by Juanita | Nov 1, 2024 | Ava Lee's History Corner, buffet, Chair, customer experience, Customization, George's Furniture, Georges Difference, Tables, Wedding Registry
We never know how our customers first discover the exceptional quality at Georges Furniture. Is it through a friend, craft shows, website, picking up a brochure in Lancaster County or PA visitor centers?
“Tripped” over a Table”
Tom and Teresa will not forget their experience for a long time. They were attending a craft show at Gaithersburg, Maryland. The fairgrounds included multiple buildings and outside horse stalls and barns. Tom recalls walking through the various craft vendors, distracted by the individual crafts. In one crowded building, the crowds parted slightly, and he “tripped” over a small dining table extending to a massively long table that could hold his ENTIRE family. And what beauty. The grain lured him in, and he had to touch it to see the authenticity.
Extendibility
Tom and Teresa were looking for a long table that could hold their growing family. Until finding the exceptional quality and versatility of this extension table, they did not know if their desired table style even existed. Here was a table designed to fit whatever length they needed. The excitement mounted. Custom made Furniture with such outstanding craftsmanship.
Exceptional Craftsmanship
They were so impressed with the quality of craftsmanship, length adjustability and the customization, that they ordered it right on the spot. After spending some time on all the details- leg style, edge style, wood, size, number of leaves, deluxe leaf storage cabinet and 4 chairs-they placed a deposit, and the anticipation began. Several months later, a beautiful dining set arrived. The dining table serves the family very well after all these years.
Wood Shop Visit
6 years later, they made the 2-hour trip to see the woodshop in Lancaster County. Their perception of quality grew as they saw the precision and detail each craftsman puts into each piece they make. From picking the wood to building the furniture, putting on hardware, to signing and dating, the craftsmanship exceeds expectations.
I fell in love with the table. Every time I see the table in my house, I fall in love all over again. – Teresa.
Tom remodels houses for a living and understands woodworking and the skill of making solid hardwood furniture. He respects the craftsmanship.
Future Plans
This time they have their eyes on a long buffet and console hall table. The black stain coupled with the walnut blend, use of natural dark and light color of walnut, captures the desire for natural beauty. In the future a bedroom suite is next.
It is dangerous to find such quality handcrafted furniture.
You look at furniture a whole new way.
Visit our showroom and woodworking shop to see the quality found by so many satisfied customers.
by Juanita | Jul 16, 2024 | Ava Lee's History Corner, customer experience, Customization, George's Furniture, Georges Difference, Hutch, Tables
Jim and Barb had some large walnut trees on their property. They were covered with wild grape vines stunting their growth and yielded less light sap wood. The trees needed to be taken down to clear the brush for their new house. Jim decided to have the trees cut into boards in hope to have some furniture made in the future. He put sticks between the layers of wood so that the boards could dry and stored the boards in barn.
Natural Grain Catches the Eye
During Labor Day weekend, Jim and Barb were browsing some local artists at a craft show, Heart of Lancaster, in Manheim at Roots Country Market. Something caught their eye -what beautiful grain. Immediately they recognized the black walnut grain, however instead of using just the typical brown heart wood, this artist was using the lighter blond sap wood as well. The beauty drew them in. They just had to touch it. The table was not just beautiful, but it also had real water sitting on top of it. What? Why would someone leave a wet glass of water on the table. Something was wrong.
NO More Water Marks
Walnut Blend on Table with clear water resistant finish repelling water.
Nothing was wrong. This was a water demonstration showing how the catalyzed finish was preventing the water from being trapped under the finish. But that was not all that caught their attention. This small almost square table could extend to hold all their family for the holiday gatherings. No one had to sit at the “kids” table anymore.
Made from Customers Wood
They were sold. The wheels started turning in Jim’s head. He had some dried walnut lumber stored in the barn. “I wonder if I could use my wood to have my dining room set made. -Jim He had considered using the wood for a grandfather’s clock but when he saw this extending table he knew a dining table set was a much better use for the wood. George used Jim’s wood and supplemented with the missing thicknesses of wood needed to complete the table.
Personal Attention to detail
They worked with the design team at Georges to finalize all the unique details for their dining table set including a hutch. What leg style, edge, shape, color combination- black stain and natural walnut- hardware and table/ hutch size. The craftsmen used as much of Jim’s dried lumber and supplemented with wood thicknesses not available in his wood. What a blessing to know that the wood from their property was preserved in their new dining table, chairs and hutch.
Each holiday the Landis’ enjoy gathering the family around their walnut table, knowing that they don’t need to worry about water ruining their table. When the family goes home, the table leaves return to the beautiful leaf storage cabinet and the table is a nice size for two or four people.
See for yourself!
We invite you to visit our showroom and wood shop, browse the quality furniture and let the imagine run to see what new piece meets your needs like the Landis family experienced. Or come to a craft show near you. See our upcoming show schedule listed on our website.
by Juanita | May 18, 2024 | Ava Lee's History Corner, Coffee End Table, customer experience, Customization, Entertainment Centers, Georges Difference, Rocking Chairs, RV accessories, RV Furniture
What happens when it comes time to downsizing?
Moving from a large house to a smaller house requires many decisions. What should I keep and what things to pass on. The downsizing challenge brought Don and Sue back to Georges Furniture after many years of enjoying their furniture made by George.
It is hard to pinpoint exactly how Don and Sue first came to Georges Woodcrafts in the 1990’s. Maybe a friend told them about Georges. However it happened, they are glad to find such quality furniture. Their first item uniquely designed was a stereo cabinet. Don had drawn up a sketch with specific dimensions for his stereo cabinet. Georges confirmed the sketch that included 4 drawers and an adjustable shelf, clarifying the small details needed to build it out of solid hardwood. Building with solid hardwood – not plywood or other processed material- requires designs that allow for the wood expansion and contraction. They picked out the wood and stain and gave a deposit to start the building process.
New Design Discovered
In 1992 they were back with another request for a coffee and end table set. They remember asking George for an oval coffee table. Georges said, “Yes I can do that”. Next, they asked for a shelf under the table. “Humm,” George hesitated, “I will have to think about that.” After several minutes of designing the table in his head, he said, “I think I can do that, I have never designed a oval coffee table that way.”
The coffee table set was made and delivered by George. George joyfully brought the newly designed table into the Lewis’ house. “This ready turned out very nice,” George commented. “May I take a picture of your table. This is my first oval coffee table with a shelf.” (See the picture in the Lewis’ living room.)
Non Tipping Rocker
During a visit to George’s showroom and woodshop tour, Don and Sue remember hearing about an amazing rocking chair that did not tip over. George urged them to try it. They did and what an amazing “ride”. It leaned way back but did not tip over. Now the rocking chair is the most fought after piece in the living room.
“I was so impressed with the workmanship where the person who built that particular piece signs and dates it.” –Sue
Recently the Lewis family came back looking for furniture because they are downsizing and moving to a retirement community. Their old house had a nice entertainment center with just one problem. It is built into the house. They sat down with Anthony to discuss their ideas for a new entertainment center for their new apartment. From the dimensions of individual components to the size of the TV and drawer space.
Custom made from 100% solid hardwood. Yes, signed and dated by one craftsman.
Come and see for yourself what the Lewis’ discovered at Georges Furniture. Take the time to see the craftsmen creating masterpieces and browse the two showrooms. You will never look at furniture the same.
by Juanita | Feb 3, 2024 | Ava Lee's History Corner, customer experience, Tables
We first discovered quality furniture in the small town of Elizabethtown in the early 1970’s. We met Mahlon, the salesperson who showed us a beautiful trestle table made from air dried black walnut. The grain was stunning. We bought a walnut trestle table with two chairs and a bench. George even signed the table for us. The furniture was made and signed by one craftsman.
Years later when the showroom moved to Marietta, PA, we visited the woodshop, where we could see the craftsmen making the furniture. We were looking for a small plate rack for my wife. After learning what we wanted, George got permission from his wife come into their private house and see the plate rack he made for her. His wife agreed to allow us to have a plate rack identical to his wife’s made for us. This was a gift for our wedding anniversary. George only made two plate racks. One for Ava Lee and the second for us. We felt special to have such customized attention.
Meadow Brook Farmers Market
Later we found Georges at Meadow Brook Farmers Market, Leola, PA. Mahlon again greeted us and we ordered their amazing 5 legged extension table, 6 chairs in Walnut along with 4 extra table leaves. Much later, we ordered 4 more chairs as our family grew.
We visited George’s Furniture many times over the numerous years. They keep adding new furniture and styles. We have so many good memories of visiting with Mahlon and ordering from George’s Furniture. We feel like family and have furniture that reminds us daily of the quality we found so many years ago.
Quality lasts forever
Even though we were only in our early twenties and recently married when we began our wonderful journey, we still love our furniture. It is quality that keeps on giving. Now we have been married 52 years and still enjoy all the pieces of furniture we have bought thru the years. Keep the quality coming Georges.
Discover amazing quality
Come and discover the quality that Joy and her husband found so many years ago. Over 53 years of building quality custom handcrafted furniture. Tour the showrooms and woodshop and begin to create your new living space furnished with quality furniture that keeps on giving.
by Juanita | Jan 9, 2024 | Coffee End Table, customer experience, Customization, George's Furniture, Hutch, Tables
The search for quality hardwood furniture is hard in the culture we live in. A lot of furniture is manufactured in other countries with cheap materials and labor, made to mimic quality and advertised as quality solid wood furniture. “Solid wood?” Furniture is often made from ground up wood and glued together, covered by a thin veneer to show the grain, and considered a “solid wood”. Solid wood is wood, cut into thick boards straight from the tree, dried properly which, in the end, will allow the wood to have a slow expansion and contraction as it adjusts to the air around it.
Beautiful Wood Grain
Joanne first saw the beautiful grain of black walnut at the Kutztown Folk Festival in 2017 and fell in love with the natural grain and quality of constructed extension tables, handcrafted by Georges Furniture. She worked with Chris to design a dropleaf coffee table and two nesting end tables to complete her living room.
Where it is made
Later, she made the drive to Lancaster County and visited our woodshop where she met the craftsman who made her coffee table. We gave her a tour of our woodshop, where she learned how the craftsmen build the furniture from start to finish, even picking out the wood to create masterful grain pictures. In the end, the craftsman signs the finished piece of furniture which is also dated and stamped with our business name. She loved the furniture even more after understanding the building process and craftsman’s attention to detail. She understood the importance of drying the wood during a previous experience with refinishing the wood flooring in her house.
“I saw the dining room table and was amazed at the quality and craftsmanship. Once I saw the table in action, I was convinced that I found my table.” -Joanne
Joanne couldn’t forget the quality she found and gathered her friends together to visit George’s Furniture at the Sugarloaf Craft festival in Edison, NJ in 2018. She loved the walnut blend grain (a combination of the light blond sapwood and the dark brown heartwood) so much she ordered a 60×42 extension table with 6 chairs and the leaf storage cabinet next. Each Thanksgiving Joanne gathers the relatives together and fills the table. She often swaps around the table leaves so that she can enjoy the different designs using the natural wood grain.
Craft Show Following
Whether it is in Edison, NJ, Kutztown or Marietta, PA, Joanne loves seeing George’s furniture and dreaming of the next piece for her home. She keeps track of where we will be showing our furniture next in our monthly newsletters and on the events page of our website. Come and discover what Joanne found and where her dream began. Visit our two showrooms and tour the woodshop where the magic happens where quality heirlooms are signed, dated, and delivered to your home
