The Made For You magazine is published by Hickory Chair, manufacturer of fine personalized wood and upholstered furniture. From classic to modern, each piece is made by hand and to order. Over 90% of Hickory Chair’s products are made to order in America.
Federico Contigiani President
Laura Holland Editor-In-Chief
The staff of Made For You, based in Hickory, North Carolina, welcomes your feedback. Comments and queries can be referred to:
Send traditional mail to:
Made For You Attn: Laura Holland PO Box 2147 Hickory, NC 28602
Electronic mail should be directed to: made.for.you@hickorychair.com
ON THE COVER: The Haydon Sofa, Matou Cocktail Table, Maud Chair and Alain Side Table.
issue seven contributors
KATE SINGER has been designing bespoke interiors and gracious homes in and around New York City, Long Island and along the east coast for over twenty years. Kate Singer Home was founded in 2003 and almost all client projects are ground-up new builds from blue print through placement of every furnishing detail. She resides on the north shore of Long Island and enjoys client commissions from Manhattan to Montauk and throughout the Tri-state area. Her work has been featured in many publications and design blogs, including Traditional Home, NY and Hamptons Cottages and Gardens, Architectural Digest, Better Homes & Gardens and on LX-TV/NBC.
KIM SCODRO is the owner and principal designer of Kim Scodro Interiors. KSI is a boutique luxury interior design studio with offices in Chicago and Georgia. Collaboration is our everything. We work together as a team on every project, and concept closely with each client to create spaces that are timeless and refined, yet tastefully current. Her work has been featured in Luxe, Modern Luxury and Traditional Home. She is a member of the Design Leadership Network and has been named to the Gold List by Luxe magazine, The Leaders of Design Council and recognized by the ASID Illinois for a Design Excellence Award.
SUSAN HABLE is an artist, product designer, and founding partner of Hable Construction, where she creates hand-drawn patterns behind the brand’s bold textiles for the home. She currently lives in Athens, Georgia, where she paints, draws, and makes collages in a turn-of-the-century mill house in the back of her property. Susan's timeless aesthetic, shaped by her recognizable sense of color and form, draws inspiration from her journeys to Italy, Asia, and South America, as well as her own garden and community, giving her work a global appeal with an intimate presence. You may see her designs on all Hable products as well as her expanding collection of fine art, including paintings and sculptures. Susan has also published two books: A Colorful Home and Shapes Today. When she’s not making art, you can find Susan practicing yoga, working in her garden, or spending time with her husband and two children, who inspire her daily.
AMANDA SMITH FOWLER brings 20 years of experience in decorating and lifestyle magazines to her design work, giving her a well-edited approach to cultivating and collecting. After studying interior design at The University of Alabama, she joined Southern Accents as market editor, where she scoured furniture, tabletop, and accessory markets for the best products and trends in high-end design. In 2018, she became style editor for FLOWER®, where she continues to produce beautiful and compelling stories for its pages.
LAURA HOLLAND has proudly been a part of the Hickory Chair family since 1985. Throughout her storied career, she has become known for her passion and determination. She is responsible for company-wide marketing initiatives, Hickory Chair University and serving as Editor-in-Chief of this publication. A breast cancer survivor, she volunteers her time to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Catawba Valley and serves on the Board of Directors of The Common Thread of The Cure® Foundation that provides grants to individuals in the home and furnishings industry that are battling breast cancer.
greetings from the chair
When I think of Hickory Chair and the eleven decades it has stood fast, the line, “hope springs eternal,” comes to mind. Simply stated, it means that most people want to be optimistic and believe that something better is coming. This phrase from the 1732 poem by Alexander Pope, “An Essay on Man”, truly speaks to our culture and tenacity.
While I know that this is how I choose to live my life, I feel it lives within the hearts of our Hickory Chair employees. During our annual Service Awards luncheon, this sentiment came through loud and clear as employee names were called beginning with the 5-year service recipients to come forward to receive their accommodation. Over the next hour, employees came forward to accept their 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and yes, 55-year awards. Alex Shuford III, CEO of Rock House Farm Family of Brands, stated that “In my 25 years, this was the first time to recognize a 50 and a 55-year employee at the same RHF company the same year.” Our long-term employees are the backbone of our company and we appreciate their efforts to embrace our new employees not only to help them develop master skills, but also, a deep passion for our company.
In this issue, Kim Scodro and Kate Singer share sentiments of their experience collaborating with our people. Kim shares, “I absolutely loved meeting the team that works in the factory creating each piece, from the mill-work to the seamstresses - the level of talent is deep. People like to talk about community or family but Hickory Chair goes beyond talk. This company lives it at every level in their commitment to all those that call Hickory Chair their work family. There is no hierarchy in this family, everyone’s job is equally important in bringing gorgeous furniture to life.” Kate shared, “I had the amazing opportunity to tour the workroom and factory in North Carolina a few years ago and was so inspired by the dedication and true craftsmanship the furniture makers at Hickory Chair demonstrated and shared.”
We have always believed that if we exceed the expectations of our customer in style, quality, comfort, service, and delivery, that our future would always be secure. But we do not rest on our laurels. We optimistically charge forward with confidence and optimism to create beautiful, luxurious, and perhaps unexpected new products such as expanding into outdoor living spaces with our inaugural collections designed by Susan Hable. Our employees remain optimistic because of you and your trust in our abilities to exceed your expectations. Their hope springs eternal.
We thank you for your support as we enjoy making one-of-a-kind pieces to order in our Hickory workroom just for you.
All my best,
Editor-in-Chief
SUSAN HABLE BRINGS HICKORY CHAIR OUTSIDE
Last fall, Hickory Chair made its inaugural launch into outdoor living spaces, in collaboration with Susan Hable, co-owner of Hable Construction. Four distinctive collections were introduced at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, North Carolina. For several years, interior designers had wished for outdoor furnishings that would complement the quality, scale and fashion of the Hickory Chair's indoor furnishings. The team knew it was time to launch outdoor furnishings with the sensibility to mix pieces and personalize through the use of Customer's Own Fabrics, contrasting welts and cushion configurations.
Susan shares, "I was given complete creative freedom to design these outdoor collections for Hickory Chair. This comes from a mutual trust between companies and an alignment of vision for the future. Being at the heart of the collection comes with several criteria that I tried to meet… classic shapes, timeless design, special and appropriate in many kinds of gardens, back porches, and pool sides for all the talented designers across the industry that look to Hickory Chair for inspiration.”
susan hable athens, ga
Portrait by Camile O'Briant
Photography by David Hillegas
“Having a front courtyard with seating groups for conversation feels like such a gracious way to enter this house.” - SUSAN HABLE
The term Haret can be translated as the cabin at the heart of the forest; the caretaker and the center of things. This term was the perfect name for the largest of the Hable outdoor collections. Hand cast in aluminum and then powder coated in a choice of two finishes, the lyrical lines of the product are contrasted by a unique fretwork pattern that creates a charming pattern on the seat and back of seating pieces and the tops of the tables. The fret motif was designed exclusively for this collection. The gentle scallop of the top rail was intended to provide a beautiful swaying motion to the back of the chair that follows the arc of the arms and the saber legs of the Haret collection. The series was thoughtfully designed to be elegant and beautiful even when its cushions are stored. Marvelously finished in Cloud White or Smoke Grey, its subtly silky surface is the finishing touch that seals its grace.
“My intention for the Yara Woven collection was to design a woven pattern that would be completely sculpted by weaving a beautiful woven pattern with recycled synthetic cane and on each piece by hand. Artisans start the process with one corner of the powder-coated aluminum frame and weave the cane like a basket until the end is tied off. The Graystone color of the material was inspired by travel to Sea Ranch, California where homes and buildings are designed to melt into the landscape.
“Each of the outdoor living spaces felt inviting and livable. In particular, Hable’s chaises and nesting tables, scalloped umbrellas by Serena & Lily®,
"I love the way sunlight moves across the fretwork pattern on my Haret Collection, creating shadows that are just magical."
- SUSAN HABLE
"Being at the heart of the collection comes with several criteria that I tried to meet…classic shapes, timeless design, special and appropriate in many kinds of gardens, back porches, and pool sides for all the talented designers across the industry that look to Hickory Chair for inspiration.”
- SUSAN HABLE
"My love of the outdoors and the sanctuary it provides inspires my art and is a driving force in my life."
- SUSAN HABLE
and bolsters in a stripe from Liberty® Fabrics make lounging lazily by the pool an exercise in chic,” shares Amanda.
“Warmth and a light breeze are some of my favorite things as a new season begins. It is new growth, sunshine, and first light walks to survey new buds, leaves and even weeds that bring joy to my heart and purpose as I touch my paintbrush to canvas. It is not by chance that the lines of our unique outdoor designs mirror the natural world,” shares Susan. She continues, “Each collection has elements that reflect the pleasure in outdoor living. I believe that people will naturally linger longer in our thoughtfully designed furniture.”
ranch water
Susan and Katharine Hable grew up in Corsicana, Texas. A small town, it was filled with great times spent with friends and family. This simple taste of Texas has been a perennial favorite of these sisters no matter where their travels have taken them. Simple. Fresh. Delicious. Hable style.
Patrón® Ranch Water
1.5 ounces Patrón Silver Tequila® .75 ounces Fresh Lime Juice 12 ounces Topo Chico® Mineral Water Lime wheels optional
Combine Patrón Silver and lime juice in a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with Topo Chico® or your preferred sparkling mineral water and stir gently to combine. Add a lime wheel to garnish. Enjoy!
Behind the Curtain
A behind the scenes series of tips for purchasing and living with fine furniture.
Living with outdoor furniture? Outdoor fabrics are designed to be fade, stain, water, mold and mildew resistant and are easy to clean. All furniture fabrics, whether indoor or outdoor, require regular cleaning to keep them looking new. While it is best to follow the specific manufacturer's cleaning instructions, basic tips are listed below for keeping the fabrics on your outdoor furniture looking fresh and new. Listed below is a description of recommended cleaning instructions from fabric companies along with steps to clean and maintain the outdoor fabric on your furniture.
•To keep your fabric looking new, brush off dirt before it becomes embedded in the fabric.
•Regular vacuuming of your upholstered furniture will enhance the beauty and longevity of your fabric.
•Wipe off spills immediately after a stain occurs. The quicker you clean spills and stains, the easier it can be to clean.
•Treat spills promptly. Gently Blot away the spill with a clean, dry absorbent cloth. Do not rub.
•Attempt removal of dried contaminants with a soft brush or dull knife prior to using a wet treatment. Gently brush or scrape the dried contaminant as to not damage the surface of the fabric.
For more difficult stains review the following methods:
METHOD A
Best for minor stain: liquid stains, food stains,
•Use a water-based soap solution of 1 tablespoon of Dawn®, Woolite®, laundry detergent or water-based upholstery cleaner per 2 cups of warm water. Distilled water is recommended. Dampen the white cleaning cloth and gently blot away the spill. Do not rub. Rotate the cleaning cloth often to a clean surface and then rinse with water to ensure the complete removal of all soap residue. Blot or air dry.
METHOD B
Best for mild stains: wax, grease, pencil
•Use a mild solvent-based residential upholstery cleaner and follow the cleaning code instructions for the specific fabric. Blot or air dry.
METHOD C
Best for stubborn stains: algae, mold, mildew
•Mix 1/2 cup bleach, 2 tablespoons mild soap in a gallon of warm water. Dampen the white cleaning cloth with the bleach solution and blot away the stain. Rinse thoroughly. Blot dry or allow to air dry.
•Important! Test a small hidden section of the upholstery to ensure fabric and color are not affected. For severe stains, consult a professional upholstery cleaner.
Outdoor covers are always recommended to protect and extend the life of outdoor furniture and fabrics.
KATE SINGER
Designing Bespoke Interiors and Gracious Homes
KATE SINGER
Kate Singer Home ~ Long Island, New York
From design studios located in Huntington and New York City, Kate Singer specializes in residential interiors. Magazine editors describe her style as "serene and sophisticated, approachable and inviting." Her clients appreciate her ability to translate their individual taste and lifestyle into comfortable, practical, and truly livable rooms.
Kate has been honored to participate in many high-profile designer show houses and charity projects including six Hampton Designer Show houses sponsored by Traditional Home magazine, The Kips Bay Show House in New York and the redesign of The Ronald McDonald House, New York, and was recently invited to partner with Ballard Designs & Garnet Hill creating signature Show house rooms for both brands in two Hampton Designer Show houses.
Kate serves on the Board of Directors of the Caumsett State Park Foundation. This is the location of the former Marshall Field Estate in
Lloyd Harbor, Long Island. Kate served as the design chair for the restoration project and Designer Show House at the Marshall Field Summer Cottage in 2020. In 2021, she chaired the Marshall Field Designer Show House where over twenty interior designers and friends brought their best helping to raise essential funds to continue the restoration and preservation process of the mansion and surrounding cottages of the former estate.
Her work has been featured in many publications and design blogs, including Traditional Home, New York and Hamptons Cottages and Gardens, Architectural Digest, Better Homes & Gardens and on LX-TV/ NBC. She has been a featured guest online & in podcasts for Traditional Home, Ballard Designs, Garnet Hill & Million Dollar Decorating. Known for her work with foundations and charities, she has been a supporter of the Family Service League, Kips Bay Boys & Girls Clubs, Ronald McDonald Houses and the Caumsett State Park Foundation.
Kate shares that she has been impressed and influenced by European-mostly English and French design and style for many years. She shares a passion for all things French with Suzanne Kasler. It’s no surprise most of my favorite and most often featured Hickory Chair pieces are from Suzanne’s collection including the Woodward bench, Virginia Chair and Ottoman, the West Paces side tables and Laurent Counter Stools.
"I recently went on a design retreat with Kathryn Ireland, eating, drinking, touring and shopping our way through the French Countryside where we visited some incredible chateaus and manor homes and shopped some of the best flea markets. I returned home with endless inspiration and so many treasures for my own home and those of my clients."
"It is all about the mix to me. Harmoniously blending antiques and unique vintage pieces from around the world with classic, bench-made American furniture from Hickory Chair and Century and the likes gives a room and home such a curated, rich, layered and hopefully, an interesting and intriguing look and feel." - KATE SINGER
As she engages with her clients, she shares "I love being on the exciting and meaningful journey with my clientstaking them from the early planning stages with their architect through the building phase and on to furnishing through every detail creating a gracious home that perfectly suits their individual lifestyle and taste. Many clients have become dear friends and a few are like family."
When asked about her design aesthetic, she shared that "It is all about the mix to me. Harmoniously blending antiques and unique vintage pieces from around the world with classic, bench-made American furniture from Hickory Chair and Century and the likes gives a room and home such a curated, rich, layered and hopefully, an interesting and intriguing look and feel." My friends at the New York Showroom at the New York Design Center are always the most supportive and helpful when I am sourcing furniture for my clients’ homes. The displays and room vignettes are always incredibly inspiring and helpful. It is always such a collaborative experience and a joy to work with everyone there.
Whether touring Europe, scouring the NYDC or visiting workrooms, Kate remains an avid student constant-learning about design, history, and all facets of interior design all while taking inspiration that drives her creative process. She shares, "I had the amazing opportunity to tour the workroom and offices in North Carolina a few years ago and was so inspired by the dedication and true craftsmanship of the Hickory Chair furniture makers knowledge, but, also the experience empowered me to confidently design interiors for my clients. I want them to look at the newly finished interiors and know they are truly home."
what’s modern now
No more tan, taupe, white, beige or grey . Designers and their clients are designing with delicious color, pattern and confidence.
From FACTORY to Workroom
TURNING THEIR WORKROOM INTO MY WORKROOM
Kim Scodro Interiors is a boutique luxury interior design studio with offices in Chicago and Georgia. Kim believes that collaboration is our everything. We, my talented team and I, work together as a team closely with each client to create spaces that are timeless and refined, yet tastefully current. We try to always create a bespoke experience for our clients. This begins with taking the time to really get to know our clients, through the design process, and providing realistic expectations including scheduling. We know there is no place more personal than your own home. We encourage our clients to share how they want to live and feel in each space of the home. By incorporating their unique personalities, styles and interests, it is what gives a home soul and makes a room come alive. It is an incredible feeling to see our clients’ faces light up when they walk into their homes. Time and again, we see how profoundly a person’s surroundings can affect how they feel. We believe that your home should make you happy - every time you walk in the door. Our biggest compliment at the end of a project is when a client tells us, “This feels just like us.”
We recently completed a home for a young family. They loved classic elements but wanted a happy, cheerful home filled with personality. This included spending time with each of the children to create their spaces. Our goal was to have lots of color and warmth all while maintaining a sense of elegance. Nothing in this house was off limits, and as a result, the home is as glamorous as our clients that live there. Working with our client and talented team, every detail in each room was studied, debated and finalized by keeping in mind the smallest detail. The use of passementerie was highly encouraged by our client along with custom colors and beautiful details at every turn.
We were able to use many of our favorite vendors for this client’s home. Wallcoverings by Gracie®, DeGournay®, Phillip Jeffries® and Lee Jofa® provided amazing patterns and color palettes. We chose fabrics from Cowtan and Tout, ® Scalamandre®, Brunschwig and Fils®, Samuel and Sons®, Holland and Sherry® and Kravet®. We commissioned paintings by various artists and framed them in antique frames.
"Our client wished for classic elegance. The color palette, silver leaf and Gracie wallpaper was the perfect solution for their dining room." - KIM SCODRO
"Hickory Chair is always up for a challenge, like the hand-decoration on these gorgeous Sofia Stools."
- KIM SCODRO
Custom furniture was a delight to create with Hickory Chair®, Dennis and Leen®, Minton Spidell® and Ebanista®. We also love collaborating with local custom workrooms for one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture. In addition to creating custom furniture, we chose antiques. We love using 1st Dibs® for sourcing antiques for our clients. We traveled to France to shop the amazing Paris flea markets. We found a few perfect pieces that we brought back with us for this client.
For this client as well as others, we enjoy personalizing pieces for their home. As stated, we want our client to experience that “this feels like them.” The use of custom finishes, hand decoration, decorative skirt treatments, COM fabrics and trims allow us to create a very personal sanctuary for our clients. After all, this is why a client wants to work with a designer and their team. To that point, we love working with companies that take things to the next level. Hickory Chair is always up for a challenge, like the hand-decoration on gorgeous Sofia Stools. They created a match panel Benjamin Moore® lilac lacquered paint and hand-striping in a light gold with antiqued rub through for the Choate Dining Table that perfectly complemented the Gracie wallpaper.
We had a great experience working with the Hickory Chair workroom on our custom pieces. Throughout the process there was active communication every step of the way. With our professional customer service and sales representative support, we felt like we had the whole factory only to ourselves.
In 2013, I had the opportunity to visit Hickory Chair with my team. Their training program armed us not only with confidence in quality and service, but also awareness of what their talented artisans and craftspeople could do to help us create special pieces for our clients. There are so many things that come to mind when I hear the name Hickory Chair. Quality is probably the most important thing we talk about with our clients. Hickory Chair’s quality is second to none. The attention to detail and the craftsmanship is so honorable, especially in this “fast fashion” world we are part of now.
On a personal note, I am beyond honored to be part of the Hickory Chair family. The collection that I have created for the company has grown over the years and I could not be happier with the support that I receive all across the board. I absolutely loved meeting the team that works in the factory creating each piece, from the millwork to the seamstresses - the level of talent is deep. People like to talk about community or family but Hickory Chair goes beyond talk. This company lives it at every level in their commitment to those that call Hickory Chair their work family. There is no hierarchy in this family, everyone’s job is equally important in bringing gorgeous furniture to life.
"Our biggest compliment at the end of a project is when a client tells us, “This feels just like us." - KIM SCODRO
"We had a great experience working with the Hickory Chair workroom on our cus the way. With our professional customer service and sales representatives su
We chose the Eton Swivel and asked to remove the standard nail head trim. We chose a performance fabric from Perennials® and a contrasting welt all over. We also selected a Silhouettes M2M Ottoman to create a custom ottoman. We chose the size and an extra-long dressmaker skirt so that it would drape elegantly on the rug.
tom pieces. Throughout the process there was active communication every step of pport, we felt like we had the whole factory only to ourselves."
- KIM SCODRO
For the family room, we chose the Pleated Arm, Swivel and Dressmaker skirt options for the Jules Chair. The soft pink Holland & Sherry® fabric and Samuel & Sons® fringe provided the softness and elegance that completed the office.
The Lemont Dining Chair has always been a favorite. It is luxuriously comfortable, has graceful lines and an elegant dressmaker skirt. The Schumacher® bullion trim provided the soft sophistication our customer desired.
looking ahead
Here in Hickory, we are still enjoying the excitement generated during the High Point Furniture Market in April. With the overlapping of the Salone del Mobile and the Design Week in Milan, we knew the stakes were higher than ever. We value the time our customers take to come visit us in High Point and we want to make sure we deliver a show worth of their effort. The Hickory Chair Showroom was full of color, passion, excitement and, most importantly, of people. Some have said we were showing with confidence, we like that.
After all, in this time full of uncertainty, with the real estate market showing an unpredictable path, all we can do is buckle up and do our best to inspire, entertain and motivate.
Thanks to our team in Hickory and our design partners, Hickory Chair welcomed a record number of visitors in our new High Point Showroom. We greeted long time customers and made new friends, shared a lot of great memories while enjoying some of the best furniture in the world.
Please, stay with us in the months to come, you might be pleasantly surprised by all we are working on.
In this issue of our magazine, you will see some of the newest introductions in our line, including our first outdoor furniture collections, and will be inspired by some of the most talented designers in the industry, such as our very own Kim Scodro and New York based designer, Kate Singer.
From me and each one of our 400 employees in Hickory, North Carolina, thank you for your continued support and encouragement, we are very looking forward to write with you the next page of our history book.
Federico Contigiani President Hickory Chair
Vice President of International, Contract Sales and Marketing
