As owners of a furniture retail store for 15 years, my wife Rachel and I learned that many people base their furniture buying decisions not on what they want, but on what fits into a space. The stairs to the bonus room, the doorway to the den, the hall leading to the living room, all become obstacles that limit one’s imagination. This was the inspiration for Carriage House.
With this inspiration, I set out to design upholstered furniture that could be shipped or delivered unassembled. It sounded simple enough, but research and development proved that existing hardware was too weak, and too limiting. So it was back to the drawing board.
Experience in the construction industry allowed me to look at the design from a different perspective, and, using carriage bolts and a stack of scrap hardwood, I constructed the first frame for a Studio Sofa in my living room. I took the frame to a local upholsterer, and I had a working prototype. That was 1999.
When it came time to develop styles, I looked for inspiration, as I often do, to my family. Each piece is designed with someone in mind, and therefore named after them. Having seven brothers and sisters, twenty one nieces and nephews, and three children of my own, gives me plenty of material to work with! When you read the descriptions for the different styles of furniture, it is difficult to tell when I am speaking of the furniture or the person, and I’m not telling.
Now we have a manufacturing facility in Belmont, North Carolina, where we have some of the best, most experienced craftsmen and women in the furniture business working with us. We have come a long way from the living room, but we still approach each design with the same determination, enthusiasm, and innovation.
Enjoy!
