CCD Blog - news

Some Modern Additions

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:13:58 -0800

One thing we are working on is to offer more selection in our line. Although we have some contemporary designs, we've tended to lean toward more traditional styles. This is not to say that you could not get a modern feel from a traditional chair. Just by selecting the right fabric a chair could look either traditional or contemporary. For example, a dining chair with a toile on it would look very different than one with bold colors and geometric shapes.

Several customers have suggested styles they would like to see and these week introduced two new chairs with a nod to the modern. The first is the Modesto Dining Chair. It is really a departure from our past products. The flared, concave back sets this one apart from the rest of our line.

The other new chair (Fresno Dining Chair) has many of the great features of contemporary designs. It is very symmetrical with a short back and crisp lines. The linear layout is broken by a single large button on the in-back. I really love the look of this chair. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm reminded of a freshly pressed pair of pants with its nice, straight creases.

Of course, we will be introducing even more news styles in the future. As always we want to here from you with any suggestions.

Slipcovers - Change the Look of Your Dining Room Without Spending a Lot of Money

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:59:35 -0800

The holidays are coming up and I know many of you would like to redecorate before having friends and family over. Of course this is easier said than done, especially during a recession. Even if you have the money you may be reluctant to part with it.

We think we have a solution that will allow you to dramatically alter the look of your dining and parsons chairs without costing you a fortune. What am I talking about? Slipcovers. We have added five new slipcover styles to our line and there are more to come.

At the very least, a slipcover allows you to change the look of a chair by permitting you to change the fabric without going to the expense of buying an entirely new chair. Slipcovers can also dramatically change the look of a chair. For example you might go from unskirted to skirted. You may want to have one color on your chairs for fall and winter and then take the slipcover off for spring and summer. A slipcover offers a lot of flexibility and since they are relatively affordable, you can get multiple sets to change the look as often as you like.

Slipcovers may not be for everyone. Although they are tailored to the chairs we offer, you won't get the crisp look of an upholstered chair. However, I have to admit they can really come in handy. My family uses slipcovers in our breakfast room. With two cats and two children they are more of a shield than anything else. If we get food or cat hair on them, we can just take them off for a cleaning. And when company comes, we take off the slipcovers and have pristine chairs to display for those special occasions.

Rise to the Occasion With Our New Bar Stool Collection

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:09:00 -0800

A frequent request from customers has always been for bar stools. After all, people frequently want all upholstery in a room coordinated. We've come up with a variety of offerings which should please just about everyone.

In putting together this group we've tried to cover all the bases. We're offering both counter and bar height chairs. So, you get either a 24" or 30" seat height. In addition you can choose from over 200 fabrics or leathers. Finished legs or upholstered--the choice is yours.

Of course these bar stools still must meet the stringent requirements of everything we sell.

Quality...Quality...Quality
Affordability.
Customization.
Speedy Production & Delivery.

While many of the styles are similar, the details are what make each stool unique. Styles include camel, crescent and rolled backs. Some chairs have full seats, while others have borders. Nailhead trim is available and this option is gorgeous on the leather stool. Another refinement is the brass footrest which provides both protection and a touch of class.

We hope you like what you see. We're always open to suggestions and would love to hear your feedback. You can comment on this post or email us directly (info@carringtoncourtdirect.com) with your ideas and questions. As always, check back often. There is much more to come.

Designed By You - The Burlington Parsons Chair

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:42:55 -0800

During a typical year, we get hundreds of customer requests to make tweaks or changes to our chair styles. Occasionally one of these modifications ends up being a new style. That's how the Burlington Parsons Chair came to be.

This chair is actually a variation of the Button Back Parsons Chair, which has been in our line for many years. Though the new chair may be inspired by one already in our line, there are some great new features. The back has a seam running its length. That seam is held together by a vertical line of five buttons. Compare this with the tabs and buttons on the Button Back Chair. Another unique feature is that the back, seat border and corner pleats are in a contrasting fabric. While you can order the chair in a single fabric; the contrast option gives you a lot of choice in putting together a chair that will go great with your decor.

The Burlington Parsons Chair is a great example of the flexibility you have. While it's not always possible to create a custom design, we'll always consider it. There also may be some extra expense since there is a lot of extra work in creating a custom design.

So, what is the best way to communicate your ideas with us? The easiest method is to fax or email a diagram of what you want. It doesn't have to be a professional rendering--just something to give us an idea what goes where.

We look forward to seeing your ideas. Keep a lookout for more new customer inspired designs in the future. I'll be posting them here frequently.

We're Not Just For Dining Rooms Anymore

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:32:34 -0800

Carrington Court has always offered other types of furniture besides parsons and dining chairs, but they were our sole focus on our website. Over the last few months we have greatly expanded our offerings and you can now order wing chairs, easy chairs and arm chairs. This is just the beginning and going forward we will be regularly introducing new designs.

I'm sure many of you are wondering what took us so long. The reason was simple: we could not provide the same service and value that we do for our dining and parsons chairs. Whenever we entertain the prospect of offering a new product it has to meet these requirements:

Can we make it both high in quality and affordable?
Will the cost of shipping be reasonable?
Can it be delivered in a reasonable amount of time?

Quality and affordability are usually not an issue, but with oversize items shipping costs and delivery times have always been a problem. We don't want you to pay an arm and a leg to get your furniture or to wait months on end to have it delivered. Earlier this year we finally worked out a good shipping solution--one that meets our requirements.

In the last month or so we started offering wing chairs on the site and today we started an entirely new category called "Living Room Chairs." I know...I know. It's not a very originally name, but it encompasses a variety of furniture styles that are usually (but not exclusively) found in the living room.

So without further ado here are our to latest additions:

Eliot Arm Chair

Chandler Easy Chair

These are both great designs, but I've got to say that the Chandler Chair is just absolutely gorgeous. This is just the beginning and there is more to come, but if there is a particular style that you would like us to offer; we want to hear from you.

Even More Choice -- 3 New Fabric Collections

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:43:00 -0800

Our fabric buyers not only try to keep up with the latest trends, but also have the unenviable job of ensuring we offer a little something for everyone. It's not an easy task to determine what other people are going to like, especially since tastes are relative. Occasionally, I'll hear something like "This is not something that I'd pick out for myself, but we've had several customers requesting something like this."

Luckily, I can honestly say that I like all the new fabric collections we're adding to our line. First up we have Cheryl. The design is pretty unique, but the colors are classic. We've had great success with toiles in similar colors and hope that these two continue the tradition.
Cheryl Coral
Cheryl Porcelain Our next fabric is called Polly Spice. This look goes way back and is what many would describe as "Country French." It's a simple design in a light mustard color with red roosters.
Polly Spice Finally, we have the three fabrics in the Celia family. I'm really a fan of these because they are a traditional floral print with a twist: they have a slightly washed look (especially the Primrose and Wedgewood). When I say washed, I do not mean worn out. The background colors on the fabric are muted just enough to make the floral designs really pop.
Celia Balsam
Celia Primrose
Celia Wedgewood

Introducing the Regency Dining Chair

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:51:00 -0800

As I mentioned before, we're going to be releasing new products at a rapid pace throughout 2009. Our latest addition is a design that makes me extremely proud. Our philosophy at Carrington Court is one of offering quality at an affordable price. Quality is more than just the materials that make up a chair--it is also the craftsmanship of the men and women that build each one. Over the last couple of years we have sort of become specialists in nail-head trim. Using brass tacks in the construction of a chair is not only time consuming, but it is also a skill that takes a professional to get it just right. Luckily, we have just the right people to do this job. Hammering in several hundred nails in a straight line is one thing--tacking on the teardrop pattern in the Regency Dining Chair is an entirely different ball game. It takes time, patience and experience. I think the end result speaks for itself. It really does reflect our philosophy and I believe that there is a lot of value in a chair with this combination of price and craftsmanship. The Regency Dining Chair is one of my favorite styles and I think it will draw a lot of praise in your dining room.

Modern Minimalism - The Albany Dining Chair

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:18:00 -0800

Many of the dining and parsons chairs we sell can be either contemporary or traditional depending on the fabric you select. However, I think with the exception of the Curved Back Dining Chair, most of our styles are viewed in a more traditional light. One of our overriding goals is to give you choice so that you get furniture that is exactly what you want. We don't want you to have to settle. With that in mind we've added the Albany Dining Chair to our line. It features an entirely new curved, tapered leg and a full seat. This combination creates a very clean, minimalist design which is perfect for those looking for a modern dining room chair. Throughout the remainder of the year we plan to offer many more new designs. In the first six months in 2009 we've added more new styles and categories than we did in the entire previous year. We'll be posting everything new on this blog and if there is something in particular you want us to make, we want to hear from you.

The Nantucket Parsons Chair

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:39:00 -0800

As I mentioned previously in my post Perfect Blues for a Beach House, we had a customer that sent in some fabric for chairs to place in a beach house. We liked the colors so much that we decided to find something similar to offer our customers. It was a shame that we didn't get some pictures before her chairs shipped out, because not only did she have great taste in fabric, but also put together a chair design that was stunning. After we added the fabrics to our line, we decide to go all the way and add a new chair to match. The Nantucket Parsons Chair is a combination of several styles that we've offered for a while. It has a scrolled back and a banded, kick-pleat skirt. You have the choice of using a contrasting fabric for the border which runs around the seat and the back. While this chair was envisioned for a beach home--you can select from hundreds of fabrics that will allow you to add it to almost any environment. [More]

Parsons Chairs Featured In Southern Living

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:00:00 -0800

My wife was browsing through the July issue of Southern Living and a group of parsons chairs in one of the articles caught her eye. They looked almost identical to the chairs we make at Carrington Court. Now, there are a lot of manufacturers that make parsons chairs, but there are always subtle differences from company to company. So we looked in the back in the sources section and to our surprise--they are our chairs.

This has happened in the past in other magazines, but it is always a nice surprise to have something you made featured. The designer Jill Boothby did an awesome job and she has a beautiful house. She also has a lot of great tips. It's good to know that the chairs are going to be used day-to-day and not just for a one time photo shoot. Check out the article (31 Style Secrets from a Design Pro) starting on page 51. When the July issue shows up on the Southern Living website, I'll post a link.

Perfect Blues for a Beach House

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:33:00 -0800

We've added a couple of new blue fabrics today with decorating a beach house in mind. Recently a customer sent in her own fabric in similar colors so that we could make some chairs for a beach house. We were really impressed with the way they turned out. It's too bad we didn't take any pictures to share.

The new fabrics are called Tanya Harbour Blue and Tanya Bimimi Blue. They're both 100% cotton and have a nice tight weave that gives them some texture. Although many people consider pastels the perfect color for beach decor, we think these darker solids will work well, especially since they have a washed look.

Tanya Harbour Blue

Tanya Bimimi Blue

It's about time

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:05:00 -0800

For many years I've wanted to start a blog to keep our customers informed. I always delayed this because I wanted to do it right. I know...you're thinking how hard is it to start a blog? My reluctance was not due to technical issues or the amount of difficulty in starting one. My main concern was being able to do it right. I don't want this blog to be something where we (the Carrington Court employees) make a post every few months. I want a communication tool that we can both share information about what we see day-to-day making furniture as well as what our customers are doing. To do it right, you have to devote a lot of energy and we're finally at that stage. So, what can you expect? Well, you'll get the standard news and product announcements, but we also plan to share interesting decorating ideas, design news and trends as well as show off some of our customers creations. Believe me when I say that our best ideas come from our customers. We're always getting requests for design tweaks, running across interesting fabrics sent in by our customers and receiving stories about decorating triumphs (and tragedies). Not only is this interesting, but it is often valuable information, allowing you to learn from others. We also want to hear from you. Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas. Don't be shy, but if you have a question you wanted answered offline, give us a call at 828.396.1049 or email info@carringtoncourtdirect.com. If you're reading this, then there is probably not a lot to see being that this is our first post. Check back often. We'll be updating several times a week. Thanks for stopping by... Brad Haas
President