Ben Harvey and his Wife Chloe create affordable automotive decor that is truly B.A.D. to the bone!
As true gearheads, we don’t want our love for anything mechanical to end in the garage or in our driveway. We love staring for endless hours at our collections of tiny cars, mechanical bits, poster prints, or other goodies spread throughout our homes, man caves, and basements. I even know a guy who collects something as simple as vintage air pressure gauges, and it is easily the coolest collection you’ve ever seen in your life!
With the power of the Internet at our fingertips, it is unbelievable all of the cool things we can find t0 fuel our automotive addiction. Just the other day while swiping through Instagram, I found Ben’s Automotive Décor. Ben Harvey and his wife Chloee create amazing artworks from pieces of old machinery and engines.
Always wanting to share with my Gears, Guns, And Grub readers, I reached out to Ben to learn more about his products. He was more than happy to answer some questions for us and provide us with some contact info. Such an interesting story and I promise you are going to be blown away by the pieces that B.A.D creates and just how affordable it can be! Enjoy…
Ben and Chloee Harvey share their store of Ben’s Automotive Décor – B.A.D.
GGG – Tell us about what it is you do (the automotive décor), how long you’ve been creating, and how you got started B.A.D. – I’m originally from Devon, England and about ten years ago I met Chloee from California. We were married in 2012 and I moved to the Central Coast of California. Together we have one perfect little boy who already loves cars and all things mechanics! I grew up around cars as my family owns a garage in England. I remember spending my childhood summers stripping down engines and working in the garage. I started working for my family’s shop at a young age and have always loved all things automotive.
GGG – Tell us more about B.A.D. – what it is you do, how long you’ve been creating, and how you got started B.A.D. – Bens Automotive Décor specializes in creating unique gifts, home decor and furniture all made entirely from car parts. We make anything from smaller gift items like Spark Plug Bottle Openers to large Conference Room Tables made from Engine Blocks.
What started as a hobby five years ago, designing and creating a piston clock as a gift for my nephew and some personal projects, has grown into a family business. About two years ago, Chloee and I started to pursue this as a business when she fell pregnant. Our goal was that BAD would allow Chloee to stay home with our son and work from home. And we are so pleased to see how BAD has grown in these two years.
GGG – What is the most popular piece you sell? B.A.D. – Piston Clocks definitely are the most popular! Having said that, whenever I have time to create a unique one-off piece they normally sell rather rapidly. I have lots of ideas in my head that I can’t wait to create!
GGG – What has been your most unique piece? B.A.D. -Every item is unique to a certain degree, each piece tells it’s own story. The Aston Martin Vanquish V12 Engine Block Coffee Table comes to mind, it’s such a rare motor. It ended up being a coffee table because a connecting rod went through the side of the block at high rpms, so it has a good history behind it.
GGG – Where do you find all your engine components? B.A.D. – When I first started, I used components I acquired from vehicles that came into my workshop that had broken down and I had repaired. But now as BAD has expanded, that supply can’t keep up with the demand so I have connections with various workshops and scrap yards. This has proved really helpful when customers ask for BAD products from a specific car engine – I can usually source them.
GGG – Have you ever created items, not from auto parts (maybe plane components, etc)? B.A.D. – No I have not. I have seen some plane components and would definitely consider that in the future but I strictly try to keep everything automotive related. There is a lot of cool art out there made from gas pipe, etc. but as that becomes more and more common I really enjoy using automotive parts and want to stand out as different.
GGG – Your tables made from bare blocks are pretty awesome! Do you ever get special requests for 4 cylinders, v10’s, tractor engines, etc? B.A.D. – Thanks!! I do get special requests all the time. I have built up quite a stock of engine blocks but if there is a request and I do not have that engine, I can normally source it from my suppliers. I love it when customers ask for something specific and I can deliver exactly what they are wanting. For example Last week- I just made a Ford Modular Engine Block Coffee Table shipped to Idaho and Volvo 6 Cylinder Wine Rack to Pennsylvania per customer’s requests.
GGG – Do you have a brick and mortar storefront or are you strictly an online business? B.A.D. – We are strictly an on-line
business at bensautodecor.com and you can also find us on Etsy & Amazon @bensautomotivedecor. We do sell wholesale and we are in a number of brick and mortar stores across the country.
GGG – How can our readers learn more about you and connect with you online? B.A.D. – For my most current projects – my social media pages are the best place to keep up to date with what we are working on. You can follow us on Instagram & Facebook @bensautomotivedecor You can also check out my website – bensautodecor.com for some cool videos, a photo gallery and to shop. And, you can also make purchases on our Etsy and Amazon shops.