Inspiration from Inside Hickory Chair University

March 14, 2015

We recently had the pleasure of visiting Hickory Chair University in North Carolina, and we came away with so much awe for what they go through to create such exquisite pieces of fine furniture. We’ve always been big fans, but our admiration for the true artists at Hickory Chair is even greater now.

Check out some of the most inspiring moments from our trip below! We even took a few videos.

Elisabeth Lyons

I loved getting to see the palettes the fabric department had selected to add to the line at market. It was cool to see the ‘new’ before it’s actually is available.

We got to sneak a few peeks inside the pattern department. I loved seeing how they had these masterpieces to put together their furniture. I hadn’t thought about the sheer number of parts that go into each piece of furniture.

This is just a tiny sampling of the molds for the parts and pieces that make up the furniture at Hickory Chair. They have a color-coded system that helps distinguish between product types.

I also loved getting to see the construction of the pieces. We were able able to see how much detail goes into the furniture – 3-dowel construction, wood glue, solid-wood pieces, thick corner blocking, and more. It gives me a newfound respect and trust in the product.

It was super cool to see how they can make so many pieces at one time — there’s still the quality of work that is achieved by having it made in the US by an actual person, but it’s also extremely efficient. These are corner pieces for a sofa.

Below is a video featuring eight-way hand-tied coils. It’s interesting to see how quickly the craftsman can accomplish so much. Their precision was astonishing.

Alex Hendricks

The photos I took during our HCU tour  focused on the handmade process/approach Hickory Chair takes on all of their products.

I was really impressed with how hands-on each step in the process of making a piece of their furniture was.

I was struck by the employees’ work ethic and passion for making a fantastic product.

 

Alexis Wilks

We’re all set go on a tour of the case goods factory!

Below is a beautiful example of custom options available at Hickory Chair.

Here’s a sneak peek at a yet-to-be released dining chair prototype.

Here’s a sneak peek at a new collaboration between the Hable Construction sisters and Hickory Chair. This modified tuxedo sofa is getting ready to head to High Point for April market!

And below you can see for yourself a chair being made by hand — awe-inspiring stuff!

What do you like about Hickory Chair?