The Art of Furniture

At Charleston Forge, we are best known for our furniture. Our bakers racks, our dining tables, our drink tables, our swivel counter stools and chairs... even our beds which have had the pleasure of gracing the bedrooms of some of the top celebrities. However, what many don't realize is that we cater to a whole range of needs.

The Town of Boone, NC commissioned us a few years back to create street signs that looked classic, and remained sturdy (hey, it's what we're known for,) but also fit the small town feel of this quaint little place that has made it to so many "Best of..." lists (most recently being listed as number 4 on Forbes list of Fastest-Growing Small Towns.) We were more than happy to be a part of this project for this town were we live, work and play. Since that time, we have created signs for other main street areas in other states. 

In addition, we have recently been a part of furnishing brand new upscale hotels, building lighting systems and a huge wine rack  (which covers an entire wall) in a soon to open restaurant in Uptown Charlotte. We are in the process of creating table bases for a major golf course here in the south (stay tuned for that story within the next few weeks,) and although it's not something we do on a daily basis, we did design and create some beautiful banisters for an outdoor stone patio and entertainment area at a clients home. They could have gone with someone else, but they wanted our quality and our style along with our craftsmanship . We are so much more than furniture (although it is something we're great at.)

Downtown Boone, NC

While I do my best as a writer to convey the idea of what we do here at Charleston Forge, illustrate what we see and hear, show you the process of how our furniture comes to be, sometimes, its just better to see what we do. So while this video is quite a few years old, it tells the story and shows the process of what we do, how we're made, and what we believe. Enjoy!

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So many furniture manufacturers are located in areas of the country like Upstate New York, and Hickory or High Point, NC (the furniture capital of the world,) yet we are one of the few who are not. Instead we call the mountains of NC home.  The area is the home of magnificent views, such as those from Grandfather Mountain, and the often-photographed Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Home to all kinds of artisans and craftspeople, some of whom focus on tiny details when creating lovely jewelry; while others follow family traditions when building delightful handcrafted mirrors or hand wrapped traditional wedding brooms.

Boone, Blowing Rock, and the surrounding areas are steeped in history and beauty. The winters bring fluffy white snow (often just in time for the Holidays,) decorating the mountains and valleys in a white silence. The spring and summers are lush and green, full of life with beautiful light streaming through the trees, the temperature rarely rising above a comfortable 78 degrees; and the area during the fall is one of the most spectacular places in the country to see the changing of the leaves. Bright oranges, yellows and reds stretch for miles, creating a splendid golden hue, especially during the hours of sunrise and sunset, where one can just bathe in the warmth of the golden light, while cuddling up to a loved one with a favorite oversized sweater and cup of rich hot chocolate, warding off the crisp cool nip in the fall air.

Quaint little downtown areas welcome shoppers and diners, the stores catering to a wide array of visitors, yet very few sell by corporate names or product.  During a weekend visit to the area, a shopper can pick up a cute little metal knickknack creature, with charming buggy eyes, sweetly named “doodlebug” (a fond childhood nickname) as a gift for their mother, or a scenic canvas by a local artist whose talent recorded the splendor that is the area. They can dine at a restaurant whose menu changes day to day, only serving gourmet dishes made from local seasonal items, and then attend a winery for a “grown in the High Country” wine tasting. They can take a day hike to a beautiful waterfall, or an afternoon drive armed with a picnic basket filled with delicious local meats, cheeses, wine, and skillfully hand decorated, made from scratch cupcakes.  They can ride on horseback and tour the trails and mountains, and during the warm summer evenings, catch a show by a community theater production.

While Boone and the High Country does not have the amount of steel, concrete, shopping malls and name brands that cities like New York, Atlanta, Dallas or even Charlotte does, it does not lack in culture or beauty. There is far less traffic and far more nature, far fewer crowds and far more distinct seasons.  The area cradles our craft, our design and our people, nurturing its growth while reminding each of us to enjoy the beauty set out in front of us, rich and radiant.  We’ve never found a place we’d be happier to call home.

Tara Jackson          

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