Take a moment to reflect on what is the first thing that strikes you when you walk into a building. Even more poignantly, take a moment to consider what is the first thing you notice, or feel, when you enter a room since a room is bound to be more intimate than an entryway or a commercial building.
There are any number of things that you might have thought, and your impressions may even have changed if you gave the thought some time to develop. You might have mentioned something like the predominant color scheme of the setting or the paints that were used on the walls. The innate nature of the architecture of the room will also color the spirit of a place.
Then again, you might have thought of things such as the decor or the theme of the decor of the setting. What hangings were present on the walls, what pictures were displayed, and any other types of interior decoration that were present all will have had an effect on your perception of the spirit of a locus. You might even have thought of the impact that the effect of natural lighting could have on a location. The number and size of windows will impact the ‘feel’ of a setting as much as the light they offer, and at what times they offer it.
Anything beyond this is going to get into a very fine layer of detail; and it is certainly true that each of these things will deeply color the emotional presentation of a setting. The color scheme and painting of the walls and ceiling of a room will give it a certain immutable character. The same could be said of the shape and depth of the room, of the lighting, and of the prevailing interior decor.
There is one thing, however, that is missing in this assessment, and we’re sure it’s one that at least a few of you reading this will have thought of by this point. What’s missing from this assessment is the impact that furnishings can have on the feeling of a setting, and it is an undeniable one at that.
Furniture can be set up to give a setting an innate feeling of richness or class. Think of a room that you have seen graced with ornately decorated rococo carvings in wood, with rich, dark furniture that gave a feeling of elegance and splendor. Now consider a room that was sparsely furnished, and with items of furniture that were poorly matched to each other.
There is a definite disconnect between these two settings, and though the emotional effect produced will vary by the individual, it is not something that can be written off. The fact is that furnishings can have a great impact on a setting and the furniture you choose can add to, or detract from, your home.
For that reason, it is important to take a step back and account for the plan of your interior design before you proceed with providing furnishings for your home. In this article we’re going to take a look at one of our most distinguished lines of furniture, being Leathercraft Furniture, as well as what defines their excellence and what they can do for your home.
Rich History
Interestingly enough, once you become familiar with Leathercraft furniture, its elegant, even regal presence will overshadow the import of the company’s rich history. Even so, Leathercraft does have a long, rich history, and one that deserves recognition.
For more than 50 years, Leathercraft has been defining and redefining what it means to wholly create the finest leather upholstered furniture in the entire world. The company has, for the duration of its lifetime, operated from the Western Highlands of North Carolina, which boasts of a colorful heritage of skilled craftsmen and tradesmen.
Their dedication to their craft has enabled them to improve, even perfect practices associated with their craft. From the hardwood frames that make up the skeletons of their furniture to the finish of the leathers they use to complete it and even the metal hardware that serves both as finish and accent, they have committed themselves to their livelihood.
With a half of a century invested in any craft, furniture making, or otherwise, there comes a skill that cannot be imitated. That experience is the driving force behind their underlying quality, and it is that experience that has enabled them to provide the highest quality and levels of customer service for which they are so widely revered.
High Standards
Leathercraft furniture is not only respected for its long and storied tale of success but objectively for the peerless pieces of finished furniture they produce. Each and every one of their sofas, sectionals, chairs, recliners, and ottomans are made to a level of quality that simply cannot be matched by the competition.
The quality stretches far beyond the raw material that they put into its construction (and on which we will take a focus shortly). It goes into the making of the very bones of the piece. Each piece of furniture is carefully manufactured and inspected to be representative of the quality that they can be proud to associate with their name.
Only then do their craftsmen finish the piece with select leather upholstery and metal fittings and call it complete. As far as their vision on quality is concerned, they believe more in the value of the finished piece than in the efficiency that can be realized in creating it. To paraphrase their very own words, they believe it is better to waste a little time and material in order to end up with art than to sacrifice quality in the name of a short term profit. In other words, they recognize that art takes skill, dedication, and time.
Access to Stock from All Over the World
A large part of the high quality that comes along with Leathercraft designs is vested in the selection of premium leathers that they use to decorate and upholster their pieces. Their craftsmen have access to leather from all over the world and use only the highest grades available for their use.
They also make it a point to define what quality it; whereas many upholsterers and leather craftsmen make it a point to ‘erase’ blemishes from their leathercraft, the craftsmanship at Leathercraft believes in the natural beauty of full-grain leather, and in the inestimable quality that accompanies it.
In their view, full-grain leather that bears the marks of the hide; scars, bites, scrapes, and folds, is leather the way leather should be. Meaning it should look like itself and not as a cheap imitation of itself. It’s similar to how a real diamond is treasured for its minute imperfections whereas cubic zirconia is cheapened by their absence.
Distinguished Pieces
This all comes together to endow Leathercraft Furniture with a rich, classical feel that just can’t be found in most of the competition if it can be found at all. It would be quite enough if Leathercraft made furniture only according to the vision of its craftsmen, but there is something else that lends a touch of distinguishing class to its pieces; the fact that there are so many of them, nearly customized to customers tastes.
Even a quick look through a collection of Leathercraft designs will yield up a wealth of opportunities for design. You can capitalize on the raw natural beauty of one of their sofas and build your interior design around it, or you can assimilate one of their chairs into the existing design of a setting.
This becomes easier once you realize how many options are at your disposal, not only in terms of leather color but in finish and metal accent, even in the finish of the exposed wood in their designs. They offer such a depth and breadth of offerings that there seems like an infinity of possibility, all contained within the seemingly limited scope of seating.
Check out our collection of Leathercraft if you’re interested in seeing what kind of class their leather furniture can offer your living room, parlor, family room, or any other room in your home. When you see how much they have to offer, there won’t be any doubt left in your mind about the significant impact their furnishings can have on the spirit of your interior design.
Part of Our Collection
Leathercraft makes up a distinguished portion of our highly esteemed portfolio of furniture in wood, leather, and metal, but it is only a part. There are situations in which their furniture would make the perfect touch for some setting in your home but in order to determine that you need to take a step back and evaluate your vision for design. You also need to become familiar with the other designs that are out there at your disposal to make the vision a reality.
In our catalog, you will find a rich listing of designs by Leathercraft, but you will also find a portfolio of selections representing our rich catalog of other famous names in furniture. In our catalog and in our showroom you will find examples of Copeland Furniture, Charleston Forge and Hubbardton Forge, Berlin Gardens and Luxcraft Furniture, CR Laine, Thayer Coggin, and even Wesley Hall Furniture. Whether you appreciate the classic look of care, beautifully finished hardwood, or the comfort and regal character of bright, burnished leather, you can find a look to satisfy your vision here at Ohio Hardwood Furniture.
Our Own Line
We are also proud to produce our own line of hardwood furniture from sustainably sourced and harvested hardwood stock. Our designs are different from anything else you’ll see; we never cut corners and we place quality on the highest possible pedestal. All of our hardwood furniture is completely benchmade, carefully inspected at each stage of production, and finished by hand as well.
In addition, we give our customers the choice to customize the furniture they order from us in terms of wood, size, and even stain. Customer service takes just as much a priority as the production of our furniture and is the cornerstone of our business.
Care for the Environment
Not only is our furniture produced to a peerless level of quality, but our practices are intended to be sustainable and to benefit the earth as well as they benefit us. As mentioned, all of our hardwood furniture is crafted from sustainably sourced and harvested hardwood stock, from forests that are allowed to mature in long rotations. In some instances, we allow our stock to mature for up to 30 years before harvest.
In addition, we don’t waste any of the by-products of our processes. We use cuttings and ends as fuel for stoves and fireplaces, we save chips to make mulch and we even create bedding from the sawdust we produce. Nothing goes to waste and everything is used; saving us money, and just plain saving the environment.
Visit Our Showroom!
While you can definitely get an impression of the character of some of our offerings for Leathercraft and our own shop through our online store, we’d definitely love the opportunity to meet you face to face. There are some things about furniture that just can’t be ascertained from a picture, just like how you need to take a car out for a test drive before you make the commitment to buy one. To do that, you need to see, feel, even sit in the furniture so you know what it’s really all about.
That’s just one of the reasons you should take some time to visit our showroom in Peninsula, Ohio. It’s a bit out of the way, but like all things in life worth discovering, it’s worth going the extra distance. Give us a call at 330-657-2095 if you have any questions or want to arrange for a visit.
In the meantime, take a look through our catalog of Leathercraft furniture via the link listed above so you can get an impression of what appeals to you. Don’t miss a chance to check out our other collections, and if you have any questions, give us a call!