Travel tales inspiration for furniture
February 25th, 2006 Category FurnitureJoe Ruggiero, the former host of Homes Across America on HGTV, now has a namesake collection of wood furniture with Caperton FurnitureWorks of Berkeley Springs, W.Va.
What makes this collection special is that it is solid wood handcrafted in a West Virginia workshop as well as in a group of independent Amish and Mennonite workshops in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
“There is also a personal touch,” Ruggiero said. “The consumer gets a card from the person making the furniture when the piece is started.”
The collection, made of solid Appalachian cherry and oak, are inspired by Ruggiero’s travels, and each one comes with one of his stories.
Highlights include:
Thompson cocktail table: Ruggiero loves to describe this table as functional art because of its clean lines and sculptural quality. There’s plenty of room underneath to store books or display accessories. Prices start at $952 for a painted finish on oak and $1,196 for cherry.
Crawford étagère: This piece, he said, is a great way to add architecture to a room. It can be used as a room divider, a bookshelf or a place to display beloved objects. Prices start at $1,361 for a painted finish on oak and $1,636 for cherry.
Swanson tables: Now, this is a story to tell your friends. Ruggiero said the design of the legs was based on an unusual farm implement that he found in a small Japanese village. Use it in a large foyer, a library or even as a bedside table. The dining tables start at $1,361 for painted finish on oak and $1,636 for cherry; the tea table is $1,004 for painted finish on oak and $1,144 for cherry.
Details: www.capertonfurnitureworks.com.
