Georges Difference – Why shop handmade furniture York Lancaster

Georges Difference – Why shop handmade furniture York Lancaster

You’ve surfed the web hours on end, looking for quality handcrafted solid wood furniture. Countless articles and pages from numerous furniture companies across the country use similar terms such as handcrafted furniture, hardwood construction, and custom build. Companies make bold claims that their furniture is the best. But it begs the question.

What makes their furniture the best? How does their furniture differ from competitors’, or even what makes good furniture? These are excellent questions. There are many aspects portraying the world of furniture that contribute to a piece being truly outstanding.

At Georges Furniture, we don’t aim to meet the regular standards for constructing furniture. We strive to rise above and beyond in our manufacture of excellence and quality.

In the following paragraphs, you will learn about the numerous ways we take our game to the next level.

Dining Table to Fit any number of parties

If you have a large family, extension tables are a familiar term. As the name insinuates, it extends, allowing you to seat more members of the family so everyone can partake in a wonderful meal. Many tables extend to fit two or three leaves, but this limitation leaves much to be desired. That’s why we make our tables to extend to fit anywhere from six to sixteen leaves to accommodate even the largest dining rooms.

Where to store all those solid wood leavesdeluxe 6 leaf storage cabinet

Now, it is common knowledge to those who own extensions tables that storage for these wooden table leaves is a necessity. Many resort to slipping them beneath beds or stuffing them into cramped closets, but for solid hardwood leaves, these conditions are not ideal. What is uncommon knowledge is that wooden boards need to breath. Wooden leaves breath to regulate their moisture levels and prevent mold from setting into the grain. As an added layer of protection against excess moisture, we always coat both sides of the leave with a catalyzed conversion varnish. Furthermore, it is best to store leaves upright to prevent bowing and warping from gravity’s pull.  Read More.

Leaf Storage Solution

In the early stages of extension table development, the issue of leaf storage quickly rose to the forefront of our minds. Some manufacturers even built storage areas within the table itself, but that kind of storage is limited. Instead, we took what we knew about proper leaf care and, after testing different prototypes, landed on a revolutionary piece of furniture so unique that it created a category of its own. The leaf storage. We designed this new piece of furniture to meet every requirement set in front of us.  See the storage options.

no water marks durable finish dining room table furniture store in lancaster

Walnut Blend on Table with clear water resistant finish repelling water.

No More Water Marks

If you’ve ever accidently left your glass of water on your coffee table without a coaster, you understand the frustration of lifting the glass and finding a watermark stained on the wooden surface. You promise you won’t forget the coaster next time, but what if I told you remembering a coaster wasn’t necessary? With our furniture, it isn’t. We finish every piece of furniture with a water-resistant catalyzed conversion varnish to protect the grain from the marring effects of watermarks. Inside and out, front and back, even the parts unseen are protected against hard use and floods of water.

100% Solid Hardwood – No waste

Are you tired of searching for quality furniture, only to find most pieces include particle board or plywood in their construction? With our furniture, this is never an issue. We use solid hardwood in every inch of our furniture. Even scraps left over from the furniture making process are chopped up and fed into our furnace to heat our slow, air-drying kiln, enabling us to preserve the richness of our Black Walnut wood. The furnace also heats the woodshop, providing a comfortable atmosphere for our craftsmen.

Moving Chairs

Chairs take the prize for being the most used piece of furniture in your household. Whether you’re enjoying a meal around the kitchen table, working on math homework, or reaching for the cookie jar on the top shelf, the first thing you search for to aid your plight is a sturdy chair. No matter what your daily lifestyle looks like, you depend on chairs more than you realize. To ensure our chairs meet expectations, we make our chair rungs with eight sides. The eight-sided rung design is stronger and lasts longer than the more commonly available turned rungs. Each rung is precision sanded and properly sized to fit into a thick seat. So, the next time your guest leans back in their chair, you can enjoy the meal knowing you won’t be reaching for the wood glue for unexpected repairs.  We even designed stackable chairs for ease of storage.

Guaranteed Authentic Quality – Signed and Dated

We’ve talked a lot about quality, but how can we guarantee it? Many companies nowadays make useeach custom furniture is signed by craftsman who made it from start to finish craftsman's signature constructed in lancaster county furniture store of assembly lines to manufacture their product at the fastest rate possible. While this technique is great for efficiency, it often has its drawbacks. One of which is the downgrade of quality. We don’t believe in assembly lines where every person has one job and one job only. Each of our expert craftsman construct a piece from start to finish, paying close attention to every detail. Once finished, they pen their signature and the date of completion on a concealed section of the piece. You can rest assured that the piece you commissioned from us is of the highest quality possible.

care for solid wood furnitureSpace Saving Solid Hardwood Drawers

Drawers are a necessity included in nearly every piece of solid wood furniture, but have you ever pulled the drawer out to find an abundance of space behind it, unused and empty? That space is prime real-estate that you could be using, plus it quickly becomes a black hole, stealing your clothing to be lost for an eternity behind your drawers.

At Georges, you’ll never have to worry about unused space. Every drawer we make fills the space perfectly, giving you the most storage possible for that extra blanket, another pair of socks, or maybe even that candy you’ve been hiding from the kids since Easter.  Even the bottoms of the drawers are 100% solid hardwood matching the outside of the cabinet. Whether drawers are in a dresser, nightstand, armoire, hall table, hutch or chest of drawers, the drawers will serve with strong heavy-duty full extension hardware for decades to come.

No Creaky BedsBed slats to support Queen and King Beds

Looking for a bed that’s truly one of a kind? Our custom designed handmade bed rooms are just what you need to take your sleep to the next level! Made from the finest solid hardwood and featuring strong hardware and bed slats, these beds are built to last a lifetime.

Remember those creaky sounds of the bed rails and floor boards as you try to quietly sneak out to the bathroom at midnight.  How about that new king or queen mattress that requires extra support for their warranty to be maintained. Georges uses strong bed rail hardware to secure the solid wood side rails into the headboard and footboard.  Two strong metal hooks feed into a metal plate giving the bed rail a secure fit.  Each of the under bed slats are made out of strong oak 1 inch think boards. The king and queen beds slats have a center support leg to hold the weight of a large mattresses. Explore our bedroom gallery.

Functional Cove Crowns

Hutches stand proudly as a signature piece in the dinning room. They often display delicate pieces of fine China or store your fancy plates for special occasions. These mammoths of the furniture community are also known for their noble stature and royal crowns. To most manufacturers, the coved crown, the top rim of the hutch, is simply a novelty. It adds decoration to enhance the furniture’s appearance.

The crown extends above the top of the hutch, leaving a ton of unused space to collect dust. In contrast, George’s crowns are functional.  We never leave valuable space vacant. The roofs of our hutches extend all the way to the top of the crown, giving you more functional storage within the piece to use at your pleasure. Read more.

Custom Design

We take pride in creating unique and beautiful furniture pieces that are tailored to your individual style and needs. Our skilled designers work closely with you to design and craft custom solid wood furniture. From rustic to modern styles, we bring your vision to life with exceptional attention to detail and craftsmanship. Our custom handcrafted furniture is not only beautiful but also functional, practical, and long-lasting. Whether you’re looking for a statement piece for your living room, entertainment suite or a custom dining table for your home, our team is dedicated to delivering a personalized experience that exceeds your expectations.

Easy Access Side Doors

Another neat aspect, specific to our curio cabinets, is the inclusion of side doors. While other companies build cabinets with only front facing doors.  The side doors incorporated into our builds enable a painless installment of the shelves, relieving you of the awkward battle to insert them from the front. The side doors also make it easier to display your large collectibles that never seem to fit through any opening. As an added bonus, our shelves also come with precut plate grooves, perfect for displaying your favorite platters.

Choosing the Right Office Furniture

The shift from going to work or working from home has changed over the years. What are some items to consider when creating a functional space for home office or an executive suite. First measure your space. What size will best fit best with space to move around. Next plan for growth. Will you entertain clients or small meetings? Ergonomics and budget are valuable considerations. Each piece of office furniture is designed to fit the space and style while enduring years of hard use.

How to Clean & Care for Your Solid Wood Furniture

The finish used on all of Georges Furniture is a durable, catalyzed conversion varnish and the best we have found. No need for Coasters and a complete table cloth to cover and protect the table.walnut blend extension table

  • Weekly Care – Use a damp cloth to wipe off the furniture. Use of duster spray is ok: however, avoid sprays that contain wax because they may cause undesirable build-up to form on the finish.
  • Occasional Special Care – When you polish your solid wood furniture, or want to remove fingerprints, use a good grade furniture polish. We use Old English Lemon Oil. Guardsman is also good.
  • See what things to avoid and what to do for dents and scratches. Here.

Lets Review

Why George’s solid wood furniture stands out among other furniture. Each craftsman signs and dates your custom made 100% solid hardwood heirloom furniture.  Each is protected with a clear water-resistant conversion varnish. Be mesmerized by the natural grain of the ever growing extension table. Each table is designed to meet your everyday table size, 4-6 people and extends up to 12 feet, even to 21 feet. Store the desired number of table leaves in a leaf storage cabinet for the next dinner party. Lively conversation will continue into the night while sitting on strong comfortable chairs. Our chairs are made to withstand even leaning back in the chair.

Georges hutches, dressers and all cabinets contain solid hardwood drawers – even the bottoms – and strong full extension drawer hardware. The cabinet tops extend all the way to the top of the crown and can have easy access sided doors. Strong bed rails prevent squeaky beds and footed slats support the mattress extending its life.

Desks and office suites provide custom designs with long extension Walnut Raised Panel desk handcrafted in Lancaster county, pafile drawers, adjustable shelves and raised paneled sides. Surround your office with natural wood desks, bookcases, conference tables and filing cabinets.

See for Yourself

Come and explore a wood shop tour where solid wood furniture is made the old fashion way by hand, crafted by one craftsman. The furniture is custom made to your specifications, with 100% solid hard wood. Be amazed by the ability to share your unique ideas with talented designers and see your dreams come true.  Enjoy years of quality as the natural grains of walnut, cherry oak and maple hardwood furniture serve and endure the rigors of home life. Our showrooms and woodworking shop display solid handmade heirlooms for browsing.  Explore George’s difference in construction and protection of natural hardwood furniture. In the meantime, see for yourself by watching our wood shop in action.  YouTube channel  Our customer reviews.

Return for More Quality

Return for More Quality

Gambinos recently came back to custom design a small server to aid in serving their guests during family gatherings. During their recent visit we asked, “How did you first find out about us and our showroom of handmade furniture.” Frank was eager to share.

Trying to Find Quality

For years as a kid, Frank came with his family to Lancaster County to enjoy the unique experiences the county has to offer. Frank and Louisa began their search for a dining table set around the Staten Island area.  All they found was high prices for such poor quality. Frustrated they asked friends and family for suggestions of where else to look.  His father remembered Lancaster County and the quality craftsmanship that Lancaster is known to produce.

B&B Inn Keeper Recommendation

Frank and Louisa spent 4 days in Lancaster, exploring the numerous options. At breakfast one morning, the B&B Inn keepers, Ann and Janice of Kings Cottage Inn shared their knowledge of the furniture stores in Lancaster County.

“Looking for furniture? You must go to Georges Furniture. It’s our favorite custom handcrafted furniture maker.”

Thrilled with the recommendation, the Gambinos found Georges Furniture. A small woodshop, nestled in the countryside on the west side of Lancaster County. Ann and Janice are their “go to” resource for recommendations when looking for places to shop in Lancaster County – Best place for quilts, furniture, and antiques, often places away from the busy tourist area in the quiet farmland.

Abundant Options

After discussing the many options Offered at Georges, their heads were spinning with the ability to create a table set made the exact size, quality and look they wanted. Louisa could not wait to receive the table set and seat everyone around one table. The table fit their space, one that started at 6 feet when closed and extended to 14 feet.  Today, their family has already exceeded the length of the table. However, the room size is also limited.

Long Rolling Pin

Another unique purchase was a long rolling pin. Louisa enjoys making homemade bread, a recipe that her father brought from Italy and a family tradition. The 32” rolling pin works hard, especially around the holidays when Louisa makes 3 batches of bread for her growing family.

Georges Difference

Frank remembers weighing the differences between another furniture store and George’s. Several positives that sold them on George’s Furniture is that George’s delivers their furniture to their Staten Island home. You can also see where the furniture is made and meet the craftsman at the same location as the furniture store. Chris delivered the large 72×48, 5 leg extension table, 8 table leaves, finished leaf storage and 8 chairs, the legs of the table needed to be removed so that the table could get into the house.

The guests amazed by small details.each custom furniture is signed by craftsman who made it from start to finish craftsman's signature constructed in lancaster county furniture store

As a recent guest helped Frank and Louisa put the 8 table leaves back in the lovely wooden leaf holder, they noticed Georges Furniture’s branding logo, craftsman’s signature, date, and stain number on the top section of the center table leg.

“Wow you don’t see the craftsman’s signature, business logo, and date on furniture.”

Each piece of furniture is made by one craftsman and the signature is found on the inside of the right-side drawer, the back of cabinet, top of center table legs or under the seat of a dining chair.

Take the recommendation from the Gambino’s and explore what quality, handcrafted, made your way furniture looks like in your home. See the craftsmen taking special care to make it the right way. Share your ideas with our expert designers at our showroom in Lancaster County, PA

Commemorate Special Events

Commemorate Special Events

Commemorate special events

A great way to commemorate special events like anniversaries, birthday, graduation, baby firsts, marriage is to purchase a unique item that endure for remembrance. This is the custom of Don and Sandy Sickler. They were first introduced to Georges on their journey to Nissley’s Vineyard in 1989. Nissley’s Vineyard shares the same road and Georges hand engraved sign peaked the Sickler’s interest. They stopped and enjoyed a personal tour of the wood working shop with George as he shared his abundant knowledge of woodworking with them. After the tour the Sickler’s looked at furniture with fresh eyes.

Son’s Birth – Rockernon tip rocking chair, rocker oak

During their firsts visit, they began their tradition of small remembrance items by purchasing a small step stool.  Meeting George was a gift they will cherished for years. He treated each customer like one of his family and spent hours talking about his love to the natural wood grain. They remember the non-tipping rocking chair demo where Georges leaned way back and did not tip over. It sold them. In 1995 they purchased a rocker to commemorate the birth of the first son.

George was not a salesperson, He just wanted to share his love for furniture and quality.” -Don

Diploma, Wedding, Crosses

Later wooden crosses were purchased for each of the children’s bedrooms and a large cross for the master bedroom. A small mirror hangs over the fireplace commemorating (What). Pictures frames commemorate wedding pictures at St Peters Church, College diplomas and college campus pictures for their sons. Their 15th wedding anniversary added a walnut wall curio for the (which room).

Feels like home

“It is comforting that things haven’t changed much over the years. It feels like home which is the soul of George’s Furniture.  The craftsmen invest their time and skills into each piece of furniture. They care so much about their furniture that they sign each one.

 – Sandy

80th Birthday

cabinet stores treasures Georges FurnitureThe Sickler family brought their mother the last time they visited. It carried many memories for her because her husband was a union carpenter and would love to see the wood working shop. The family celebrated their mothers 80th birthday by purchasing a small cross.  She selected the wood and color.

 

What a way to celebrate special occasions with a piece from Georges Furniture. Handcrafted specially to meet specific needs.  George’s wedding registry coordinates families and friends in giving a gift of unique quality that lasts a lifetime. See what awaits at Georges. Explore the possibilities. Where dreams come true.

 

To help you begin the process to high-quality handcrafted furniture, we created a handy checklist to spot high-quality furniture. Download the check list Here so you know what to avoid in your furniture shopping. Call us when you are ready to design your own custom furniture built your way. Two large showroom await to assist you in the many options to create a masterpiece to cherish for decades to come.

“Download your guide to high-quality furniture”

House filled after hurricane Sandy

House filled after hurricane Sandy

Our customers discover Georges Furniture by many different ways.  Whether they find a brochure In Lancaster County, searched for quality furniture maker online, see the handmade furniture in a friend’s home or listened to the excited story of a satisfied customer, the furniture amazes them each time they enter the showrooms. What beautiful furniture, wonderful craftsmanship!

Explore handmade furniture

The Amsterdam family was no different. They came to see the wood shop tour and discovered the unique features of handcrafted, custom, and signed by one craftsman furniture all in one place. At the end of the tour they responded,

“Our house is full of furniture, however if we ever need furniture we know where we will come.”

Flooding Devastation

Two years after their visit, Hurricane Sandy hit the Eastern seaboard of the United. The family watched in terror as the water arose, filling the first floor and proceeded up the stairs to the next floor.  Their  furniture did not survive the flooding.  Once the hurricane moved northward, the cleanup began.

Return to George’s

corner curio walnut

Once the clean up finished and their house ordered, it was time to look for furniture.  As promised, the Amsterdam family came to the showroom with a unique request.  “Will you help us fill our house with furniture?”  I never thought I would be an interior designer, but they spread out the floor plan on our dining table and we proceeded through each room.  First was the dining room then the master bedroom. I worked with each family member deciding the perfect design and options.

Which furniture to make first

Several hours later came the challenging part.  Which room to make first. Dinning, master bedroom, teens bedroom, living room or den.  Out of necessary, the dining table and chairs won along with the bedroom furniture. We updated each other as the house neared completion and ready for delivery.

Home restored

Over the next couple of years, we filled their house with custom handmade furniture designed to their desires. The furniture will serve the family for decades to come. Want to join in the discovery of quality craftsmanship, visit Georgesfurniturepa.com or visit our showroom and wood shop.

How to detect Quality

To help you start the process to high-quality, handcrafted furniture, we created this handy checklist to spot high-quality furniture.  Download the checklist here so you know what to avoid in your furniture shopping.  Then call us when you are ready to design your own customer, handcrafted piece.

 

 

Download you Guide to High-quality Furniture
Raw lumber source, stackable chair

Raw lumber source, stackable chair

Lumber meets finished furniture

Chris Bingaman first met George by working for his father’s lumber business, Bingaman & Sons Lumber. For many years, George would purchase raw lumber used to make the high-quality solid hardwood furniture at George’s Woodcrafts. George worked with Max, Chris’ father, to identify the group of logs that were cut to George’s particular order.  Black walnut was a favor of George and is still in high demand, especially as a recently developed technique, using both the natural heartwood and sapwood of black walnut wood called Walnut Blend was made available.

no water marks durable finish dining room table furniture store in lancaster

Walnut Blend on Table with clear water resistant finish repelling water.

The coveted Pennsylvania cherry and red oak are in high demand, harvested by Bingaman & Sons from the ever-expanding forests of Pennsylvania. Over the years, Chris enjoyed sharing his love for natural wood and the harvest of timber. He also appreciates the quality of craftsmanship exhibited by George’s craftsmen.

Gifts for employees

As a special gift to their retiring employees, the company purchases George’s famous non- tip rocking chair. Several times, George’s employees have toured the lumber saw mill and wood drying kilns. A great way to integrate of raw lumber and finished product. 

Designed to space requirements

Chris upgraded his sales office by specially ordering a large executive desk. He worked with our designers to bring his ideas and unique space needs to reality. Delivering the desk presented another challenge. The hallways were narrow with tight corners. Up the stairs and around a hairpin curve. We designed the desk with the office layout in mind. Now Chris enjoys helping customers surrounded with natural cherry grain of his executive desk.

George’s designer came and measured the space I had to use and worked with me to create a design that served all the functions I hoped for. When the desk arrived, it exceeded my expectations! It is a beautiful piece that brings a “wow” response to everyone who visits my office and it is the most enjoyable work station I have ever experienced. I am an extremely satisfied customer!!!  – Chris Bingaman

Stackable Chair designstackable chairs

When Chris and his wife redecorated their home, they came with a unique style of dining chair. They worked with our designers to develop a new style of chair that continued the strength and comfort of George’s chairs. Another challenge of long tables is where to store all the chairs between dinner parties. A design for sturdy, stackable chairs emerged and now stands in their closet awaiting the next large gathering. The stackable chairs are stacked in groups of 5 chairs taking the space of 32x21x42h. They are available in black walnut (pictured), cherry, red oak or maple hardwood. A number of different stain colors are available.

Can’t keep it quiet

The quality and natural grain of solid wood is hard to keep quiet. Customers like Chris are sharing their love for wood and superb craftsmanship with the guest at home and the customers they meet. Come see our two showrooms and woodworking shop to see what the talk is all about. You will be amazed and see firsthand why quality speaks for itself.