WHF Blog

Western Heritage - Wednesday, March 21, 2012

 

I am always amused, while thumbing through a fashion magazine, when I read headlines that declare that "Red Lips/Polka Dots/Black Pants are BACK!"  Well, thank goodness!   Am I the only person that didn't know they were gone?

Even if you do not follow fashion, there are some things that are simply classic.  The color black definitely falls into that category.   As I was laughing at the revelation that black pants were FINALLY back in style, it dawned on me that there were a lot of orders leaving our doors lately with black leather panels.  Maybe there was something to this black thing...

So this blog is dedicated to all the gorgeous black leather accented furniture that we have created, and all the super trendy designers and retailers who know style when they see it!

 

Our classic Whatchamacallit combines rustic with sleek black leather. The Bartlett legs can be modern or rustic, making this a very versatile piece. 

 

If the rustic Ghostwood is not your style, Western Heritage will also make furniture out of Alder, such as this buffet.  The wood is stained our standard Coffee finish, and Pewter tacks pop off of the black leather panels.

 

 

The Signature Cocktail Table looks dapper in black.  I could see this with a contemporary red leather sofa, cow hide or Navajo Rug, and neutral walls and floor.  Statement piece for sure!

 

 

Custom "Cowboy" corners were added to this piece for a Western Bedroom. 

 

Last but not least, one of my favorite pieces to come out of the factory lately were two of these custom-sized buffets with black leather panels and Hammered Zinc tacks.  The end result was simply stunning. 

When it comes fashion and furniture, trends can be fun, but CLASSIC is always in style! 

As always, call us at 925-639-1424 or email sales@whf-inc.com for more information. 

 KM

 

 

 

Western Heritage - Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Western Heritage Furniture can be found in many wonderful home furnishing stores and homes throughout the United States and Canada.  While we have dipped our toes into the international market, we received a wonderful surprise the day that Elena de Vizri, owner of El Corcel in Panama gave us a call. 

Ms. De Vizri has three storefronts where she sells fine Western apparel, tack, and home furnishings.  And to help her fill her multiple locations, we put together an entire container of furniture to ship down to Panama.  She made her selections without having ever laid eyes upon the furniture, having only a recommendation and our web images.

It was a wonderful experience to work with Elena and to see everyone at WHF pull together and make this happen.  

 

 

Our warehouse space inside the factory was full to capacity!

 

On shipping day, an empty container arrived on the back of a truck, and a carefully orchestrated game of furniture Tetris began. 

 

 

 Neith, Richard, Tel, and Jim were hard at work making sure that everything was properly wrapped and padded for the trip across the ocean.

 

 

Every piece had to be lifted up almost 5 feet to find its place in the container.

 

 After several hours of carefully loading, everything fit in perfectly!  Our loaders did a great job of making sure that the pieces were secure and protected. 

Then we waited.  After several months of organizing, preparing and building we had to wait a bit longer to get El Corcel's reaction to the furniture. 

 Finally, after weeks of freight time and customs, Elena emailed to say how delighted she was with all of the furniture, and surprised me with this.....

  Thanks to Elena of El Corcel from all of us at Western Heritage Furniture! 

 

Western Heritage - Friday, December 16, 2011

 

It sure is getting chilly up here on Cleopatra Hill!  The icy winds and snowfall have been delivering quite the punch these last couple of weeks.  

 

While I have to admit that it looks beautiful, keeping warm in this old building is a bit of a challenge.  One thing that we have done to try and battle the chill, is the addition of all new exterior doors on our factory.   Besides providing better insulation, they look much better than the old gymnasium doors.  

 Western Heritage Furniture makes a wide variety of doors using alder and Ghostwood.

 

 

 

Any of our parquetry patterns can be converted into our doors.  Above is the Diamondback and Archer patterns.

Simple rustic elegance.  Roxy can't resist sneaking a peak.

Open the doors up to see the copper and leather designs on the interior.  While not the best for dealing with the elements, adding embellishment on the interior of a door would certainly dress up a foyer.

There is no reason to have to use plain old doors!  Contact us at sales@whf-inc.com to find out about our custom doors, cabinet facings, and built-ins.  Or just come on up to Jerome and take a stroll around town, where you will see our doors in action!

 

 

Western Heritage - Friday, September 09, 2011

Every now and then, Western Heritage Furniture pops up in some pretty amazing places.   One of the more wonderful places that I have seen is The Ranch at Rock Creek near Philipsburg, Montana.   This luxury guest ranch gives a flavor of the "wild west" in conjunction with first-class amenities. 

The RARC owes it's gorgeous western style to Santa Fe based interior designer Jet Zarkadas, founder and owner of Los Griegos Studio.   The interiors are rich, rustic, and above all, authentic; completely devoid of kitsch.  From the guest rooms to the Silver Dollar Saloon, this place is the ultimate in "glamping".  (Thanks to the Travel Channel for coining this term!)

Enjoy a few photos of this acclaimed property, and start planning you next vacation.

  

The Ranch at Rock Creek, Granite Lodge

 

 Horse Drive

 

Fly fishing on Rock Creek

 

 The Great Room in the Granite Lodge.  Check out that gorgeous poker table!

 

Zakardas used WHF's Cheyenne desk for the Concierge's office.

 

The Winchester Room, one of nine guest rooms at Granite Lodge.

 

 WHF's Saloon Tables with checkerboard tops are seen just off of the four lane bowling alley.

Contact the Ranch at Rock Creek at theranchatrockcreek.com for more information and reservations.

Contact Jet Zarkadas and Los Griegos Design Studio at losgriegosstudio.com.

Thanks to Los Griegos Studio and to Ranch at Rock Creek for images.

KM

 

Western Heritage - Thursday, August 04, 2011

We don't always, or even often, get to see our furniture as it relates to a customer's home.   Every now and then, we get the privilege of personally delivering our pieces out into the world, and can appreciate how the design process all comes together. 

Recently, we made a dining table that had our tongues all wagging, thanks to Sedona designer Sheri Mleynek.   Sheri designed this piece to have 2 leaves (expanding out to an oval), custom finish on the table and chairs, and Ghosttown Copper accents on the chairs, table top, and edging.



The top is our Archer pattern with the turquoise copper accentuating the darker wood tones.  The leaves are engineered so that a pattern is maintained when the table is expanded.



The table looked amazing on the slate flooring.


 
The chairs were coordinated with the same custom finish, Merlot leather, and a Ghosttown Copper panel on the back.  A gorgeous group designed by Sheri!  Thank you and keep up the great work!!

To contact Sheri Mleynek, email sheri@mleynekdesigns.com

For information on furniture, customizations, and bending the rules of time and space, contact sales@whf-inc.com


 

Western Heritage - Thursday, June 02, 2011

I get a kick out of this old cowboys take on life.

 “Life should never be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely, in a well preserved body but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of dust, thoroughly used up, totally wore out and proclaiming loudly, “WOW, what a ride!”

Well, I am pleased to announce that, to the best of my knowledge, I am nowhere near the end, but can proclaim “WOW, What a ride!” Fourteen years ago, on May 22, I was blessed with a beautiful baby girl Riley Claire McClellan. Five pounds thirteen ounces and all of 18 inches long this little angel changed my life. 

                                           

Riley and I, a few moons ago

A more recent pic of me and Riley

At the time, I had a small woodshop and was a one man show. Upon her arrival, I quickly realized that I could not, with just my two hands, generate enough furniture to afford the life I wished for her. Being a bit of a perfectionist, I had, in the past, had a difficult time hiring help. I just couldn’t leave well enough alone. But for the future financial security of Western Heritage (and thus Miss Riley) I was able to overcome this limitation of mine. I did have to make a pact with myself in order to fully embrace this new adventure.

The pact:  At some point in the foreseeable future I would build a new shop, just for me, where I could pick projects based on my desire to create rather than my need to pay the bills.

                                         

My new home in Durango

                                       

My new shop space

                                         

Unwrapping some new toys, I mean tools

                                      

Hard at work

                                     

A beautiful shot of Erika Roberts at the ranch

The story of Western Heritage is a long exciting tale that I will save for another time, but suffice it to say that we have surpassed all of my wildest dreams. I have been blessed again with a great building for my new shop. I am now almost finished with the build-out (an extension of WHF) in beautiful Durango Colorado. Attached are a few photos. I will attempt to keep everyone posted on the progress and projects of the shop as well as my endeavors to improve my fly fishing skills.

Cheers,

Tim McClellan

 

Western Heritage - Thursday, May 26, 2011
This past weekend marked the opening of The Mine House Collection on Main Street in Jerome.  The store is a conglomeration of Tim McCune of Western Heritage Furniture and Dean Bubolo of Escalante Imports (escalanteimports.com). 

The Mine House Collection... Sign to Debut Soon...


Peeking in the front door...


The Signature Credenza looks pretty good...


Last weekend was also the Jerome Home Tour, the longest running home tour in Arizona.  As the town is a National Historic Landmark, this event is a major draw for people to come up the mountain and get an inside peek at some beautiful old homes.  To help draw in the crowds, Christine and myself dressed as ladies of ill-repute.  We were tax collectors. 


Kim and Christine... the painted ladies of WHF


Zoe thought we were princesses.  She was right.

It was a great day for all.  Good people, a beautiful store, and red party cups.  (We classed it up for the toast shot, thanks to Paul and Jerry's)


Kim, Tim, Christine, Dean, and Heather

K
 

Western Heritage - Thursday, May 12, 2011
Western Heritage Furniture is going to be featured on AAA Presents Highroads with Dan Davis, on Saturday May 14th.   In Phoenix, the show will air on KPNX Channel 12 at 6:30 pm, and in Tucson on KVOA Channel 4 at 4pm.   Check the website for more details, http://www.aaaaz.com/highroads/index.htm

Also, take a look at clips from Robin Sewell's Arizona Highways Television.  Ms. Sewell has featured Western Heritage Furniture ("Furniture with a Green Heart") as well as Verde BioFuel ("Fry Grease to Fuel" and "Verde Biofuel").  All the clips can be found through this link, http://www.azhighwaystv.com/show-archives/green-eco-friendly/

Happy Watching! 






 

Western Heritage - Thursday, April 14, 2011

Ok Ladies…..

At one time or another, we have all found ourselves standing on our tippy-toes in front of the bathroom mirror trying to see how these shoes look with this dress?/ panty hose or no panty hose?/ does my posterior look amazing in these jeans?/ etc.

God Bless the person who invented the Cheval Mirror!

We made this free-standing mirror custom for a customer to avoid such bathroom balancing acts.  It is made out of our signature Ghostwood with Ghost Town Copper accents. 

And much like the previously mentioned posterior, we think it looks pretty good!

-K

 

Western Heritage - Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Custom reclaimed wood pool table from Western Heritage Furniture. This pool table's design is based on elements from our Teton Collection of Furniture. Inspired by the grandeur and beauty of the Teton Mountains in western Wyoming, this Teton table has a massive presence. It incorporates a combination of reclaimed wood beams, hand carved leather and copper details seamlessly married together in this one of a kind creation.

The Pool table's superstructure will be constructed using two identical hand hewn oak beams. The exact history of these beams is unknown, however we reclaimed them from a barn in Iowa a few years back. The barn was constructed about 100 years ago using Douglas Fir. These beams were salvaged from a much older structure then reused in the building of this barn.

In the video you will notice the nature of the ax and adz marks left by the original craftsman. One can tell a lot about the craftsman by these markings as well as the fact that both beams are exactly 7" x 7" square. This particular pioneer probably fell these trees 170 to 200 years ago, long before there were saw mills.