Made By Hickory Chair

Paula Grace Designs - Ashburn, VA

Paula Grace Halewski, owner of Paula Grace Designs, Inc. recently shared with us some truly inspirational photography of homes she completed for her clients.  Paula Grace is also the author of a blog on interior design, her projects and great finds.  She has attended HCC University where she was able to meet the artists and craftsmen that make our pieces while also continuing to build her vast knowledge base on furniture.  We are quite honored that she turned to Hickory Chair for special pieces for her clients. 

Paula Grace shared with us that the home shown belongs to a busy couple with three very active kids.  She shared that "they have an extensive art and antique collection that I married effortlessly with Hickory Chair furniture and furniture of my own design (two beautiful Curio Lamp Tables that are shown below)."

She adds that "the kitchen is completely custom designed and you can see how the Simon Bench just blends in as if it was always there."

"I used two swivel chairs in the sitting area of this great room, the Joseanne and Eton Swivel Chairs.  Both turn to view the fireplace and television." says Paula Grace.  "They haven’t added the television yet but I think that is because the family now enjoys curling up in front of their fireplace on the cold nights we have been having." Also shown is the Milo M2M Cocktail Table, Wakeley M2M Sofa, Charles Hassocks and the Auburn Round Ottoman.

"I have to say that the Joseanne is my ‘go to’ swivel chair because of its scale and clean lines.  This is a very traditional design but we wanted to do a lot in the space we had so some smaller scale furniture was in order.  The Joseanne fit that need perfectly and the Wakeley Sofa was custom sized to accommodate the available space." 

Our artisans and craftsmen look to Paula Grace and other talented designers for pieces to make each day.  It has been our honor to make pieces to order for 100 years! If you enjoyed Paula Grace's work, join us soon for Part II where we will showcase more of her beautiful projects!

My Hickory Chair Home - By Design Interiors, Houston, TX

Our friend and HCC University graduate, Cindy Aplanalp of By Design Interiors in Houston, Texas recently shared with us some pictures of some beautiful rooms she created for a client.  In addition, her work was showcased in Design Happens, an online blog by HGTV. In the article she is quoted "In my design style, function precedes form. I always say “a pretty space that doesn’t perform well is like marrying a beautiful woman with no sense of humor — nice to look at, but hard to live with.” She continues, "I believe design is a living breathing thing. Good design comforts and offers joy. I begin by figuring out what my clients want by asking them how they want to feel in their space — cozy, relaxed, happy, warm? Next, I ask them how they envision living in the space. I listen for things like, “to better connect with my family or mate,” or “to have a place where everyone feels welcome.”  (Portrait courtesy of Design Happens & HGTV).

She was asked by a client to assist them in creating an inspirational space for their family and friends to enjoy.  In their living room, which has amazing architectural features including the built in bookcases, beamed tall ceiling, columns and custom windows.  To create an intimate and comfortable seating area in this spacious room, she turned to Hickory Chair and some of our licensed collections. 

The Center Stage Sofa by Mariette Himes Gomez faces the bookcases.  Cindy chose a dark, antiqued stain finish named Cappuccino for the hand carved mahogany frame.  She selected a neutral Hickory Chair linen fabric to upholster the seat and two of the back cushions.    She selected theEmory Sofa by Suzanne Kasler to sit facing the Center Stage Sofa.  She requested that we make it a M2M (Made 2 Measure) custom 83 inches in length - the size that was right for the room.  She selected a luxurious grey antiqued velvet from Hickory Chair for the sofa and requested that we apply a decorative greek key tape trim in a window-pane motif ont he three custom sized throw pillows. Flanking the fireplace is a pair of Breck Chairs by Alexa Hampton.  Cindy selected a rich COM fabric along with the Cappuccino finish for this pair of high back chairs.  Their stance and architectural form provides a balance to the room. 

In the dining room, Cindy selected the Gabrielle Side Chairs.  Their klismos shape, hand carved mahogany frame and hand tufting created the canvas for the beautiful COM fabric they selected.  The Antique French finish complements the dining table beautifully.

We at Hickory Chair appreciate the opportunity to make one of a kind pieces.  It is our passion to make pieces like these that has allowed this North Carolina furniture company to endure for 99-years.  It is our desire to say yes to special constructions and one of a kind requests that hones our skill and fuels our fire to operate our company in a way that we can compete worldwide

My Hickory Chair Home - Beverly Hall, Roswell, GA

Our friends, Don Easterling and  Nina Nash, HCC University graduates and close associates, recently shared some photographs of the beautiful rooms that they created with their client.  As they reviewed each room, the color scheme, the attitude and ambiance that the client desired, Don and Nina were able to turn to Hickory Chair for basically every room because of our ability to make one of a kind pieces personalized to her client's home! 

A native of South Carolina, Don Easterling has become a gold standard in the interior design business. With over twenty years as one of Atlanta's most respected and coveted Interior Designers, his work can be seen from Hong Kong to Paris to the Bahamas. His strong passion for the architecture and history of Atlanta homes brings out a passion and understanding that makes him truly one of the best in the business. Don Easterling's reputation is derived from his long-term and repeat cliental that depend on him for his widespread experience and his pervasive work with other well-known Atlanta designers. Whether the project is in Sea Island, Lake Martin, Jackson Hole, Boston or Atlanta one doesn't have to travel far to find another one of Don's masterpieces. Integrity, humility and trust make Don Easterling an interior design must.  (excerpt from the Beverly Hall website)

With over three years as an Interior Designer Assistant for Don Easterling of Beverly Hall and eight years in the Visual Arts arena, Nina Marie Nash has developed a keen eye for interior personalization. After traveling across the entirety of Western Europe doing photography work she has spent the last three and a half years entrenched in the endless pursuit of the perfect interior space. Nina is a dedicated and passionate interior designer with natural talent who thrives on tackling new challenges and creating striking spaces that are fresh and fun. Her expertise is drawn from her prior work in the fashion industry and her dual degrees in Fine Art and Graphic Design. With Nina's extensive work on various dwellings such as coastal properties, hunting lodges and high-rise penthouses she is quickly rising to the forefront in Atlanta interior design. (excerpt from the Beverly Hall website)

Don and Nina's client selected a modern, fresh look rooted in continental style.  In the living room, they selected the Emory Sofa by Suzanne Kasler.  With the high tight back it not only provides support for your shoulders and back due to its height, but the four rows of hand-tied springs create lumbar support.  They selected a custom 86" size from our Made To Measure program. The Bristol Cocktail Table is finished in Silver Leaf and has a clear glass top.  Flanking the setting is a pair of Natalie Chairs and a Suzannah Side Table from the Alexa Hampton Collection.  Notice how Don and Nina designed the Natalie Chairs - in addition to the soft blue Hickory Chair fabric, they selected Cream Lacquer paint finish and then requested that our artists hand stripe the chairs in antique rub light gold striping.  The finishing detail was the antique brass nail head trim. The mirrored cabinet with the X-motif is a Cleo Bar Cabinet that was finished in Birch paint finish with Antique Mirror door panels.  In the second image of the living room, you can see how a pair of the Park Avenue Tall Cabinets finished in Cream Lacquer were the perfect solution to place in the insets flanking the fireplace.  They selected our Venetian Blue paint for the interior of the two cabinets as well as Antique Silver hardware from our Customer's Own Hardware^TM program. Positioned in front of the fireplace are a pair of Emory Lounge Chairs from the Suzanne Kasler Collection along with a retired item, the Evalina Table adapted from an antique found at the Winterthur Museum in Delaware.

  In the foyer,they selected a pair of Charles Hassocks to nest underneath the client's mirrored console table.  They requested that we upholster them in an ivory Valtekz^TM fabric that has the texture of a lizard skin.

In the breakfast room the Campagne Dining Table was selected and finished in a special Scrubbed Ash finish.  A set of Linwood Dining Chairs from the Suzanne Kasler Collection finished in Birch finish provide an easy elegance with great comfort.  The family have a beautiful view overlooking the pool area from their intimate breakfast room.

Turning to the dining room, pieces were selected that could have felt very formal.  With their skillful talent, they selected finishes and pieces that created a warm, elegant dining area for their clients.  The James River Collection dining table was finished in a combination of two antique finishes.  The beautiful mahogany dining table top was finished in a warm, light, antiqued finish named Original Antique while the saber pedestal legs were finished in Weathered Linen paint finish which has hand work to create the look of a time worn finish. From the Winterthur Museum, Hickory Chair found the original antique that insipred the Marlboro Side Chair.  Its tall back with its elegant shape and nail head trim provide architectural interest and comfort.  A pair of Delaware Host Chairs were selected to add comfort and contrast.The sideboard with its antique mirrored doors was finished in Weathered Linen finish. The Hotel Trolley was finished also in Weathered Linen finish.  Its removeable tray in Antique Silver provides function and beauty.

In the family room, they recommended the Hepburn Sofa.  Its distinctive pleated corner skirt and bridgewater or English arms accentuate its luxurious comfort.  A Morris Cocktail Table and West Paces Side Table complete the image shown below.    

For the kitchen, the Piedmont Dining Table and Chastain Chairs by Suzanne Kasler were selected along with a Trestle Bench from the Thomas O'Brien Collection. 

Throughout the house additional pieces are found. The many artisans and craftsmen at Hickory Chair collaborated to create these personalized pieces for Don and Nina. We love seeing how the individual pieces look when they arrive in the home for which they were hand made. It means a lot to our talented craftsmen to see the pieces in the rooms the spend their lives in.  If you have pictures to share, please send them along with your story to press@hickorychair.com.

Marilyn Akins - A Classic Story

Marilyn Akins, ASID, owner of Marilyn Akins Interiorsrecently shared with us these beautiful pictures after returning home from HCC University.  The pictures are of a show house in Hinsdale, Illinois that she completed using some new and vintage Hickory Chair pieces. 

In this beautiful dining room she selected a retired Hickory Chair dining room table that was made about 10 years ago.  The host chairs are Hickory Chair wing chairs.  The classic dining table and wing chairs are complemented by the transitional side chairs.   In the second image that Marilyn shared, a classic James River Sideboard.  The traditional mahogany dining table and sideboard in the rich hand applied, polished stained finishes bring out the natural grain of the mahogany. 

The favorite part of the story from Marilyn is that the owner of the show house loved the pieces so much she ended up buying the table and host chairs!  She had learned that classic pieces like Hickory Chair pieces are timeless.  They can be mixed with painted finishes, transitional forms and classic forms.  Classic forms allow you the flexibility to use them in countless ways. 

Do you have a Hickory Chair classic story to share?  Email your story and pictures to press@hickorychair.com !

 

My Hickory Chair Home - Ray Forehand, Fairfield, CT

This beautiful room is the living room of Ray Forehand.  Ray is the owner of Raymond Forehand Interiors & Architecture in Fairfield, Connecticut.  We had the honor of getting to know him and two talented members of his design team during our early February HCC University event.  He shared this picture with us after his return to show us how he had incorporated three pieces of our hand made custom upholstery in his home.  

His living room features a balance of traditional architecture and modern furnishings.  Some pieces are very contemporary in form such as the paintings, chaise and tables.  He has used leather and natural fabrics to create a textural plane.  The furniture is angular while the lamps, vase and accessories are round.  The chairs are a pair of Modern Club Chairs from the Thomas O'Brien Collection that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.  The sofa is a Made To Measure^TM Sofa made from the Modern Club Chairs.  He turned to Hickory Chair's custom length upholstery because he needed a sofa that was the right width for his wall.  He wanted to use these side tables and that determined the sofa size.  He chose 84 inches as the right size to not crowd the space.  He selected COM fabrics and contrasting trim to accentuate the lines of the sofa and chairs. The result of the textures, fabrics, leather, architecture and accessories is a very warm and inviting room.  We at Hickory Chair are proud to have been chosen for Ray's own home.

Please share your "My Hickory Chair Home" story with us.  Send your story and pictures to press@hickorychair.com.

A New Feature for 2010 - "My Hickory Chair Home"

This new series, My Hickory Chair Home, is dedicated to sharing with you amazing rooms that were created with Hickory Chair pieces.  The stories may be about the designer's own home or homes that they created for their clients.  These inspirational rooms inspire our talented craftsmen to build their skills so that they can offer even greater personalization. 

Our first story is dedicated to a HCC University graduate, Kirk Holt.  He is the owner of Cisar-Holt, a design firm that he and his late partner, Robert Cisar, began 23 years ago.  Published in the January 2010 issue of TulsaPeople.com online magazine, is the home that Kirk and Robert began building in 2006.  Kirk completed the home in 2009.  As a result of his visit to Hickory Chair, Kirk was inspired to select many pieces for his home.  He loved the fact that he could request not only the pieces, but select from over 60 finishes, dozens of nail head trims and hardware selections, over 1,500 stocked fabrics, leather and trims to create one of a kind pieces for his home. 

 
Photography courtesy of Tulsapeople.com.

In Kirk's living room, he selected the Made to Measure Gallery Sofa at 84-inches wide and the Vendome Cocktail Table (now retired) from the Thomas O'Brien Collection along with the San Marino Bench by Hickory Chair.  The room is fresh and modern feeling with the use of color, accessories and arrangement of pieces.  Do you not love how the room is anchored by a really ornately carved traditional mantle and then is surrounded by classic modern pieces?

 
Photography courtesy of Tulsapeople.com.

In Kirk's sitting room, a Regency Oval Writing Table by Mark Hampton was custom finished in a black finish and facing it is a Reading Chair by Mariette Himes Gomez finished in Modern French Grey finish, a Hickory Chair fabric and then was trimmed in two sizes of Black Pearl nail head trim.  These classic forms perfectly complement the black mantle with quatrefoil motifs.

To read the complete 4-page article published in TulsaPeople.com, click here.  Want to learn more about HCC University? click here or contact press@hickorychair.com.

We invite you to share your home or client's home with us.  We want to publish a new edition of "My Hickory Chair Home" every week!

Sharing Design Solutions

Many of you are aware of HCC University where designers, sales associates and owners travel to Hickory, North Carolina for our program that includes tours of our workroom and showroom along with other exciting seminars.  Last week we had the great pleasure of having another energetic group participate!  One of our new friends, Kristin Drohan of Boulevard Furnishings, shared her blog with us today.  Her post, New Before & After, she shared the home of a client who wanted a fresh and updated look for their family room and living room.  For both rooms she had custom pieces made along with selecting four of our Hickory Chair Oxford Chairs .   As you can see in the "after" image, the soft gray velvet is beautiful as contrasted against the warm yellow walls.  The gold leaf mirror was painted white for a less traditional look.  The use of four chairs around a round cocktail ottoman or table creates a comfortable conversation area.  Have you ever thought about how guests sit on sofas?  One person typically sits at each arm and no one in the middle (unless there is an event on television that a group is watching together)! 

After:

In the "before" image shown below, you can see the amazing transformation Kristin made for her very happy clients!  One does not have to have a BIG budget to make BIG changes! 

Before:

It Is A Personal Choice...

Recently I traveled to St. Louis where I had the great pleasure of visiting some Hickory Chairdealers.  Many of the designers and sales associates I visited are graduates of our HCC University training event we hold at Hickory Chair's home base.  During this two day event we tour the extensive 600,000 square foot workroom where we make almost 90% of our product line.  In addition to the tours, we spend time in our showroom, on our options and flexibility as well as the web site, catalogs and other support we offer to our dealers around the world. 

It was like a family reunion when I was able to visit our St. Louis HCC University graduates.  One of these graduates, Maria DeGange, shared with me her website and blog.  She also shared with me some pictures of a customer's home she completed recently.  The customer loved traditional 18th Century pieces but wanted a fresh, modern look.  Maria quickly turned to Hickory Chair as we have the timeless pieces AND the ability to make them personalized for the individual home.  In this example, Maria chose to use the Hunt Chair by Suzanne Kasler as host chairs instead of the matching Chippendale Arm Chairs.  She chose our Dark Walnut finish, sent to us a zebra print fabric and a monogrammed contrasting fabric and then requested that we use our pewter nail head trim to finish the pair of chairs.   These graphic chairs against the red and white walls make the room very fresh and modern feeling. 

 

What is your design challenge?  I am sure your local designer can help you find a solution with Hickory Chair!

CEU Course Available At High Point Market!

Hickory Chair became an ASID Industry Partner in 2009. Across the country different members of our team have become involved in local chapter meetings and events. Recently Hickory Chair submitted a program for review for CEU credit. We are proud to announce that our new course "Tomorrow's Heirlooms: The Construction, Craftsmanship and Customization of High-End Furniture" is now available. It is approved by both ASID and IDCEC! The course is an indepth presentation that details quality furniture's process focused upon the differences between high, medium and lower quality and price points. The course carries a CEU 0.1 value.

Hickory Chair will offer this course on Saturday, October 17th at 8:30 am. It will be held in the Hickory Chair Showroom in High Point, North Carolina. The course is free of charge. NCIDQ requires a $12 registration fee. To register email lholland@hickorychair.com.

Giving Thanks

In our lives we come across a multitude of different personalities. This week we enjoyed getting to know a dynamic group of designers and sales associates from all over the United States. These talented purveyors of fashion through interior design inspired us with ideas for product development, our catalogs, our web site and in a multitude of other areas. We give thanks to everyone's willingness to share!

We were so fortunate to have Heather Clawson author of Habitually Chic join us. Please click on her link to enjoy here very gracious posting about her Hickory Chair experience. We hope it brings back wonderful memories of your Hickory Chair University experience!