Made By Hickory Chair

Luxurious Bedroom Retreats

A really comfortable bed in a beautifully styled room is one of the most loved parts of a home.  It is our retreat at the end of a long day.  It is the place where we linger on cool mornings.  It is a place where we tend to indulge ourselves with luxury.  In reviewing some photographs recently shared with us at Hickory Chair we found some really amazing bedroom get-a-ways that inspired us to share them with you!

 

Maybe it is a luxurious suite at the famous Cincinnatian Inn with the Candler Bed by Suzanne Kasler.

Or this luxurious bedroom at the Moraya Bay Club with a pair of Montauk Beds by Mariette Himes Gomez...

Maybe you would prefer this bedroom shared with us by David Fuller of Alyson Jon Interiors (photo courtesy of Merrick Ales Photography) featuring the Candler Bed by Suzanne Kasler.

Perhaps you would have to smile with a Simone Bed by Suzanne Kasler in an amazing room created by Tobi Fairley!

Our own Ron Fiore's master bedroom seen in the October 2011 issue of Traditional Home featuring the 1911 Collection Artisan Bed.

A night at Blackberry Farms in Cleveland, Tennessee might make you never want to return to your own bedroom without a Hickory Chair bed! Shown is the Calla Bed by Mariette Himes Gomez in this inviting room.

The Lakehouse Bed by Thomas O'Brien is inviting in this cottage at Blackberry Farm.

This luxurious bedroom in a Blackberry Farm cottage features the Chelsea Bed by Thomas O'Brien.

Whether your style is romantic, masculine, formal, casual, traditional, modern, country or coastal, with fabric, leather and finish options why settle for just a bed when you can have it made just for you at our workroom in Hickory, North Carolina!

Bruce Kading Interiors - Minneapolis, MN

Finding inspirational rooms furnished with hand made pieces from the craftsman of the 100 year old Hickory Chair company seems to be getting simpler every day!  Our friends at Bruce Kading Interior Design shared with us these beautiful rooms. 

Bruce Kading Interior Design is a full service studio specializing in high-end residential and executive office interior design. From a brown stone in Philadelphia to a camp in Montana to upscale beach front property in Florida we pride ourselves in the diversity of our style that allows us to design personalized environments in every region of the country.

Their expertise includes custom interior architectural design and space planning, lighting, cabinetry, furniture and detailing to create the perfect turnkey environment. Coupled with an infinite number of resources, the cornerstone of our business is fine quality design, dialoging with the home owner, architect and builder to create a cohesive, creative design team with impeccable details.

Recently Bruce and several of his design associates, Laura Hartman, Eric Kaufmann and Rob Edman (all shown right with Susan Thayer their Hickory Chair sales representative) participated in our HCC University program where they met our hundreds of artisans and craftsmen.  Rob Edman has opened his own studio, Edmanhill Interior Design.  For 8 years Rob worked with Bruce Kading and was involved in each of the projects displayed below.  With their new found inspiration of the one of a kind pieces that are made in America in our Hickory, North Carolina workroom, they can design for your home that our craftsmen can make we are sure they can create a very special home or office for you.

A Silhouettes leather sectional by Hickory Chair.

Thomas O'Brien King Size Lakehouse Bed by Hickory Chair.

From the James River Collection a 2121-30 Sideboard, 1801-21 Host Chairs and a Baltimore Dining Table Top and Base.

A 1271-55 Townsend Wing Chair from the James River Collection in leather.

A set of 9026-11 Louis XVI Arm Chairs add beauty and comfort to this dining room.

 

Do you have a special story to share?  Contact us at press@hickorychair.com!

Belle Maison Interior Design - Short Hills, NJ

My travels took me to New Jersey recently.  I had the pleasure of visiting a design firm by the name of Belle Maison Interiors.  Owned by the very talented Catherine and Mitchell Engelmeyer, Belle Maison Interior Design is known for inspirational interiors created from fine furniture mixed with timeless antiques.  This design firm is located in Short Hills, New Jersey.  Their beautiful interiors have been published in a variety of magazines such as Design NJ and New York Spaces.

When I returned to Hickory Chair I was greeted by some photographs of interiors created by Catherine for her special clients.  We thought you might enjoy seeing them as well!

 
Shown in this comfortable living room is the Sutton M2M Sofa, Edward Chair and Charles Hassocks from the Hickory Chair Upholstery collection.  Also shown is the Gilded Lily Cocktail Table from the Mariette Himes Gomez Collection.

 
A pair of Eton M2M Sofas flank the Bristol Cocktail Table in hand applied gold leaf finish.

 
A luxurious Devon Sofa with COM bullion fringe is surrounded by French antiques.

 
A Suffolk M2M Love Seat sits at the foot of a Left Bank Bed with low posts finished in a luxurious painted finish.

 
From the historic Winterthur Country Estate Collection Catherine chose the Marlboro Side Chairs and the Newburyport Server (now retired) to complement the Sheraton Perimeter Leaf Dining Table from the James River Collection.  While Hickory Chair is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, our James River Collection is celebrating its 70th anniversary which is the industry's longest continuously made collection.

 
A pair of Paris Swivel Chairs from the Mariette Himes Gomez and a Bristol Cocktail Table create a luxurious sitting area.

Each of these beautiful rooms by Catherine Engelmeyer are a have a calmness and are reflection of the client's personality.  We appreciate the opportunity to make special pieces for her clients in our Hickory, North Carolina workroom. 

Do you have pictures and a story to share?  Send them to press@hickorychair.com for an opportunity to be featured on MadeByHickoryChair.com.

 

 

Roger Bills Interior Design - Ocala, FL

Roger A. Bills is a talented interior designer in Ocala, Florida.  We at Hickory Chair have enjoyed working with him for over 15 years.  Recently he shared some photographs with us of some inspirational rooms he created for a client.

Show left is a picture of the master bedroom.  The rich colors in the rug provided the direction for the color palette.  He selected the rich orange from the rug as a punch of color to accentuate in accessories.  Over the pair of Jasper Dressers from the Mariette Himes Gomez Collection is an Upholstered Dauphine Mirror in a rich orange toned leather.  The Eton M2M Sofa at the foot of the bed is upholstered in a neutral fabric with throw pillows in two-toned silk as well as a print fabric that picks up the orange tones of the rug.  Show right is a portion of the Avon Chair that has been upholstered in an orange silk.  Its standard nail head trim adds interest to the room.  A pair of Charles M2M Hassocks sit in front of the Eton Sofa.  They were upholstered with a solid fabric on the sides and a luxurious print on the top.  The room has great color, form and pattern due to the pieces Roger recommended to his client.

In the dining area, Roger continued his thoughtful use of color.  From the Mark Hampton Collection Roger selected the Adam Arm Chairs.  Our Weathered Linen paint was selected and then a combination of  blue, brown and gold silk fabrics made each chair have its own personality.  These Adam chairs surround the Sutherland Dining Table.  Its top features Light Walnut finish over the Olive Ash Burl top.  The Olive Ash Burl veneers are applied in a sunburst pattern.  The base of the table as well as the Duchamp Sideboard were also finished in Weathered Linen paint.  The top of the sideboard also was finished in Light Walnut stain.  The resulting effect is warm, inviting, luxurious and textural. 

We appreciate the opportunity to become the workroom for talented designers like Roger Bills.  Our artisans and craftsmen in Hickory, North Carolina enjoy making each piece to order personalized for a home.  It makes us feel proud to know that families all over the world gather together with our pieces.  For 100 years we have had the honor and as we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to making pieces hopefully for another 100 years for families. 

Please share your Hickory Chair story with us.  Contact us at press@hickorychair.com . You may also visit our facebook page and learn about our Centennial Design Challenge where your design could win a $10,000 prize!

Dean Farris Interior Design - Naples, FL

In yesterday's post we mentioned one of Dean Farris's favorite places - the Pink House in Zillionsville, Georgia that featured vintage Hickory Chair dining chairs.  Some of our favorite places include Dean Farris's client's homes where he has turned to Hickory Chair for inspiration!

Dean Farris Interior Design is based out of beautiful Naples, Florida.  Dean has been a fan of Hickory Chair for many years and recently sent us some pictures of his work. In this client's sun filled room, Dean chose a white fabrics with a touch of pale blue and pink to keep the room light and airy feeling.  He needed a large wood piece for storage and function, Dean turned to Hickory Chair.  He knew that he could turn to us for a piece personalized for the room with a painted finish. He chose the Toscana Sideboard for its French styling and asked that we paint it Antique Ivory paint.  While the Toscana Sideboard is now retired from Hickory Chair, the timeless style and heirloom quality construction will allow it to become a family keepsake.

In the bedroom, the Left Bank Bed was the perfect solution.  With its upholstered headboard and footboard Dean could select just the right fabric and finish for the client.  Since the bed is made here we can make it to order. 

In the dining room Dean chose the Adam Arm and Side Chairs from the Mark Hampton Collection.  He chose a beautiful graphic print in a damask type pattern in a coral on white and then asked that we finish the chairs in Antique Ivory paint.  The brown stained dining table and other pieces are brightened by the chairs painted in the Antique Ivory finish.  It is this flexibility that make Hickory Chair's workroom in Hickory so different that a factory.  When Dean ordered these pieces for his client we built and finished the pieces for him. 

 
Follow Dean on his blog, DeanFarrisStyle for more inspiration.

I Spy - Moraya Bay Project by Renee Gaddis

Moraya Bay is an exclusive executive condo in Naples, Florida.  When they were ready for beautiful and inspriational furnishings they turned to Collins & Dupont Interior Design.  With offices in Naples, Bonita Springs and Ft. Myers Florida, they are conviently located to the property as well as the owners. 

After selecting Renee Gaddis, ASID, Green AP, one of the talented designers at Collins & Dupont Interiors for their project, she turned to Hickory Chair for inspiration.  As a graduate of HCC University, she knew that Hickory Chair's talented craftsmen could make the pieces that would bring her aesthetic to life. 

 As she researched the offerings from Hickory Chair, she chose a pair of the queen size Montauk beds from the Mariette Himes Gomez collection.  With their tall upholstered headboards these beds would allow the guest to sit and view the beautiful scenery or have the support they needed while reading or television.  As she envisioned the room and how the guests would the room they had a thought.  With a view like this room had one might never want to leave it!  All the room needed was a dining table but there was not room for it.  With memories of the craftsmen at Hickory Chair, an idea was born.  Why not design a Milo Table that could work as a breakfast tray, desk and dining table?  The request was made to the customer service department.  After reviewing the request and what it would entail to create a pair of custom height and length Milo Tables, the call was made that we could indeed make the tables and in the amount of time needed for the project.   

 
These custom Milo Tables were made to be 38 inches tall, 74 inches long and 16 inches deep.  These custom dimensions allowed the Milo to fit perfectly across each bed.  Weathered Swedish Grey paint was chosen for each of the pieces.  A pair of Kit Chairs and Ottomans were selected for the condo.  The designer a neutral Hickory Chair fabric and requested that our seamstresses apply a decorative tape trim be applied in a picture frame application.  The final result is both functional and inspirational.

It was attending HCC University and meeting the talented artisans and craftsman that make each piece to order that made this possible.  Who would think that a furniture manufacturer could make custom size wood products.  Hickory Chair makes this possible every day because its workroom is in Hickory, North Carolina.  While not every piece in its line is made in Hickory, the vast majority is.  What percent?  87% made in Hickory, North Carolina.  2011 marks our 100th anniversary making one of a kind pieces to order.  Why not allow a Hickory Chair craftsman to make a one of a kind piece for you?

 

The Inspirational Suzanne Kasler Collection

      At the October 2010 International Home Furnishings Market Hickory Chair celebrated the second anniversary of the Suzanne Kasler Collection with beautiful bedroom, dining room and living room pieces.  These new additions almost doubled the size of the original collection. Suzanne loves all things French and her new collection is no exception.  She was inspired by pieces she found in a French Moderne villa she visited in Kenya.  These ideas became reality as we have crafted these forms into relevant pieces that are available now.

     This beautiful room features the Dalton Library Table.  It is was inspired by the French Moderne library table Suzanne had seen in Kenya.  Our version is crafted from ash solids and veneers.  The wonderful textural ash grain adds contrast to the sleek lines.  Available in over 70 finishes, the Dalton can be persoanlized for a library, den or any other room where a statement piece is needed.  A pair of Marais Benches are the jewelry for this roomscene.  They were adapted from a pair of antique stools from Suzanne's own living room.  In the foreground is the Laurent Side Chair.  Its sleek lines, reeded apron, tapered legs with antique brass ferrules are accentuated by the comfortable tub shaped back.

                       In this luxurious bedroom scene is featured the new Simone Upholstered Bed which was finished in Birch paint and upholstered in a linen fabric.  The bed is also available without upholstery.  You can choose from Twin, King, Queen and California King sizes.  It is flanked by two new Augusta Chests.  If you look carefully you will notice that they were thoughtfully designed as a set - the  chest to the right of the bed has the knob on the left while the chest to the left of the bed has its knob on the right making it very easy to access from the bed.  The Augusta Chest is also available without a door with open storage and a single adjustable shelf.   The new Virginia Chair and Ottoman are located in the foreground.  This sleek chair has luxurious comfort.  An Amsterdam Side Chair is pulled up to the new Julien Desk.  The desk and its companion game table are crafted in beautiful anegre veneers.

Stay tuned for more exciting new pieces from Suzanne Kasler and Hickory Chair!

 

My Hickory Chair Home - David Fuller, Alyson Jon Interiors, Austin, TX

One of our favorite things at Hickory Chair is to see our pieces in the rooms for which they were ordered.  Recently a long time friend of Hickory Chair, David Fuller, shared some pieces with us that were selected for a beautiful showhome at 302 Bisset Court.  David is part of the team at Alyson Jon Interiors in Austin, Texas.  The beautiful photography is by Merrick Ales Photography. 

We interviewed David and he shared with us that "when our company, Alyson Jon Interiors in Austin, Texas agreed to create a design plan and furnish a parade of home on Lake Travis, I knew exactly what I wanted the home to look and feel like.  Described as Hill Country Contemporary, I wanted to use transitional styles with a modern and glamorous look.  The home is very open with lots of natural light and white walls which I anchored with expresso stains on all the trim, doors and cabinets to add dimension. I defined common living areas by using charcoals, taupes and dusty yellows turning to accent colors in the bedrooms to seperate those spaces. The lighting was chosen for the scale and to sparkle and interest to the high ceilings."

 

In this beautiful library/home office room, David selected several Hickory Chair pieces that were not only the right scale for the room, but also could be personalized for the aesthetic he was creating.  One of the focal points is the Asheworth Campaign Desk from the Suzanne Kasler Collection. Its three drawers provide useful storage.  To the left of the desk is the Andrew Side Table from the Alexa Hampton Collection.  Because of the extensive finish selections offered by the craftsmen of Hickory Chair, David was able to give the room texture and color interest by selecting a black stain, Kohl, for the Andrew Side Table and the Asheworth Campaign Desk in Dark Walnut stain.

In the Living Room, a made to measure Milo Console Table was the perfect solution to the small sofa.  David was able to design the table to the size that he needed.  First he selected a 30" height, 16" depth and 72" length and the top panel to be made from mahogany.  Then he chose to have the table finished in Sable stain with the top mahogany panel painted in our Black Lacquer finish. 

In the bedroom, he found several additional pieces that we were able to make for the room.  A pair of luxurious green velvet Macdonald Lounge Chairs by Alexa Hampton were selected to sit facing the bed as an accent color. David selected the Candler Bed by Suzanne Kasler.  the clean lines of the bed were accentuated by the dark finish and the luxurious beige velvet.  Flanking the bed are a pair of Renata Stands also by Alexa Hampton that were finished in our Sable finish. In the master bath, a Trestle Bench upholstered in leather from the Thomas O'Brien Collection was used to provide the seating needed.  These are a sampling of the many pieces we were able to provide to David for this beautiful showhouse.

Why did he chose Hickory Chair for this beautiful project?  He stated "Having been a  great fan of Hickory Chair since the 1970's and a Hickory Chair dealer, I chose to showcase several pieces in the home from licensed collections for their classic style and livibility.  The finish options from Hickory Chair allow me to create the transitional, clean look I needed as well as feature luxurious fabric and leather applications."

When I mentioned 'long time friend' of Hickory Chair previously, what I meant is that we have had the joy of working with David for many years.  He recently shared with us that in 1971 he worked for a high end design oriented shop in South Bend, Indiana that carried Hickory Chair.  He remembers meeting a young sales representative from Hickory Chair in 1981 that had just graduated from the sales training program at the factory who was based in Michigan.  Now, almost 30 years later, they are both living in Texas.  David is at home at Alyson Jon Interiors and that same sales representative is now traveling Texas and Louisiana with his wife and partner.  They are there assisting him in ordering special pieces that are just right for the client.  As the author of this blog, I had the priviledge to meet David over 20 years ago when he participated in HCC University the first time (he has attended a second time).  It is truly the relationships that we make along the way that make our industry so special.  Thank you David for sharing your story with all of us!

We Did It!

 
  As a first chapter in celebrating our 100th year in 2011, Hickory Chair opened a brand new showroom in High Point, North Carolina!  This new showroom, located at 330 N. Hamilton, is open during furniture markets and by appointment the rest of the year. 

Located street level, we have easy access during market.  We have banks of floor to ceiling windows on several sides of the building which gives all of us the gift of natural light.  This has already proven to be extremely helpful during market as designers and buyers worked with our fabrics and finishes.

 
 
We debuted the second collection by Suzanne Kasler during the market.  Known as The Studio Collection, this new collection complements the original collection beautifully! Shown is the new Simone king size bed with its beautifully upholstered headboard, side rails and footboard.  It is available in twin, queen and California king as well.  To add further personalization, Simone is available without upholstery!  Below it is shown in the twin size in our new finish, Weathered Stone.

As a first for Hickory Chair, the first ever licensed fabric collection was introduced with Hable Construction! Sisters Susan (left) and Kate (right) formed the textile company eleven years ago with a vision and a mission.  They named their company for their great-grandfather's Texas road construction company.  In the years since they have created one of a kind fabrics all from Susan's hand painted designs.  Their fabrics are woven and printed in America.  Their entreprenaurial spirit complements the talented craftsmen at Hickory Chair who carefully make one of a kind pieces to order.  The collaboration of these companies have resulted in fresh, graphic fabrics to the classic pieces made by Hickory Chair.  Swatches are in production now for stores and trade showrooms around the country.  Pictured is the Geranium pattern being hand painted and then a grouping of graphite toned Hable -  Hickory Chair fabrics.   

 Don't these Louis XVI chairs look inspired in their graphite colored Hable Construction fabrics?  For more information contact press@hickorychair.com!

 

My Hickory Chair Home - Beverly Hall, Roswell, GA - Part II

You may recall our feature on July 26th, My Hickory Chair Home - Beverly Hall, Roswell, GA where we featured the work of Don Easterling and Nina Nash. In this feature we shared a beautiful home that they designed that was filled with Hickory Chair pieces.  Due to popular demand, we have been asked to share more of their story with you. 

 Upstairs in the home is a bedroom that is warm and inviting.  The Montauk Bed and Boudoir Sofa by Mariette Himes Gomez are the key pieces.  The Bouidor Sofa is upholstered in a beige fabric with blue and green throw pillows.  The drapes have a beige background with blue and green printed fabric that ties the scheme together.  Flanking the Bouidor Sofa are a pair of Kit Chairs upholstered in a soft green fabric.  Their mahogany legs are carved to look like faux bamboo.  The oval Pleasant Street Cocktail Ottoman nests nicely with the curved front of the sofa and its legs repeat the faux bamboo turnings of the Kit Chairs. The Montauk Bed is upholstered in a soft green fabric and are flanked by a pair of Andrew Side Tables finished in Antique Ivory paint. 

 In the family room is a sectional that was made to order.  The two piece sectional was custom made from the Silhouettes collection by Hickory Chair.  To make the perfect sectional for their room they selected a dressmaker skirt (with a special request to make it touch the floor), pleated arms, one piece Luxury Spring Down seat cushions and knife edge back pillows.  In addition they chose the extended height and depth options to make it a really deep and luxurious place for the family to gather.  For the perfect size, they requested that the Left Arm Facing sofa be made 78-inches and the Right Arm Facing corner sofa be made 96-inches in length.  A luxurious dark green velvet was selected to upholster it in. 

In the study, a pair of Weston Swivel Chairs were chosen and placed in front of tall windows draped in a beautiful printed fabric.  A Spoleto Table was placed in between them.  Looking into the study from the hallway is a Milo M2M Console Table and a Mark Desk by Alexa Hampton.  The Milo Console Table is a custom piece.  They selected the 34-inch console height (also available in 20-inch, 24-inch and 30-inch heights), a 48-inch width and an 18-inch depth.  A mahogany top was selected and then it was finished in the artisan finish Antique Worn White to have the look and feel of an antique.  The Mark Desk was finished in the Birch painted finish.  Birch is a very soft green painted finish.

In another living room area the Sutton Sofa was selected that was upholstered in a navy blue fabric.  It is flanked by a pair of Sara Side Tables by Alexa Hampton that were finished in Birch finish.  TheJacques Tray Cocktail Table is the perfect complement with its metal base and Birch finished trays.   

Don and Nina skillfully listened to their customer's desires for style, quality, color and comfort.  We are proud that so many of our pieces provided the perfect solution for this family.  Have you been searching for solutions for your home?  We would love to help!