Heartfelt Designs Furniture Quality, handmade furniture is hard to come by. And that's
why Dale and Becky Brittingham of Mesquite, NV., began
making furniture 20 years ago. The couple, who originally came from Los Angeles via
Utah - where they lived for 12 years - settled in Mesquite
three years ago. They opened Heartfelt Designs, a 14,000-square
foot cutting, sanding, painting and assembly facility
and began manufacturing several lines of furniture and
home accessories. Using solid oak, pine, bass, cedar, popular and walnut,
Heartfelt Designs manufactures benches, children's furniture,
cupboards, shelving, display cabinets, doll furniture
and accessories for a den or lodge. The company's most popular line is its picket-fence furniture.
The sides and backs of the pieces are constructed of real
white picket-fence wood and are highlighted with bass
wood surfaces. The line includes everything from bed headboards
to kitchen hutches, benches, end tables, coffee tables
and various cupboards and corner units. "We are the only ones who do picket fences as a
finished line," Becky says. "It's almost a French
country look. We make 30 items in this line." All of Heartfelt Designs furniture is assembled with
screws, Dale says. And wooden plugs are placed over the
screw tops to conceal them. "Even our doll furniture is screwed together,"
Becky says. "We don't use any particleboard. We only
use plywood for the backs of cupboards, and it is top
quality." In contrast, many manufacturers use particleboard or
cardboard for the backs of cupboards and display cases. Most of the furniture at Heartfelt Designs goes through
11 steps before being deemed finished, the Brittinghams
proudly boast. A birdhouse table, for example, takes a
week to be completed. Currently, Heartfelt Designs furniture and accessories
are sold in about 400 furniture stores nationwide, Dale
says. The average retailer is a one-owner establishment,
where the owner operates the business. One large chain,
the R.C. Willey company in Utah and Idaho, also carries
the Heartfelt Designs' line. Dale says stores specializing in unfinished furniture
especially like Heartfelt Designs. The couple says their
unfinished line is also a popular seller. Heartfelt Designs is a family-owned and operated business.
Becky is in charge of shipping and accounting. Dale builds
furniture and supervises 10 employees, while Becky's parents,
father Wayne repairs the machinery, and mother Annamae
Anderson does the cooking. "We are here 12 hours a day, six days a week,"
Dale says of the demanding work schedule. "Right
now, we are eight weeks behind in production. We can't
make the furniture fast enough." Becky credits Heartfelt Designs' success to their willingness
to listen to what consumers want. Employees also hand
sand all the pieces, which are solid wood. No veneers
are used. "If you like a design, it will last forever,"
Dale says. "You can sand down the wood (if it gets
scratched) and it won't come through (like with veneers)." Currently, Heartfelt Designs furniture is sold in selected
furniture and gift stores in: Reno; Lake Tahoe, NV. Las
Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City, NV. The Brittingham's goal is to produce larger unfinished
furniture such as hutches, entertainment centers and bedroom
headboards. For more information or the location of a store that
sells Heartfelt Designs, contact the company at: 660 Hardy
Way, Mesquite, NV. 89027. Phone: (702) 346-1700.
Fax (702) 346-8804. Web site address: www.heartfelt-designs.com
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