Amazing Milo M2M Tables

Every day it seems that the Milo Made 2 Measure Tables are multiplying! Shown here are two of our craftsmen working together in our workroom making a Milo table to order. Available in 4 heights, with 4 veneer species and by the inch from as small as 16 inches square to as large as 72 by 52 inches! The Milo M2M Table gives you the flexibility to design the size you need for your room! After selecting the height, the width and depth, the veneer and finish, we will make your custom table in just 2-4 weeks from order!

Shown is a group of Milo M2M Tables that range in size from the smallest size and height up to a full size dining table! The graceful saber legs add beauty to their practical options.

Next is a special Milo Table ordered in a Benjamin Moore paint color as a match panel finish. The designer selected the finish to match the customer's color scheme. We were happy to purchase the paint and apply it to their table.

The last Milo M2M Table shown is in a combination of Cerused Ash finish on the top and Kohl finish on the base. It was ordered as a pair destined for Washington state. It is one of a pair of 34" console height that is 66 inches long and 18 inches deep.

What table would be perfect for your room?

TRADITIONAL HOME - Body & Soul: Blackberry Farm

The current issue of TRADITIONAL HOME features a 16 page article on the beautiful Blackberry Farm resort near Walland, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. A 4,200 acre working farm owned by Kreis and Sandy Beill, the Blackberry Farm resort is considered on of the finest small hotels in America.

Shown right is The Farmhouse, one of the many luxurious houses and cottages you may choose for your getaway. It, like many of the buildings at Blackberry Farm was thoughfully designed with calm luxury in mind. Paraphrasing from the article, Kreis directs the design of each guest room and facility often with her friend, Atlanta based designer Suzanne Kasler. Sandy, a highly trained culinary chef that has worked also in the wine business in California.

The living room of the Farmhouse is peaceful and elegant. Timeless pieces from Hickory Chair were selected to create this beautiful setting. A Townsend Wing Chair from the James River Collection, the Kate Cocktail Table from the Alexa Hampton Collection and the Lili Slipper Chair from the TOB Collection by Thomas O'Brien accentuate the fully upholstered sofa and lounge chair from the Upholstery Collection.

A group of Samantha Chairs by Alexa Hampton surround the Sheraton Dining Table from the James River Collection dining room at the Farmhouse. The dining room, like the other spaces, feature classic architecture, timeless furniture forms from various styles and periods and are adorned by modern art and accessories. The result are modern interiors that are both relaxing and inspiring.

For more information contact info@hickorychair.com.

Part 2: Something Special Just For You!

On Monday, August 10th we posted Something Special Just For You! where it shared the amazing order being placed for a group of Carlyle Small Cabinets by Suzanne Kasler for four sorority houses in the midwest. Our artists have enjoyed working with the designer and the official licensed artwork from the four sororities to create these one of a kind pieces. We hope the designer from Nell Hill's enjoyed the process as much as we did to create these one of a kind pieces!

In this first image, the designer selected the Classic finish along with A3 and H3 Antique Silver COH hardware from our stocking hardwared program to accentuate the Alpha Delta Pi sorority crest. This sorority is the oldest in existence - founded in 1851. This Hickory Chair cabinet has these same timeless atributes. If cared for, it too will become an heirloom that will be tomorrows antique!

For the Zeta Tau Apha sorority, Weathered French Grey finish was selected along with the A3 and H3 COH hardware from our stocking program are the perfect complement to their crest! This sorority was begun in 1898. It too has a long legacy.

The Delta Zeta sorority is the new owner of the third Carlyle Small Cabinet. Weathered Cream was selected as the perfect background for the Delta Zeta crest. The standard hardware picked up the colors in the crest.

The last in the series is for Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. The Cappuccino finish was selected along with the standard hardware to create the canvas for the Alpha Gamma Delta crest.

Each of these four sororities now is the proud owner of a timeless heirloom quality piece. Hopefully these pieces will become part of the heritage of the of the sororities and the university itself.

What design obstacle do you have that we can provide the solution to?

STYLE BEAT: TALKING TRADE SECRETS WITH ALEXA HAMPTON

Today our friend, Marisa G. Marcantonio, author of Style Beat blog, posted a wonderful post today celebrating our mutual friend Alexa Hampton! The post entitled: Talking Trade Secrets with Alexa Hampton is a well researched and written tribute to Alexa. (Portrait courtesty of Architectural Digest magazine).

We at Hickory Chair are very excited about the very large launch planned for the October 2009 market with Alexa Hampton. She has focused her new products around vintage pieces that inspire her from a range of styles and periods. From Scandanavian, Ango-Indian to 40's modern, she has hand selected an eclectic mix of pieces that not only work well with her existing collection but also the wide range of pieces from Hickory Chair's extensive offering!

Silhouettes Chair Safari

Every day is an adventure at Hickory Chair! Walking through our facility is like a safari going out into the wild to see amazing animals in person. It is our workroom and seeing all of the amazing one of a kind Silhouettes creations being made by hand. You never know what you will see day to day. What did we capture before it was carefully packed?


First is a 4300-24 Silhouettes Skirted Chair featuring fabric 2953-93 with contrasting welt and skirt border in 2399-14 with a boxed edge back cushion, t-cushion seat, Lawson arm and soft shirred skirt. This chair was made at standard height and depth.










The second discovery was a 4100-24 Silhouettes Exposed Leg Chair featuring fabric 2702-16 and finish Dark Walnut on the legs. The 511 carved leg was selected for the front leg and when this leg is specified we make a shaped side rail and use a small foot in the back. Lawson arms with a T-cushion seat with Knife Edge back were also selected. Lastly, extended height and depth were requested to make this a more generously scaled chair for the client!






Seeing these two pieces challenged us to continue our search for more amazing one of a kind upholstered chairs. The third chair turned out to be a 4100-33 Silhouettes Exposed Leg Chair in fabric 2540-72 with Narrow Square Arms, Box Edge Back, T-Cushion Seat and 201 legs in Dark Walnut finish. This chair was made standard height and depth and has a thoroughly modern feel.




The last chair found today in our expedition is a 4100-21 Silhouettes Exposed Wood Chair featuring fabric 3118-18, NS-08 nail head trim, English Arms with T-cushion, Knife Edge Back, 530 front legs with serpentine side rail and small legs all finished in Dark Walnut finish. The chair was made standard height with extended depth.

Do you want a distinctive one of a kind chair made for you? We can make these pieces in just 14-21 days from order. Why settle for standard when you can have custom!

Chic Coles: Nail Head Extravaganza

We just discovered a wonderful blog, CHIC COLES - Design And Style Tips From A Mom And Her Daughters. The four of them are spread across the country but create the blog together. We were very proud to be included in a post on July 23, 2009 named: Chic Coles: Nail Head Extravaganza. In this post they celebrate the fashion and creativity that working with nail head trim allows!

In this image, the 1552-02 Amsterdam Side Chair , by Suzanne Kasler shows her love of couture-like details where she has instructed our artisan to use the pink grosgrain ribbon with NP-08 old antique petite nails spaced every third nail. She has also requested, as a special construction, that we fill the welt groove so that it has an authentic French look.

The 2860-10 Lakehouse Bed by Thomas O'Brien, the edge of the headboard is outlined with old antique brass NS-08 nail trim. This is Thomas's favorite Hickory Chair nail head trim! The original antique bed came from his Grandmother's lake house in upstate New York. He loved it so much that she gave it to him. His Hickory Chair version has an upholstered headboard with standard nail head trim. The original antique had a wood headboard. Thomas loved the idea that you could personalize his Lakehouse bed with finish, nails and upholstery to create a one of a kind piece!

Lastly, this reproduction wing chair from the 1283-55 Sherwood Forest Plantation in Virginia looks updated and very modern with the treatment created from Antique Ivory paint, teal gimp, spaced every third NS-02 pewter finish nail head trim and if that were not enough, even the ball and toenails have hand applied silver leaf! Do you not love what can be done to update a classic form?

Something Special Just For You!

I wish that you could visit Hickory Chair and see the amazing things that our artisans and craftsmen can do to personalize pieces. Each day that I walk through our 600,000 square foot workroom I am inspired by the special requests that designers have made on behalf of their clients. I am amazed by the enthusiastic way our employees embrace these requests and their ability to make one of a kind pieces.

One of the most amazing group of pieces that I have seen yet is being made now. A college in the midwest hired a design firm to update four sorority houses. The college wanted each house to be uniquely decorated but wanted the pieces to be similar to foster the fraternal spirit between these four sororities. The designer quickly thought of Hickory Chair's ability to personalize pieces. With written permission by the national office of the sororities, four Carlyle Small Credenzas have been ordered with special construction hand painted crests. One sorority will have a credenza finished in Cappuccino finish. Another will be finished in Weathered French Grey paint, another in Weathered Cream and the last will be finished in Classic stain. Most of these pieces were ordered with Customer's Own HardwareTM as well!

We are so fortunate to have talented artists that can create pieces like this working for us here in Hickory, North Carolina. Because we make over 86% of our entire product line here we can offer this amazing range of options and special construction requests. Our employees are proud that they make something special just for you.

Insights by Alexa Hampton

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of speaking with Alexa Hampton. Shown is a portait taken for Architectural Digest as she once more was selected as one of the top 100 interior designers. In fact, every year since 2002 she has been selected. She is very excited about her new collection for the fall market. She shared that what she was most excited about was...

I think furniture and interiors should have a timelessness about it.

I am not so period specific in the pieces I love. But there are universal characteristics that I am drawn to.

I gain inspiration from everywhere. From lowbrow sources like television and movies to highbrow sources like architecture, art and antiques.

Hickory Chair allows and encourages me to not think narrowly in my designs for the collection. You will see Scandanavian, Ango-Indian and Modern pieces in the new collection.

These new pieces will blend perfectly not only with my existing pieces, but with the other amazing pieces that Hickory Chair makes. I am a big Hickory Chair customer not only because of the great pieces but also because of the great flexiblity they offer to personalize the piece for the client through finish, size, hardware, door panels and other important options. When these pieces are mixed properly the result is something timeless - something that will never go out of style for my clients.

I recently read a blog profile on Alexa Hampton from All The Best. Alexa is amazingly personable and easy to talk with. Her collection for Hickory Chair has been exceedingly popular. This season new levels of personalization never offered before by Hickory Chair will be available through our teamwork with Alexa Hampton!