Habersham

Featured Designer: Haleh Niroo "I instantly fell in love with Habersham’s Old World elegance." - Linda Vickers

For Linda Vickers, it was love at first sight … Visiting homes with her real estate agent in anticipation of a planned move with her husband to Potomac, MD , Linda came upon a spec home by David Niroo, Niroo Masterpieces. During her tour of the 25,000‐square‐foot home, Linda was taken with the custom kitchen that David’s wife and interior design partner Haleh Niroo, Haleh Design, Inc., had created.

Working with the custom kitchen cabinetry design team at Habersham, Haleh had fashioned a stunning space that is as fabulous as it is functional. Haleh’s choice of rich, hand‐styled finishes for the spacious island, Venetian Hearth range hood, integrated refrigeration and other cabinetry exuded an Old World look and feel that instantly captured Linda’s attention.

“She fell in love with the kitchen and when I told Linda about Habersham’s custom capabilities for other rooms in the home, including the master suite, she saw a special opportunity,” says Haleh. “The chance to create an interior design environment custom tailored to her own needs and style sensibilities was especially appealing to Linda.”

For the master dressing room, Haleh was faced with a number of challenges ‐‐ a third of the closet space was taken up by a large window and the other walls had obstacles and obstructions. Haleh’s solution – to outfit the space with wall‐ to‐wall mirrored panels and storage areas by Habersham. Framed in a soft, hand‐styled Sandemar finish , the mirrors helped to dramatically open up the small 10 ‘ x 12’ space.

“Your home should envelop you in luxury every time you step through the door. That’s especially true with the master bath,” says Haleh, pointing to the Habersham custom vanity and mirror designs she chose for the space. If you look in the mirror you’ll get a glimpse of the Habersham Bibilotheque that is also part of the master suite.

“I believe that beauty is in the details,” adds Haleh, explaining how Habersham’s finishes and custom designs provided the perfect complement to the master bath’s chandelier and ceiling mural. “I worked very closely with Linda to understand exactly how she wanted to use and enjoy this space.”

For the family room, Haleh chose Habersham’s dramatic, custom‐styled and hand‐painted Belmont TV unit as the central focal point. Habersham’s Valencia Table and Adelaide Chairs provide a casually elegant touch to the dining room.

Haleh and Linda are still working together on other parts of the home, including a “Doll Room” where Habersham cabinetry has been used to showcase Linda’s exquisite collection of antique and rare dolls.

“I love working with the Habersham line,” adds Haleh. “From the limitless custom capabilities to the versatile styles and finishes, Habersham always helps me meet and exceed my client’s expectations.”

Cheryl Nestro,
Principal,
Tutto Interiors,
www.tuttohome.com,
Northville, MI.

“I have such a passion for Habersham. From its custom capabilities to countless custom furniture and cabinetry styles to its grand scale designs, Habersham is a versatile line that blends seamlessly into virtually any setting – from traditional to contemporary to casual.”

Cheryl Nestro had no idea that a decision to renovate her small ranch home a little more than 25 years ago would ultimately launch her career. “I renovated a dump,” she laughs, “turning a ranch into a little jewel.”

This eye for design , coupled with a passion for creating beautiful home environments, would help guide her over the years as she began to build her own, interior design business ‐‐ Tutto Interiors. Tutto, which means “everything” in Italian, is indeed the perfect name for her Northville, MI business which has since evolved into a full‐service firm specializing in every aspect of home design.

{ read more }

Featured Designer: Cheryl Nestro "Habersham’s capacity for custom work is nothing short of amazing." - Cheryl Nestro

When Cheryl Nestro learned that Habersham had significantly expanded its fine furniture and cabinetry custom capabilities a little over four years ago, she knew the line was the perfect match for her newest project.    At the time, the award‐winning interior designer and owner of Michigan‐based Tutto Interiors had partnered with a local builder, the owner of Vistal Homes, to help design the interiors for his 8500‐square‐foot showcase home in Northville, MI.

“I’ve always had a passion for Habersham so I introduced the builder to the line and he loved it,” Cheryl says. “Habersham’s grand scale furnishings and stunning finishes have been the perfect fit for the larger Michigan home projects I typically work on, like this one. And, the company’s capacity for custom work helped seal the deal.”

Always up for a challenge, Cheryl started with the home’s expansive living room. “This was an oddly shaped room with all sorts of angles that were best dealt with through custom, built‐in design work,” she explains. “So I took specifications from a Habersham furniture piece I thought was stunning, did some drawings of the space and then worked with the Habersham team to redesign and modify the piece for the area around the fireplace. Habersham shipped the finished design and the builder installed it onsite.”

For the library, Cheryl chose a configuration of Habersham’s Belmont library system to work within the space. “We installed the Belmont first and then the builder followed with a lovely coffered ceiling and wall paneling to give the room a rich, built‐in look.”

Cheryl also created a striking built‐in look for the dining room with Habersham’s St. Julien Cabinet . “We literally built the room around this piece,” she explains. “The crown molding was designed to meet the crown of the cabinet. I chose the beautiful Empire Studio finish to complete the look.” As she was designing the home to reflect the style preferences and design tastes of her builder client, Cheryl worked to carry these deep, more masculine finishes through key rooms of the interior space.

The home itself is nestled along a small body of water. To complement the beautiful view from the master suite, Cheryl chose the Palm Court Media Center in the soft, Sandemar finish, to create a light, airy look. Providing the perfect contrast to the light tile and stone in the master bath, as well as a hand‐finished barreled wall concealing a stairway to a gym below, Habersham cabinetry was hand‐finished in a rich, deep Brittany tone for a stunning effect.

The home was recently sold to new homeowners who fell in love with the location, unique architectural styling and Habersham furnishings and cabinetry.“When you find someone who really loves Habersham, who understands the nuances of the line and the grand statement it can make, there’s no turning back,” adds Cheryl.

Habersham has gained a strong reputation for its unique, richly detailed finishes over the years.  And with good reason.  Calling upon a series of propriety techniques, tools and exacting standards, the company’s talented team of finishers and artists has created distinctive looks unlike anything else   in the marketplace today.

Our customers can choose  from the wide spectrum of textures and tones found within  our own family of hand-styled signature finishes, including  Connoisseur, Studio, Gallery and Essentials.  Or,  look to the vast palettes of Benjamin Moore ® and Sherwin-Williams ®, which collectively encompass more than 4,400 different colors.  From  aged, distressed influences to  simpler, cleaner styles, our artists can create the look you  seek using any  color you  desire.

“I focus on the aging aspect of the finishing process,” adds  Vivian White, whose own mother worked here for many years before Vivian joined the company five years ago.  “Creating an authentic look is key,” she adds, explaining the trimming, wiping, aging and brushing  methods she employs.  “I absolutely love this job.  We take great pride in our work and it’s so exciting to see the final results of our efforts in each finished piece.”

Also involved in the aging process, Robert Blalock uses a series of techniques and tools  to give pieces heavy antique marks that imply generations of use.  Responding to customer feedback about how much or how little distressing they want, Robert works to match their expectations.  “I won’t stop until I get it the way the customer wants it,” he adds.

“My job is to give a sense of depth to the piece,” adds Dena Savage.  With Habersham for the past four years, Dena works to stain and glaze furniture and cabinetry to meet the special requirements of each customer.

“Our finishing process has certainly evolved over the years but the attention to detail has never wavered,” observes Wanda Taylor, who has worked for the company for more than 15 years.  “We’re all part of a family here and we really care about what we do.  Customer satisfaction is key.”

Pictured (L-R): Joe Smith, assembly; Don Peck, mill manager; Keith Gilleland, assembly; Allan Manns, assembly; Zack Watson, programmer; Tim Hanley, assembly.

The Habersham custom approach gives a whole new meaning to “team-building.”

That’s because Habersham has assembled a highly skilled team of veteran woodworkers and cabinet-makers who work closely with customers to create richly detailed, hand-styled custom cabinetry that conforms to any room space or style. And, many of our handcrafted furniture designs can also be custom-tailored to meet specific size, space and style preferences. Pieces ranging from beds and dining tables to kitchen islands, media centers and bookcases, can all be custom-built to virtually any specification.

Zack Watson, who has been with the company for more than 8 years, currently serves as the CNC (computer numerical control) programmer for special and custom orders. With more than 20 years in the wood cabinetry business, Watson calls upon his extensive engineering skills and keen understanding of the intricacies of wood to program the CNC equipment to drill, carve, cut and reconfigure certain designs to exacting standards.

“I love what I do,” says Zack. “Before coming here I was involved with more mass production cabinetry. At Habersham, we spend so much time with every step of the building process. We take great pride in what we do and always try to go beyond the client’s expectations.”

From Zack’s station, the individual components move on to the panel saw, a sanding area and then to the builders. “We put the pieces together like a puzzle – hanging doors, adding hardware, glass shelves, trim and more,” explains Allan Manns, an assembler who has been with Habersham for 7 years.”We work to create the specific designs a customer has requested. So,” he laughs, “we’re not straight across the board like the more mass market furniture manufacturers. We’re all over the board.”

“Working here is a totally different ball game,” adds assembler Keith Gilleland, who came to Habersham a little over four years ago. Working in cabinetry since he was 17, Keith adds, “I had to throw out all my prior experience as we do things quite differently here. The quality of work, unique finishes, attention to detail, and finished product are 100 times better than the work I have seen from other companies.”

And it’s this attention to detail – the tight joinery, quality hardware, the solid understanding of wood itself – that makes all the difference, explains Tim Hanley, who has worked in Habersham’s assembly area for 13 years. “Wood swells and contracts so we have to be mindful of these changes when we’re working with the engineering plans for our custom designs,” he adds.

“Habersham is all about quality….things are built differently here,” adds Joe Smith, who started his wood and cabinetry career with Habersham more than seven years ago. “The company has very high standards and expects a lot from us. Since most of what we build is made-to-order, nothing is ever the same so it’s fun, challenging work.”

All Habersham Furniture Art ™ designs are hand-painted by skilled artists like Jennifer Russell. A Masters of Fine Art graduate of the University of Illinois, Jennifer first learned about Habersham when she spotted a help wanted magazine ad from the company featuring the headline, “Do it for the love. Do it for the Monet.” She traveled to the company’s North Georgia headquarters, got the job and began working on the meticulous designs and styles that are Habersham’s hallmarks.

In addition to painting Habersham’s own signature art styles, Jennifer works with clients who request slight alterations to color combinations and design motifs or have their own their own patterns or designs in mind.

“We talk to the customers to learn more about their special requests,” she explains, adding that she had just heard from one client who was so happy with a finished piece that she had to “hug her interior designer three times.” “When we please a customer, that’s what it’s all about — it’s just the most rewarding thing to hear.”

Today, Jennifer holds the position of final inspector, where she thoroughly goes over each piece to make sure it meets every client specification and all of Habersham’s exacting construction , molding, trim, hardware and finish standards.

“A lot of companies are more assembly-line driven — with individuals are doing the same thing day in and day out. Not here. There’s always a new piece coming through and every day is different,” she says. “I like challenges, pressure and using my brain. We do all of that here – every day. It’s exciting.”

With more than 25 years of experience in the wood cabinetry industry, Don Peck knows how to bring the right team together for even the most challenging custom projects.

And that’s no easy task at Habersham, where high quality, customer satisfaction and discriminating standards are job one. In his supervisory role, Don oversees every furniture and cabinetry design from the moment the order is placed until it reaches the final finishing stage. As such, he manages and organizes every step – insuring that the correct materials are available, that everyone has the right tools, and that everything stays on schedule and within budget.

“I’m a facilitator,” Don says. “I work to match the right engineers and craftsmen with each project – keeping a close eye on the nuances and unique specifications of every custom order.”

It’s a job, says Don, that he greatly enjoys. The day-to-day challenges that come with managing made-to-order design projects keeps things interesting.

“Where some furniture companies mass produce 20 of the same design, we’re set up to focus on one piece at a time. When a customer asks us to make a given design 9’ high instead of 10’, that’s no problem for us. We can quickly respond to these types of requests . That’s what makes us special.”

While many things have changed at Habersham since Danny Jones started working here more than 32 years ago, one thing, he notes, has remained the same.

“There’s always been a serious attention to detail,” Danny explains. “From the beginning we’ve always worked hard to create designs that we’re proud of, and that please our customers.”

Danny started his carving career at Habersham in the late ‘70s where his primary job was working the routers – cutting, trimming and shaping wood for the basic pieces that made up the Habersham line at that time. He watched the more experienced carvers and gradually picked up their techniques and skills. Over time, he would fine-tune these skills, adding his own flourishes and signature touches.

Working with quality hardwoods and veneers, Danny still uses the router, as well as hand grinders, sanders and other tools to create the textures, styles and patterns that have become Habersham hallmarks.

“We’re certainly doing much more custom work today,” he adds. “Projects come to me with very specific requests and I work hard to get each piece right – to make sure it meets Habersham’s tough quality standards, and more importantly, the customer’s high expectations.”

Our new home is coming along beautifully. I have
my eye on Habersham’s gorgeous custom kitchens, butler’s
pantrys and dressing rooms. They are the very best that’s
out there, and I’m dreaming BIG! Here’s their Michelle’s Dressing
Table that especially like, too: