BEREA Collection
APPALACHIAN HERITAGE AND CONTEMPORARY LINES
DINING TABLE
LADDERBACK SIDE CHAIR
LADDERBACK ARM CHAIR
LADDERBACK BAR STOOL
LADDERBACK ROCKING CHAIR
WOOD SPECIES & SHAKER TAPE OPTIONS
While cherry remains the favorite option for most of our clientele, we build our ladderback chairs using any of our hardwood species. These include black walnut, Honduran mahogany, black cherry, maple, oak and ash.
Shaker tape comes in various colors to match any décor.
BEREA COLLECTION TESTIMONIALS
“It’s sturdy, comfortable and really beautiful!! I sit in one every day and my clients sit in one and seem to love it. The very first purchase we made from Brian but certainly not the last! We love his functional art. A real treasure.”
“Like his Ladderback chairs, Brian’s barstools have an extremely high strength-to-weight ratio, yet support you completely. Further, while seated, you connect fully with all three points, the two ladder backs, which arch very comfortably, and the perfectly-angled seat. Most barstools cause you frequently to change position or push you forward out of the seats – not these. As for their looks, the photos on the website are accurate.”
“When we got married and set up house for ourselves, most of our furniture was what you’d call family hand-me-downs. Instead of being disappointed with our old, sometimes beat-up furniture, we soon discovered our hand-me-downs connected us back to our Kentucky family and roots, no matter how far away we lived. They made our house feel like home…like family. Rocking chairs were an especially big part of our family when we grew up. Kids and grandkids were rocked to sleep, beans shelled, newspapers read. And our “visiting” mostly happened while leaning back, gently rocking back and forth as the important news of the moment was delivered and discussed. The right rocking chair was just as important as the right kitchen table, or sofa, or bed. In the mid-1980’s we moved into a big old house with a keeping room right off the kitchen — the perfect spot for a pair of rocking chairs. So we decided to keep on the lookout for some beautiful rocking chairs of our own. No hurry though, we were willing to wait for just the right chairs to come along. After all, they had to fit into our family of furniture. One weekend we were having lunch in Berea when a pair of rocking chairs on display caught our eye, and we first heard about Brian Boggs. We pretty much stumbled on Brian’s workshop, and were amazed by the art and old school craftsmanship he put into his work. The more we heard Brian talk about his process — how he used steam and pressure to mold the shape of the wood, how the parts were connected without nails — the more we knew a pair of Brian’s rocking chairs were meant for us. We like handmade things, especially from our home state, and we loved that our rocking chairs and footstool were handcrafted in Kentucky, just for us. We always felt like the chairs were made the way they should be, using techniques and craftsmanship our own family furniture makers might have used long ago. They fit into our home seamlessly, and were our chairs of choice for reading the morning newspaper or a good book, watching TV, visiting with friends or just thinking and rocking for a while. From our accidental discovery of Brian’s work in Berea so long ago, our rocking chairs followed us for over 25 years, from the cozy keeping room to many other places and porches. And no matter where we were, we could count on our rocking chairs to remind us of Kentucky, and family, and home. “
“Ever since I saw the hickory bark on Brian’s chairs, rockers, and stools I wanted to own them. I was fortunate to be able to purchase two bar stools in early 2013 and my husband, Jeff, and I have been enjoying them ever since. They are certainly the most comfortable stools I ever sat in and they are so truly beautiful. The cherry wood is superb and is getting better every month (cherry darkens over time). Thanks Brian for your great craftsmanship!”
“Our second Brian Boggs chair and another pure delight. The workmanship is superb (special thanks to Stephen James Zbornik for this) and the support it provides is a constant source of delight and astonishment – how do these craftsmen make a chair which fits so many differently-sized bodies so superbly? Problems? Yes, a couple. Firstly, one of these is not enough! Everyone is competing to use it – even our dogs seem determined to get in there. Secondly, my wife wants her own. Sadly, that is a wish which is competing with our desire for a dining table and more side chairs from Brian Boggs and his colleagues. We wish Brian and Melanie many more customers – we are certain that they will be as satisfied as we are.”
“I have two of Brian’s ladder back chairs and I love them! Every time I sit in my chair I love the feel of it. I am always touching the wood… it is buttery to the fingers. You cannot find a higher quality product anywhere.”
“Just a note to let you know how much we are enjoying the chairs you made. They’re beautifully designed and, equally important, extremely comfortable. Like most classic designs, they fit in well with the furniture in our living room. They’re neat to have.”
“We purchased six chairs from Brian in the early ’90s and they have been a pleasure to us daily. We have always found that one can sit in them comfortably for hours after dinner and the living room couches do not offer more comfortable seating. This always amazes us and we cherish them and the many memories of long hours with friends around the table on them. They have had no special care and are as robust and solid as the day we brought them home. Even at today’s increased prices we look forward to getting more chairs to match now that we feel able to do so.”
“One of two chairs we now have. The finesse of the detailing is an endless delight – and actually sitting in it is a very special experience. The way the back fits and supports the body (any body!) is astonishing. We’ll be saving our nickels and dimes to buy more.”
“Nearly 20 years ago I borrowed money from my life insurance policy to buy one of Brian’s ladder-back rocking chairs. The chair was to be a Christmas present for my wife. We loved that chair so much that years later we purchased an additional six bar stools from Brian to go around our kitchen island unit. I have the great pleasure of eating dinner every night with my family on those chairs. Although those chairs have aged over the years, I still treasure them today as much as I did then. Brian has taken a traditional Appalachia ladder-back chair and redefines and reinvented the lines. So much in fact that future generations will recognize that style of chair as his namesake – The ‘Boggs’ chair.”
“My husband read an article about Brian Boggs in “Garden and Gun” magazine and immediately wanted to make an appointment to meet Brian and see his amazing work. While my husband is a “wood nut,” he is not a wood worker. But he admires people who are. When we drove to Asheville to meet Brian and Melanie, we were very impressed by his work, his story and his pure passion for his “art.” And, of course, his chairs! We absolutely love, love, love our classic ladder back chair. Recently our daughter sat to rock and feed her newborn baby in it and pronounced it “wonderful!” Truly, it will be a piece to be passed down for generations to come in our family.”
“We recently replaced our dining room chairs with the Classic Ladderbacks. I couldn’t be happier. They not only look elegant around the table, they actually fit our body. I didn’t know you could be comfortable in a dining chair but this design proves it. Thank you for your attention to detail.”
“Now that I’ve had a chance to use the chair a while and to examine it closely, I need to congratulate you on a superb job of building it. Your attention to detail couldn’t be better. Fantastic joinery, super detailing and a great finish.”
“We have had four of your chairs in daily use in our breakfast room for about 15 years. They have withstood grandchildren and adults, morning California sun, and still are tight and comfortable. We could not be more satisfied.”