Hickory Chair Illustrates Value Driven Management--and It Works!!

A. Hoke Ltd. of Charlotte kindly sponsored Dovecote Decor for Hickory Chair University. Forty designers congregated in Hickory, N.C. for 2 days of education demonstrating how our clients' furniture is assembled, finished and upholstered. Steered by president Jay Reardon, we were treated to much more than nuts and bolts. Christine and I were awed by the level of leadership, sense of community and the outright pride and happiness at all levels of this organization. We witnessed highly diverse individuals sharing a mission that is focused by a constantly fine tuned process.

Hickory Chair is like very few organizations I have ever experienced. At the 100th anniversary party I told Jay: "Hickory Chair is not an institution--it is a movement!" That is true for so many reasons. Trying to articulate this phenomena, I found two books on opposite sides of the spectrum which express this dichotomy as a universal best practices for teams that attract a community of raving fans: Business Secrets of the Trappist Monks: One CEO's Quest for Meaning and Authenticity and Marketing Lessons of the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History.

The Cistercian Order is dedicated to Spiritual Growth through work, community and creating the highest quality products to support their monasteries and convents. The 48th chapter of the Rule of St. Benedict states "for then are they monks in truth, if they live by the work of their hands".  For example,   Trappist Westvleteran 12 is considered to be the best beer in the world. 

Bear with me, but what do the Trappist Monks, the Grateful Dead and Hickory Chair have in common? Quite a bit actually! All three work with complete reverence to produce the highest quality product while creating a work environment that nurtures their communities. Counter intuitively, Hickory Chair has survived and created a broad designer driven line that can be completely customized while building 90% of their product in the U.S.A! They have accomplished this with only three price increases in the last decade. Hickory Chair management sees themselves as facilitators and communicators at every level of the organization, from the artisans who build the product to the designers who conceive the product. Everyone is encouraged to share improvements and ideas in a constant dynamic process with concrete systems in place to execute these changes.

Dedicated to the premise that this company will be different tomorrow than it is today and creating a process called EDGE (Employees Dedicated to Growth and Excellence),  Hickory Chair thrives in a notoriously difficult industry. Constantly seeking errors and communicating concrete solutions forms an enabled  and accountable team that works together smartly as a unit.  August Turak shared in his book this interesting point: "Louis Mobely of the famed IBM Executive School discovered what great executives share are not skills or knowledge, but values and attitudes. Great leaders thrive on ambiguity." Respect, empowerment and trust at all levels cultivate a work place where the human spirit thrives. Jay was not going to be the guy that padlocked the factory doors and fired his workers. He did not know the answers to his dilemna so he assembled his artisans to devise solutions.

When a competitor exactly replicated (knocked off) one of their products, Hickory Chair investigated and made a side by side comparison. The  competitor's chair (on the left) was made more cheaply with a higher retail price. Consumers get respect too!. When market opens in  High Point, Hickory Chair's showrooms are universally lauded as the most exciting experience at market. Like the Grateful Dead and the Trappist Monks, Hickory Chair creates an experience that translates into  community and culture. The scene is shored up with complete authenticity.

We all love bantering with Alexa Hampton, Thomas O'Brien, Suzanne Kasler and Mariette Himes Gomez--all Architectural Digest top 100 designers. There's no micromanaging their showrooms--the designers "do their thing." Like a Grateful Dead show, they never play the same song the same way.
Because the furniture is bespoke, followers and designers love to see the infinite possibilities at each market. Here are some spectacular room arrangements of Alexa's line over the years.

We love to see the mood boards throughout the showrooms.  It is fascinating watch the disparate visual cues that inspire the designers from conception to final product.

Hable Construction illustrates their textile design process at the Hickory Chair showroom. 

Artisan Boards in the Factory

The print is hard to read, but essentially the notes explain why even small steps in the process are of paramount importance, graphically demonstrating the difference when something goes right or wrong. Over 1,100 hand-worker ideas are implemented each year at Hickory Chair! The details are evidenced by the immaculate floors that are constantly swept, the sawdust that is vacuumed into the electrical system to generate power and save electricity. So what do Hickory Chair, the Trappist monks and the Grateful Dead have in common?

 *Quality Products--Trappist Beers are the only beers that improve with age.

*Commitment to a constantly evolving process--short cuts are in efficiency--quality is never compromised

*Dedication to keeping humanity in the equation while creating a more beautiful world includes quality of life at every level

And...There is nothing like a Grateful Dead concert!!
*All disperate products united by the will to create an innovative culture and community of raving fans!!
See Jay Reardon on the Daily Show

Click Here
For an in-depth discussion of the unique approach of Hickory Chair's management and production innovations:
Click Here 

Please call us if you are interested in buying 

Hickory Chair Products! 

We can work with you to create furniture made in America to last--reflecting your unique style.

336-705-1316
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High Point Furniture Market Top Designer Showrooms April 2012

Halo Styles showroom on 212 N. Main Street is chockfull of Timothy Oulton's vintage reproductions. Repurpose is the operative word here.

The new inverted flower bucket pendants are clever and I'm looking forward to seeing how clients will start using them. Our interns gather at the end of term, to start loading new product, I cannot wait.

This is also a great spot for snagging one of a kind accessories from exotic places, at great prices. Their reclaimed teak tables fly out our doors. From Halo Styles, we generally walk over to the Hamilton district and hit Hickory Chair. You know we are raving fans, and how many CEO's comment on blog posts--pronto? Jay Reardon left an instant, thoughtful comment! Alexa Hampton is the nicest design luminary in the business. She is funny and wickedly intelligent--everybody loves her.

The Alexa Hampton Christianson dining table is still the best dining table you can buy. Other than the fact that it is a stunning repro from her personal antique collection, it can grow to infinity and beyond. Hickory Chair does a terrific job showing versatile dining schemes that work well in apartments and large room settings.

Notice how Alexa works with different shades of blue and creates a rhythm and balance throughout the room. We have also discussed arranging art. Your house should not look like a hotel. Homes should be organic. What I mean by that, is your home should reflect the process of collecting. There should be some unexpected moments. There is a tension and a pause in a space that is waiting for the new great piece. The art over the sofa brings personality into the room, not pure symmetry. Too much symmetry is boring. 

Thomas O'Brien assembled this ultra chic space in muted velvets with up to date mid-century references. Its a pad, and those nail head trim bookshelves still win the prize. We have seen incarnations of them in linen and suede and they are always knock out.  This is a guy that loves legs--everywhere.

This is one of my favorite beds. About three markets ago Thomas O'Brien showed it in a buttery caramel leather with the same nail head pattern and it was amazing. Hickory Chair is a custom operation so seeing the pieces done differently from market to market trains your eye. 

Stacey Bewkes of Quintessence Blog gave this sexy sectional a test drive. Wesley Hall is a multi-generational family owned business who never get stuck in the old rut. Trust me, some folks do. 

Many of the top tier showrooms create architectural interest in a room by adding window casements with mirrors. If you have a little box of a room that needs more light, you can buy big leaner mirrors and place them strategically. This room had a great mix of graphics and color. Bunny Williams Beeline Home is done by Wesley Hall, and we know Bunny does her homework. Stacey Bewkes from  Quintessence blog has some great pictures of her line, so hop over. After Wesley Hall we went over to see what  Phoebe Howard was doing at the Sherrill Furniture showroom. 

Phoebe Howard does quiet, elegant and pretty rooms. Note the well executed faux chinoiserie painting on the wall. Click through to her website, her work is exquisite. 

detail

Again, the wall detailing is a smart leather strip with nail head trim. We are seeing quite a bit more texture on walls these days. This room is a nice mix of masculine and feminine, traditional and contemporary. 

 

This soft wall color showcases Tommy Mitchell's tole flowers to perfection. I raved about them at the New York Gift Show post. Note how Phoebe mixes them with simple white plates. So, for those of you who don't follow me on FaceBook and Twitter, this is what I actually bought at market. It takes me years to pull the trigger, because I always think I will find something better. I have been designing my courtyard in my head, from my thoughtful spot for over a decade. I am s-l-o-w with my own house. 

I'm really glad I waited for these. There hasn't been anything like this at market--ever. I feel like I just plucked this grouping from a chic little spot on the cote d'azur. We've got it if you want it, so call me if you have to have it. Now, I finally have my courtyard dinner party vision. My roses were budding like popcorn, so I had to set the table. 

Dining alfresco is my favorite summer time activity. The reclaimed teak chamberlain table is finally mine and I look forward to many wonderful evenings with friends and family. Its not just furniture, its...living. 

More Later!

Liz Morten

Christine Storch

Hickory Chair Wows High Point Again! April 2011

High Point is in full swing. Traffic has increased, and buyers are replenishing inventory. I was on day 4 of shopping when I started this post,  a tired girl reporting to you at the end of the day.  Let's just cut to the chase and go to Hickory Chair--the rare destination where we can tick off extinct traditions, thriving in its own unique American archipelago.  This surviving niche product line is made in America (Hickory N.C.), by American craftsman, one unique and custom piece at a time. The driving force of their success, in my opinion, is that their line is driven by the top designers of our era, versus the finger to the wind interpretation of what consumers want.  Suzanne Kasler styles the ultimate girl cave for us.

I could take over the world empowered by these "tools of the trade." The perfect work table is combined with muscular industrial shelving and lighting, and infused with energy. My synapses are positively crackling here. Suzanne is a sparkling raconteur, communicating her aesthetic of creating a neutral space with color accents. This light hearted Suzani fabric is exclusive to Hickory chair.

Below, study the left side horizon to the perfect office in chic, chick aesthetic. First we do the work, then we close the deal. I am now seeing myself on the cover of Forbes. Hickory Chair understands imagination, vision and talent. 

After you have made the deal of the Century, you might retire with close family and friends (with a celebratory glass of Champagne) to your quiet and elegant living room.

Panning to the right.....

I know that I am thin and wearing Armani!  My imagination is  running amok, and the generous Suzanne, communicating her aesthetic, carries none of the drama flashing through my brain. Suzanne explains how her super clean aesthetic succeeds through the use of mixed metaphor and oxymoron. Mid-century merges with a comfortable clubby upholstery, combined with a feminine arrangement of ceramics. It is a Yin/Yang assemblage balancing structure with dark finishes, light fabrics and dimensional wall treatment. Mentally, we need to balance, and so, the external reflects the internal. I don't like to hear the nonsensical comment: "It's just a house." Pirouetting, vibrant wall art pops, warming up the space. My imaginary friends are very happy. Should I tell them you can have this room within two or three weeks? Call me if you want it. 

Moving on to the fun and gregarious Alexa Hampton,  president of her father's Mark Hampton atelier, tells a different story. Alexa is all legacy, with a twist and fresh take on both traditional and mid-century. Her look makes me feel like I am an only child, inheriting layered years of households. Forgive the photograph. Alexa has the best dining table ever, ever, ever. I have been shopping for 30 years. It is The Bomb. 

Inspired by Alexa's own antique Irish Regency drop leaf table, the Christiansen can be ordered to seat as many as 20 people, at nearly 216" in length. This table has 5 leaves so it has "features and options." You can order special cloth bags for storage, which I recommend.  My Uncle inherited my grandparents' 

"State dinner table," which is what I called it. I have the happiest memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas family dinners, with most of us at the big table. My Aunt would bring out the leaves and move it to the long Lanai. She set it so beautifully it took my breath away. We would eat and talk for hours. It is not just a house, it is your home--the staging for your life and memories. The dinner table is the family center, and this is the best. The price is entirely reasonable for the quality and options. I am using it with these Mariette Himes Gomez  Hickory Chairs, with a custom paint finish. 

I became a little tongue tied with Thomas O'Brien , it is all me. I asked him really stupid questions, and he doesn't suffer fools like me. Anyway, silly me aside, Thomas has the best book shelves on the planet. 

Give me a Stendal break, these studly bookcases are shown in a luminous velvet, and can be done in linen, wood, paint and so on and so on. I would think they will be part of the line for eternity, but you never know. They are entirely collectible.  Thomas O'Brien does ground breaking work. If you want to collect modern American furniture, this line is for you. 

Are you seeing the distorted Georgian chair, in front of the knock out saddle leather bed? This chair is a completely original and defining concept. Collectors succeed wildly, when they purchase the first wave of an aesthetic. I would say, this chair is most collectible piece I've ever seen at market. I have had the experience of a website making the furniture look better than it really is. Hickory Chair is the opposite. 

I'm not losing my mind over this image on the website. I've seen enough "High Virginia" style to last me a lifetime. I snapped this picture in the showroom this week. 

How much prettier is this James River Breakfront done in a gray/white paint finish? It is really fun to play with the online design studio. We have all been talking about creating versatile dining areas. Especially in apartments where space is tight. The showroom has some stylish examples of library or living room dining solutions. 

Raising this sectional to dining height creates a much tighter space that multitasks as dining, workspace, reading or just relaxing. 

Love the classic Georgian table with the very cool zeb sofa and sleek leather printed modern chairs. Its all in the mix. I have gone on and on, but Hickory Chair is without a doubt the gold standard of furniture manufacturers in America. The showroom illustrates the best design in the country. On a corporate level, it is a very open and friendly place. The president, Jay Reardon even sat down and ate lunch with little me!! 

High Point trend prediction: Color will come back.

On the first day of market, Benji and I continued on our path through the Hamilton district. Hickory Chair's new space was our primary destination. Jay Reardon, president of the company, discussed his passion for making furniture in North Carolina, designed by the luminaries of home decor.  Alexa Hampton, Albert Sack, Thomas O'Brien, Mariette Himes Gomez, and Suzanne Kasler, create and define their aesthetic with the vocabulary of wood, stone, marble and fabric. We are posing with Kathleen of High Cotton.

This Alexa Hampton girl cave, is a bedroom any man would be happy to share. 

Or perhaps you'd rather take your morning coffee here? This is Suzanne Kasler's vignette.

Alexa Hampton continues the family tradition of classic elegance. What could be better than going to the source, to learn balance, harmony and color combinations. Alexa discussed inspirations for her line, and we couldn't wait to page through her new book: The Language of Interior Design.

Wesley Hall, who also manufacturers in North Carolina and creates the Bunny Williams line of furniture,   demonstrates this new, fearless use of color, in their own, beautifully proportioned line. It is a wonderful antidote to the miles of grey scale seen in InterHall. 

We love a bit of it, as it has been a welcome respite from the sea of mahogany, and brown stains that was the single paradigm for case goods for many years.

However, I predict that color is returning to the home. 

I am starting to crave clutter, colors and layers. I feel the warmth of generations in my friend's happy summer refuge. What do you think? Is the new old world of color returning?