DESIGN CONNECTION

Rushing into Building B of the Las Vegas Design Center at World Market to meet with a client, I had to do a double-take as I walked quickly past an old and familiar name that I hadn’t seen “up in lights” for a long time: Beverly Furniture. I abruptly stopped, looked again (just in case my eyes had deceived me) and resolved to return ASAP and discover for myself just what was going on in Suite B-0175; which is exactly what I did later that day.

The rush of nostalgia and the warm thoughts of shared professional memories came washing over me as I entered B-0175 that afternoon and found that not only had the wonderful Beverly Furniture been resurrected, but helming this flagship showroom was a lady that started in design just about the same time I did (some 25-plus years ago) and was now the regional sales director, the lovely and talented Carol Judd. I was thrilled. Hugs were exchanged and our nonstop conversation began.

I first wanted to know all about the re-emergence of Beverly—a time-honored and well-respected custom furniture manufacturer that had disappeared from the scene a number of years ago, and that I assumed was down for the count. Carol told me that yes, Beverly Furniture had been around for a very long time; it was founded in the 1950s by the Stewart family. They had always been strictly “to the trade” and their furniture was sold exclusively through fine furniture showrooms and sales representatives throughout the United States.

She went on to say that in 2000 a merger took place between the San Francisco designer Mike Moore and a business partner by the name of Mike Thacker, and that in 2003 Beverly Furniture was acquired by one of its employees, Reggie Walker, who was now the new owner. Reggie had been with Beverly since 1990 and had served as production manager, general manager and finally as vice president. Carol emphasized how good it was to be working with people who knew the business so well and understood the needs of the interior designer.

The showroom at the Las Vegas Design Center represents the RBF family of brands that includes Beverly (of course), RBF Contract, Francesca (a lighting line) and LS Hospitality, with others to follow soon. I grew more and more excited as Carol took me on a tour, pointing out pieces from the various lines and the attractive selling points for interior designers and their clients.

Adjectives that immediately came to mind were “alluring, accessible, unexpected and classic” as I saw for myself (once again) that Beverly Couture offers modern glamour at affordable prices. And this is made-to-order furniture, I might add! A designer is free—in fact, encouraged—to specify a desired size, details, finish and fabric when ordering at this showroom. It’s the way Beverly worked in the past, as I remember, and so it continues to this day. And in a marketplace where most goods are coming from Asia, everything sold at Beverly is manufactured right next door in Los Angeles. I personally found this bit of information no less than amazing considering the price points compared with the astronomical costs of building here instead of abroad.

Carol went on to point out that hospitality designers can also use Beverly to great advantage as large multiples for contract and hospitality are predicated on budget, and that containers are shipped from tried and true off-shore sources, and so are incredibly priced. Or they can simply specify standard Beverly designs or work with the factory directly to create a unique look for a particular project. I commented at this point how impressed I was with the operation and that all bases of furniture production seemed to be well covered. But there was much more to learn about the RBF brands.

Our conversation then turned to construction details and I was smart enough to not even remotely suggest that quality might be in some way be compromised in order to achieve such incredible pricing. Carol referred to the construction of seating as 20th and 2lst century, which I found quite intriguing and asked her what could possibly be the difference; I had always used eight-way hand-tied alder hardwood frames and believed that this was the best construction. She quickly answered that yes, it was—in the last century!

Now, in the 21st century, I learned, state-of-the-art in the industry was “sinuous springs.” I loved the name, but had no idea what she was talking about. Carol explained that hardwood frames were still utilized, but this innovative spring system was indeed “sinuous,” in that it was made of a new space-age material guaranteed never to weaken or sag, but to forever bend or turn without giving way. I remember thinking to myself at this point, “My God, these people really have it together.”

Additionally, all seating is 25/75 down/feather cushions which is standard—once again underscoring the fact that at Beverly, quality furnishings are indeed available at reasonable prices. One example is the Piedmont sofa which retails for $2,800 (plus fabric) and needs to be seen to be believed, as does the stunningly beautiful Regent table (54-inch diameter) retailing at $4,800, and the graceful, elegant Regent chair, retailing at $1,625. The Regent pieces are both Macassar ebony with custom sizes and veneers optional. Believe me, it’s rare these days to find such exquisitely crafted furniture selling at prices like these.

As a long-time designer of furniture and interiors myself, I predict great things for RBF. Their understanding of the basic underlying principles of furniture construction and manufacturing—coupled with their concern for the interior designer and ultimate end user—are so fundamentally ingrained as to be second nature.

Carol Judd, for example, has long been regarded in the industry as a specialist in product specifications, furnishings, fixtures, color and materials and has worked as a consultant, purchasing director and senior project designer for such illustrious design firms as Friedmutter Group, Janise Cooper and Associates, and Boyd Gaming, in addition to being a founding member of NEWH (Network of Executive Women in Hospitality). It would be next to impossible for a client to be in better hands than Carol’s.

And as for the future, plans are currently in place for the development of a factory fabric line to provide designers with an immediate and readily available choice of fabrics to help ease the specifying process—not only for RBF seating, but for designers’ other projects as well. The lighting line will be officially launched at the 2008 Winter Market, and the range of wood and metal tables as well as case goods continues its brilliant expansion.

Suite B-0175 at the Las Vegas Design Center offers it all: style, value and made in the U.S.A., all with the same appeal as the higher-priced European lines. Yes, Beverly’s back! And it’s a better world for it.

Beverly Furniture can be reached by calling (702) 382-1140.

Stephen Leon is President of Soleil Design Intl. Inc. and has been designing and manufacturing custom furniture and cabinetry for over 25 years. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) serving as Communications Director for the Central California-Nevada Chapter. Stephen can be reached at soleildesign@cox.net or 702-873-5358.