Our education at Hickory Chair: more than just making furniture

Of course we are impressed with the quality of furniture made by Hickory Chair, but what we learned about running a business was just as impressive.  The signage in the photo was one of many found throughout the factory---put up by the employees.  Their program, called "EDGE" is the big reason for their great attitude and working environment.  You just don't always see such positive words in a workplace.  If you want to know more about EDGE, click HERE for the webpage. 

Now, follow us through the factory (this is only a very brief section):

Hickory Chair employees doing finer sanding. 

The inside of Hickory Chair's drawers are solid oak, because of it's strength. 

This employee is applying one step of the finishing process for this table. 

Who would have thought a furniture factory would have the woodworking area in the same building as the upholstery. They are a floor apart, but even at that, the sophisticated ventilation allows the employees to work without a face mask.

This is how Hickory Chair furniture acquires the inlaid designs.

We really enjoyed seeing how the employees were so careful with each detail they were working on for the day.  They are not doing exactly the same thing everyday, however, but skilled at several jobs to prevent carpal tunnel problems and just boredom!  It also increases productivity when employees can move to another job when they're done with one.

Another thing we noticed was how well acquainted the president, Jay Reardon, is with all the employees.  You can tell he enjoys knowing them, personally.  It was a surprise that he was along on our tour of the factory, both days, and jumped in several times to talk to us about workflow and how their EDGE program played a part in their saving of time and money.  Here's a photo of him below:

Jay Reardon, president of Hickory Chair

One more photo from the woodworking part of the Hickory Chair factory that  you might relate to, that is if you have furniture with a carved leg:

Hickory Chair employee/artisan setting up the machine to carve furniture legs

This machine was duplicating the movements of the operator on each piece of wood.  It was basically carving about a dozen or more legs at one time, but following the lead of the man in charge. 

We'll get into the upholstery department and details on the next blog post.  I have about 30 more photos of the woodworking area, but what we want our customers to see is the atmosphere at Hickory Chair.  The workplace is such a positive place, and you can see the pride the employees take in their job.  It's certainly not a "factory", but more of a working studio for their artistic work. 

Now you are asking why you should care, besides the great quality we think you should also feel pride when you purchase a piece of Hickory Chair furniture.  Buying products produced in the USA is important to all of us. 

We're attending a University---Hickory Chair University!

Yes, we have the opportunity to learn all about Hickory Chair Furniture: from the factory to the showroom.  We already know how great their furniture looks, and now we will learn about the construction and see the craftsmen actually building, upholstering, and finishing the pieces.  

Jules Chair

Many of our customers have sat in our "Jules Chair" and felt the comfort firsthand.  We purchased this particular chair after learning it was considered one of the most comfortable styles and we also loved the look.  The wood base can be stained or painted in a color of your choice and tacks can be used or left off for a more simple look. 

Wakeley Tufted Sofa

You'll find a loveseat sized Wakeley Sofa in our shop.  Besides the unique style, we like the fact that it can be customized in size.  Starting with the smallest size of 39", it makes a great looking chair.  If you have the need for an oversized length, this sofa can be as long as 120"!  The Wakeley has a deep cushion as well at 26", which makes it great for those tall guys, or a nice one to curl up in.   Hickory Chair has several pieces of furniture that can be ordered to your exact specs, which is just another reason we like this company so much.  It's all about the options!!!

Stay tuned to our full report from Hickory Chair.  We will have to close the shop during our visit to North Carolina, but we are always available through email or find us on our Facebook page.

Window treatments don't have to be fussy

We hear it all the time---"I don't want anything fussy", "I don't want to cover my view", "what if I get tired of it?"   Our answer is that we don't want to cover your view and there are styles that give a more "tailored" look, not fussy. 

One of the treatments we consider to be tailored would be a roman shade.  But imagine you need something with just a little more pizzaz, and only as a valance, and not an operable shade.  A faux hobbled shade might just fit into that category.  And by faux, we mean an un-operable shade.  I guess that makes it a valance!

Thanks to Marilie at Cord & Pleat for the expert faux hobbled valances

This window treatment was designed to fit closely to the window (and the sliding door not in the photo).  The windows themselves have shades inclosed in the glass, so privacy was not a concern for us in planning the design.  The actual folds, which is what makes a hobbled shade, were stapled on the sides to keep the fabric snug across the front and actually fabricated in separate pieces.  We did not want a slouchy look, which can happen with some fabrics.  This is all designed to give the room it's "tailored" look.

Our fabric choice, from Kasmir Fabrics

Be aware that the hobbled style can drastically change the appearance of a patterned fabric.  We loved the all the colors in this fabric, and our workroom was thoughtful in the decision on cutting, folding and lining up this fabric to make the most of every fold. 

If you are ready to add window treatments to your home, we can make sure they fit your style, from tailored to fussy, it's up to you!

Vignettes--it's the little things that make a difference

Filling in those odd spaces in an entry, accessorizing a large wall---these could all be looked at as a vignette.  Wikipedia's definition:  vignette is a short impressionistic scene.  I think the following photos would qualify.

The "old" entry wasn't a bad look, but the tiny table and lamp just wasn't quite enough for this area.  There was also a smaller chair, not visible in the photo, but the height was not enough for such a tall staircase.  The new chair is taller than the average chair, and upholstered in a linen-like fabric that has a little bling/sparkle to it.  The pillow has the silhouette of a deer head woven in, which is a great compliment to the bronze deer on the cabinet.  The mirrored drawer fronts and side panels on the cabinet add to the sparkle in this foyer, and almost takes up less space because of the reflective qualities.  That great looking lamp is from Robert Abbey, one of our favorite companies for lighting.

This large wall was the first thing you see through the open bedroom door.  Why not treat the doorway as a frame around a lovely vignette?  It draws you on into the room, and the added upholstery makes you want to take a seat and read a book!  We have found that building a vignette with just art and a table can nearly always benefit from an upholstered piece.  The patterned chair and ottoman added a nice touch to the otherwise neutral bedroom, and the punch of the deep orange color completed the look.

Do you have a boring entry or wall in your home?  Is it time to update a few of your vignettes?  Let us know how we can help.

Candice Olson discusses wallpaper

You've been asking and we were listening.  We have added to our library of wallpaper choices!  You'll find a range of styles from contemporary to traditional.  Some of our favorites are from Candice Olson's collection.  Here's a short video of Candice talking about the popularity of wallpaper in today's home decor:

Come by and take a look through our beautiful new books.  Wallpaper might be just the fix for that "boring" room!

 

Taking a cue from color

I thought it would be worth sharing a few more of the photos we took at the Dallas Market.  The experts making the displays are trying to attract buyers, of course, but also showing how these decorative items can be used in your home.  The above photo is featuring red as the main color mixed with the natural, more rustic wood pieces.  Red never goes out of style, so mix it up and enjoy those bright pops of red.

Purple was strong, again, and in this photo, you can see it in several applications.  From rugs and pillows, to vases and chairs, look around and see where you can add some purple.

This chevron pattern was noticed over and over, and we are seeing it in our fabrics lately, and I suspect it'll show up in the Spring collections, too.  This bright yellow and white  pattern makes a great background for these shelves and might be a great idea to spruce up the back of your shelving.  Fabric or wallpaper adhered to foam core board would be an easy way to add one of the new geometric designs to your home.

You may have heard by now that Emerald Green is the Pantone color of the year.  What does that mean to you and me----it will be easier to find this color in fabrics and other home decor for the next year or so!  You don't have to be trendy, but if you like green or want to bring more of it into your home, you probably won't have to hunt for it!  I liked the display above featuring one large item in the emerald green, but also that it just takes one item to make a statement.

Hang onto your gold and brass!  I know, polished nickel and brushed nickel has been popular the last few years, but the gold and brass looks great with these yellow pieces, and who would have thought about using a grey/white background.  While we love yellow and grey, the use of the gold with the softer background looks great.  Another thing we noticed in some of the showrooms was the use of horizontal painted stripes.  It's really a fresh look and wouldn't be too costly----if you have the patience to do it!

Don't be afraid to bring out those bright colors and mix them into your room in a new way.  If you don't have your favorite color hidden away somewhere, come by the shop, we'll have just the right piece to add a fresh look to your home.

Trendspotting at the 2013 Dallas Market

Many designers and bloggers report on current trends and you can see their take on the 2013 market on their blogs.  In fact, you may have already noticed their photos from Dallas in the last 2 weeks.  I am a little late in reporting!  You will most likely find we all have a slightly different take on what we see but that's what makes it interesting.

 One thing I've been seeing in recent months--before I got to the Dallas Market----is the popularity of contemporary art.  Most of these pieces consist of blues and greens, very similar to the one shown in the photo above.  I think the lack of detail is part of the appeal, and the "less is more" attitude in some of today's interior design.

What do these pillows and mirrored pieces have in common?  I'm not talking color---yet.  The geometric designs in the pillows and the table/mirror combo is something we saw throughout many showrooms.  It seems those geometric patterns blend in very easily with other patterns, and don't seem as "fussy" as the florals and plaids we saw in previous years.

 Lamps and light fixtures are showing up in many shapes and colors.  This show room, Robert Abbey, has always had a classy collection of light fixtures and this time we bought into it!  Look to see some of their pieces in our shop in the near future.

 Notice the geometric designs showing up in these lamps, too!  Navy and white has been around forever, but the patterns keep it fresh and new. Mixed in with the contemporary are the traditional shaped lamps in lipstick red, bright orange, along with classic navy and white.  Lots of  gold and brass showing up this time, but not the shiny stuff from several years ago---more of an aged, matte finish.

These ceiling fixtures aren't going to be boring!  Look at the great colors in these drum shades.

We'll tell you more about trends in a future post.  You will want to see the colors that will be showing up in home decor.  We've already incorporated most of them into our current inventory! 

Winter Hours

The shorter, colder evenings are a good reason to observe a time change:  we will be closing at 5:00 pm until further notice.  If you have a conflict with the 11:00-5:00 Monday-Thursday hours, please call us for an appointment.