hi, my name is Dan and I am addicted to building things…
DAN HEUN owner | lead woodworker
JILL HEUN wife | design pro | photog
... or at least that's what I would say at a woodworker anonymous meeting. I assume these don't exist.
Anywho...What's DMH woodwork you ask? Well, as you may have guessed it, I love wood. And work. Not in a weird way, but in a way that an architect loves buildings, an artist loves paintings, or a crazy cat lady loves herds of felines pooping in her house. Ok, maybe it is a little weird. But that’s what makes it special.
Logan Square, Chicago - Established in 2017, I design and build custom woodwork for whatever you can dream up. And in the world of Pinterest, Instagram, MTV Cribs, HGTV, or whatever else you're into - it’s easier than ever to come up with some pretty awesome ideas. Along with some inspiration I get from my extremely creative and trendy wife, I’m here to help you get exactly what you want! So take a look at what we've delivered for some happy clients, and remember that everything is completely customizable to your taste.
If you like something you see, but want a different size, style, design, color, attitude - you name it, I can do it. My work is like a snowflake - no two are the same! So drop me a line, and also check out instagram and for the most up to date pics of my work.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME, if you care
I grew up in a small farm town an hour outside of Chicago known as Minooka. I was always tinkering with stuff around the house at an early age, and always trying to help my dad fix literally everything and anything. Starting at the age of 10 or so, I started building a lot of small furniture/decor for our home. Eventually, I started making money here and there building things like Cornhole (bags) sets, coffee tables, etc., to have drinking money saved up for college…
Fast forward.. after graduating from the University of Illinois business school in 2008 (I-L-L!), I did what most people did right out of college - get a job to make some money and get out of my parents’ house. Which I did. For 10 years. I stayed within the Marketing Associate/Manager/Director role for a few different companies. A major tool manufacturer, a well-known construction equipment distributor, a major energy provider, a popular tourist attraction in Chicago, an international construction company, and finally a wonderful and family-like architecture firm. Most of these companies had an underlying similarity - they made stuff. Specifically, they create stuff.
So, that lead me to the idea that I just really like being part of creating stuff. I’ve always loved it since I was a kid. I was already pretty dang good at it. I have a background in marketing and business development - so basically that was the recipe for me to get away from the daily grind sitting at a desk in front of a computer wondering what it is I am supposed to do with my life. So, after a couple of years of woodworking on the side, I finally took the plunge in 2019 to become a full-time woodworker at DMHwoodwork! And let me tell you - I regret NOTHING. It’s a TON of work, but I get to live my life on my own terms, spend more time with my lovely wife and furry children (my cats and dog… I don’t have human children that are furry), and generally just have a happier demeanor overall :)
If you have the skills to work with your hands, you like being on your feet all day, and you have the desire/discipline to make your own schedule - I highly recommend pursuing a career that lets you do that. It’s so rewarding in many different ways.
TL;DR
I played with a lot of tools as a kid, went to college, didn’t want to work behind a computer, went back to playing with tools all day. No regrets.