deal with a guy in Chicago to make some furniture. It's cheaper for him to buy here and ship it than to have it made in Chicago."

The "nimble and effective" overhead not only helps in providing affordable furniture to homeowners but to businesses, many of them restaurant chains.

Luna Studio has done work for Wendy's, Mark Pi's Express, Subway and Zaxby's, a chain based in Atlanta. Some of the work for those chains has involved building furniture and store elements with stacked plywood, Bilyk said. "It's all American-grown, all American-harvested. We try to be local in everything we do."

Bilyk and company are also working on a project for Average Joe's, a small restaurant chain owned by "some old country guys, and they just love the design," Fowler said. Luna Studio is using salvaged farm machinery for the restaurants to create a funky and trendy yet decidedly rural feeling.

"I have this raw fascination with creating something," Bilyk said. "We're just trying to be hip, forward and deliver something sustainable that will last a long, long time.

"We are all about a deep appreciation for fabrication and artwork. I like to say, 'If you can dream it, we can build it.'  "

Luna Studio Columbus is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and by appointment. Call 614-425-9500 or visit www.lunastudio-columbus.com

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Luna Studio Kicks Off New Design/Build Partnership with Average Joe’s

Average Joe’s Pub & Grill looks toward the future hiring industry leading firm to help...

Columbus, OH based firm Luna Studio has been hired by Average Joe’s Pub & Grill to assist in a design/build partnership as the brand plans to expand locations throughout Central Ohio.

“Average Joe’s Pub & Grill already has a great presence & reputation in Central Ohio,” says Joseph Bilyk, President of Luna Studio Columbus. “We are assisting the current owners Paul Rockwell & Mike Porreca, who are committed to both the brand & clientele, by further enhancing the customer experience both inside and outside of the restaurant. The elements are already there: food quality, fun & loyalty to the American culture. We are going to take things to the next level. You will definitely have to come and check it out.”

Average Joe’s Pub & Grill just broke ground on a new location in New Albany, OH. This location will reflect all of the design enhancements proving to be a new flagship for the brand. Future locations will be announced throughout the year.

“Joe has shown us he has the ability needed to help Average Joe’s take our business to the next level,” says Paul Rockwell, Co-owner of Average Joe’s. “Our New Albany store is going to set the standard as we move forward in expanding our business. With his creativeness, and ability to allow us to see the products before they are built, we can make better decisions throughout the design process. With his help we will be setting ourselves above the competition. It has been a pleasure working with Joe and Luna Studio”

Luna Studio Columbus is a multi-faceted design firm offering architecture, branding, extensive fabrication & construction services. This firm has helped some of the leading retailers in the U.S. innovate in and around the store level. For more information, please visit www.lunastudio-columbus.com.

Average Joe’s Pub & Grill is located at 8453 Sancus Blvd. Columbus, OH 43240. You can contact them at 614.436.0350. For more information, please visit www.averagejoespubandgrill.com.

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