What do you get when you combine a love of antiques and gardening with a business that works with steel and welders everyday? For us, that combination evolved into a new business, Southern Iron Accents, located at 911 West Cedar Street in Franklin, Kentucky. We make and design custom and decorative ironwork for the home or garden using very heavy steel components, both old and new.
In the showroom of Southern Iron Accents, you will find planters on legs, hanging planters, console tables, benches, obelisks (a copy of the old stone obelisk but done in steel with different finishes like Copper Verde and Bronze Verde), gates, and decorative ironwork for the wall. All of the ironwork is very heavy and long lasting. The multi-step finishes put on each decorative piece are done by hand by the owners.
You never know what you will find in Southern Iron Accents showroom as old pieces of iron are used to make all kinds of different items. For example, an old iron panel may be turned into a console table. Mac Donaldson, an owner, then makes custom distressed concrete tops for each table. It’s a table that can be used inside or outside, depending on one’s needs.
The Donaldsons love the custom design work as much as making retail items like those mentioned above. They are currently working on several projects that vary from custom handrails for the exterior of homes and businesses, fencing, decorative panels for numerous transoms in a screened porch to custom console tables and dining tables. The owners are able to use the customer’s old ironwork, if he or she has some that is meaningful to them, or use old or new component parts in their own inventory. The owners work with the customer to come up with the wanted design, drawings for the customer, and a choice of finish.
It is a really fun process to see the components take on new life. Making all the iron pieces long-lasting is really important to Mac and Debbie Donaldson, owners. Debbie was previously in the antique business with her mother, and both Mac and Debbie have a love of antiques. It is rewarding to choose quality materials when making each piece for customers. Hollow lightweight tubing is not the choice of materials for the Donaldsons. Everything is made to withstand the elements and last a lifetime for each customer.
Along with custom and decorative ironwork, Southern Iron Accents is a dealer for the Big Green Egg smoker/grill. It is another enjoyable part of the business, as customers enjoy these grills and come back for more accessories as grilling becomes a passion.
Southern Iron Accents is participating in some shows as well. The biggest show they participated in this year was the Bluegrass Trust Antique and Garden Show in Lexington at Keeneland. The showroom in Franklin is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on weekends by appointment. Whether you are interested in custom ironwork or something from the showroom, feel free to stop by or call (270) 586.3212.