Hey Furniture Shoppers - Don't be so Superficial!!

We all know style is essential when shopping for furniture. Modern, traditional, colorful, neutral- we each have an aesthetic that works for our lifestyle and our living space. But what lies beneath?? Style might be essential in creating a "look", but infallible construction is what makes it last. Quality furniture construction will outlive wear and tear from the children, the holiday parties, and multiple moves. Here at Creative Classics, we think this is something you should consider first, before you contemplate that oh-so-fabulous burnt orange leather or herringbone microfiber. Lucky for you, we have provided a crash-course in furniture construction via a fun factory tour by one of our associates...

Two weeks ago, Kelly, one of our Design Associates had a rare opportunity to visit and tour the factory of one of our upholstery manufacturers: Norwalk Furniture in Norwalk, Ohio. Norwalk is just one of a handful of upholstery manufacturers that we buy from who has mastered the ability to produce a well designed and on-trend product while still focusing, first and foremost, on creating a sound, well  constructed base. If you're curious to see what really separates Creative Classics (and solid, hardwood, made-in-America construction) from the rest, then see for yourself- come take a tour of the Norwalk factory with us...

1. A new sofa is named (the "Lola") and added to the Fall 2013 collection  2. Proving inspiration can strike anywhere: one designers ideas for a new ottoman sketched out on the back of a Continental Airlines cocktail napkin  3. Patterns are cut for new designs and are hung behind a recently built prototype..will it debut this spring?!  4. New designs are covered in muslin and hang out on the floor of the product development department  5. A product developer uses CAD to generate new designs  6. Components of a new chair frame are laid out on screen  7. Hello there "Kate" Ottoman! Covered in muslin and nailheads, Kate is ready for buyers to order in a wide selection of fabrics and leathers to sell on showroom floors across the country!

1. The strongest hardwood ply known to the industry is used to create all furniture frames (hardwood ply is comprised of thin strips of hardwood, like maple, glued together in cross-grained layers to form a thick, stronger sheet of wood- it is considered best to use when engineering frames as opposed to solid wood which would warp and crack during certain processes like steam-bending a curved back) 2. After specs are digitally entered by a factory technician, a machine cuts frame components out of hardwood ply sheets  3. Ottoman base and frames have been properly joined and sanded to perfection by hand and await to be hand stained and sealed  4. The base and frame structure for a Katie ottoman lay on a builders table  5. All solid wood parts like these furniture legs are hand made off- site by local Amish builders and are then hand stained per custom order at the factory  

1. A factory worker inserts polyurethane batting in between metal, cone-shaped wire which creates a strong, resilient suspension  2. Another worker close by uses heavy duty staples to attach fabric over a finished frame  3. Almost completed chair frames await seat cushions  4. Sinuous frames line the back frame of a sofa that awaits a soft cushion of poly and cotton before it's covered in fabric  5. Foam cushions are assembled and are ready to be hand stuffed into fabric casings  6. A cross view of a seat cushion core: a layer of polyurethane wraps around a dense core of foam flanked by a layer of softer foam. Norwalk offers five densities of foam cores from soft to extra firm.

1. Computer generated patterns are printed out and manually corrected before fabric is run through cutting machine  2. Fabric has been cut and labeled by customer lay in bins that line the massive hallways of the factory  3. Each sewer specializes on a single area like arms, backs and even zippers  4. Premium hides come from tanneries all over the world  5. A factory worker traces patterns onto a leather hide and cuts each piece out by hand

1. A factory worker hand tufts and pleats the back of a Chester sofa with precision  2. Repeat patterns, like these fun, funky birds are lined up perfectly seam to seam  3. Decorative pillows are made in every size, shape and color!  4. A special apps worker uses a high pressure gun to set nail heads in place on a sofa  5. Up-close shot of decorative nail heads adorn a chair covered in a funky orange pattern  



 

We hope you enjoyed the tour and learned a little something along the way! If you would like to see some of Norwalk's custom pieces and more quality, made-to-order furniture from our other vendors, come stop by the showroom and our knowledgeable design associates will show you around! In the meantime, take a peek at Norwalk furniture on-line: www.norwalkfurniture.com and of course Creative Classics at: www.creativeclassics.com

 

Team CC :)