Builder Spotlight: Rust and Oak Arizona Chooses Touchstone for Fireplace Accent Walls

Woodworking and interior design business, Rust and Oak, builds custom projects for both residential and commercial properties in Arizona. Mike Polivka, President of Rust and Oak, grew this business with a strong passion for construction, creativity, and providing clients with quality work. Rust and Oak combines beautiful woodwork with top rated Touchstone® Electric Fireplaces for one-of-kind custom fireplace surrounds.

“I love being able to be creative everyday,” Mike shares. “My finished products are works of art, and my clients are able to see the fine details in every one of my pieces.”

Touchstone Sideline Elite 50 Smart Electric Fireplace with Ash hardwood top and mantel, @rust_and_oak

Custom fireplace surrounds are among the many home design projects Mike has designed throughout his career. Rust and Oak fireplace projects often include Touchstone® smart electric fireplaces as its go-to brand.

Top Notch Quality

“The quality is top-notch,” Mike says about Touchstone® electric fireplaces. “Too often I see electric fireplaces looking like run of the mill cheap electric fireplaces. But not with Touchstone. I feel that the realism and thin frames, especially with the Touchstone Sideline Elite® models, are perfect for the fireplace surrounds that I build. I hate building a gorgeous surround for a client, just to install a bulky cheap electric fireplace. Touchstone® products truly speak for themselves!”

Touchstone Sideline Elite 72 Smart Electric Fireplace, @rust_and_oak

Mike loves how his fireplace projects add heartwarming focal points in people’s homes. “I love that these works of art - which represent my craftsmanship - are in the middle of these homes and will be the centerpiece to their holidays and evening routines,” he shares.

Touchstone Sideline Elite® 60 Smart Electric Fireplace, @rust_and_oak

A Fireplace Accent Wall From Concept to Completion

How does Mike create these impressive centerpieces from start to finish? With the help of 3D software, he can provide his clients with a full visual game plan.

“I am able to walk into a client’s home, see their blank wall and provide them with a full fireplace surround concept that suits their needs. I break down the design on my end to portray the framing, the client’s TV at that location and then the proper size fireplace based on their space. With Touchstone®, I am able to provide links to the models that I suggest they purchase. If they want to see one in person, I have had multiple clients come to our home to see ours. I want to make it an exciting and fun process. Work up an incredible design and replicate that in my client’s home,” he explains.

Sideline Elite Smart Electric Fireplace @rust_and_oak

In the future, Rust and Oak looks forward to building fireplace surrounds for commercial clients too. “If given the opportunity, I would love to have commercial clients utilize Touchstone® electric fireplaces," shares Mike.

More About Rust and Oak

Visit the Rust and Oak website and social channels @rust_and_oak to see more of their woodworking and home design projects in the Phoenix, Arizona area.

Sideline Elite® 50 with white oak mantel and Sideline Elite® 72 with walnut slat walls and mantel by Rust and Oak, Arizona.