Transcript Slide 1

History & Heritage
Infinite Possibilities
Our slogan is more than a
platitude. It is a promise that
each employee and purveyor
of our products makes to
you. With our unrivaled
breadth of product styles and
the numerous options we
offer, the possibilities are
truly infinite.
Unlimited Attention
Unlimited attention
means just what it says:
Attention to detail in
design, craftsmanship,
and shipping. When
you choose Century
Furniture you can be
confident you are
getting quality furniture
personalized to your
distinctive tastes at an
extraordinary value.
History
Harley Ferguson Shuford, Sr.,
established Century Furniture
Company in 1947.
He started with $500 of paid-in capital,
according to a financial summary he
later wrote for the bank when he
sought a loan.
In the beginning, Century was a
selling agent for local upholstery lines.
Mr. Shuford’s new company sold the
output of these
small companies, stabilized their
sometimes shaky finances, and
advised them on market trends and
quality issues.
History
A couple of years later, having built a
successful sales organization and
turned a good profit, Mr. Shuford
dreamed of managing his own
production under one roof with the use
of modern equipment and
sophisticated management practices.
He recognized the pent-up demand in
the years following World War II, and
he convinced a brother-in-law and
three close friends to join him in
capitalizing and operating a modern
physical plant.
History
Century Furniture is one of
the world's largest privately
owned manufacturers of
upper-end residential
furniture. Its broad product
line of wood and upholstered
and outdoor furniture
consists of bedroom, dining
and occasional collections in
traditional, transitional and
contemporary styling.
History
Century is recognized in the
industry as a design leader,
ranked in the forefront for its
expertise in finishing and the
many details of fine
craftsmanship.
History
The average length of
employment is greater than
10 years, and many boast
more than 40 years of
distinguished service. In
many cases three
generations of the same
family have passed their
specialized skills from one
generation to the next. It is
the kind of company that
once you join, you never
want to leave.
History
You will find Century
Furniture in the finest homes
in America, including the
Whitehouse.
From our extraordinary
designs, through our
exquisite craftsmanship
details, you cannot buy
better furniture.
Superb Craftsmanship
While construction features may
not always be visible, they
nevertheless allow for comfort and
durability for life. State of the art
frame construction combined with
8-way hand-tied double cone coils,
layers of foam and fiber and a
coated steel-mesh base provide
solid support, insulation and
comfort. Hardwood legs are
engineered into the frame for
strength and stability. Apparent
luxury lies in the well-padded back,
sides and pillows of all Century
upholstery.
Product Scope
Century makes a dazzling
array of fine furniture—
customized to suit the needs
of each individual consumer—
for every room in the home.
Our categories include:
Wood Collections for the
Dining Room, Bedroom, and
Living Room, Custom Dining
Tables & Chairs, Upholstered
Seating, Outdoor/Indoor
Leisure, Home Entertainment,
Home Office
One Standard: “The Best.”
At Century, we have only one
standard: “The Best.” That means
only the best materials, design, and
craftsmanship.
We expect every piece we make to
be perfect and we stand behind it,
hand-in-hand with the finest retailers,
interior designers, and other
partners.
Century is all about luxury,
innovation, and speed. These three
concepts permeate our corporate
culture and every aspect of the
customer experience.
Materials
Only the finest materials are
worthy of Century furniture.
Exotic woods. Imported Italian
stone. Hand-hammered
wrought iron. Luscious silks,
velvets, jacquards, and
leathers. All of these elements
are brought together by a
team of talented designers
and craftspeople, worked and
finished by hand, to create
furniture that’s more than just
furniture—it’s a work of art.
Drawer Construction
The true superiority of fine furniture is
often found in the hidden details of design
and craftsmanship. Our patented double
dovetail drawer glides are found only in
Century Furniture products to ensure
heirloom quality for future generations.
They are more than twice as strong as
conventional construction and the double
glide is smoother than ordinary drawer
glides.
The English dovetail joints provide
unrivaled strength and craftsmanship.
Corner and reinforcement blocks ensure
rattle free operation.
Distressing
Unlike mass-produced
furniture, each piece is
distressed and finished by
hand.
Gold & Silver Leaf
Thin foil sheets of silver or
gold are applied by hand to
accent design details such as
carvings and mouldings.
They are worn through and
burnished to a fine patina to
simulate aging.
Gold & Silver Dry Brushing
A gold or silver paint is made by
combining a mixture of gold or
silver powder to a clear glaze or
gloss lacquer. The brush is
dipped into the mixture, and
then is brushed on an
absorbent surface until it is
nearly dry. Only then is it
applied to furniture. As a result,
it is more subtle than leafing.
Hand Waxing
Hand rubbing brings out the
luster in fine wood finishes. A
skilled artisan applies a
special formulation of wax
and rubs it to a high sheen.
The formula, which contains
beeswax and carnuba,
produces a long-lasting shine
which brings out the depth of
complex multi step finishes.
Flow Matching
We Believe Flow Matching is an Art
Form. We have a dedicated
production process to ensure
dressmaker tailoring and detailed
personal attention. There is
nothing more pleasing to the eye
that a perfectly 4-way flow matched
piece of upholstery. But achieving
it requires great skill in
visualization, which comes from
years of experience in cutting and
sewing. We make all of our
Signature Upholstery by hand in
our factory in Hickory, NC.
Customization
Customization is another aspect of
luxury. Each piece of our furniture is its
own creation. Consumers can choose
from dozens of fine finishes, hundreds
of fabrics, and a dazzling array of
upholstery skirts, fringes, nail head
trim, and other “extras.” We even have
a custom dining group that lets you
build a stunning table from the floor up.
Finally, when all the decisions are
made, you get your custom-designed
furniture fast—so you don’t have to
wait to bask in the luxury at home.
Custom Finishes
All of our finishes are expertly
rendered: hand-applied layer after
layer, polished to perfection, carefully
distressed to create the timeworn
patina of a well-loved antique. Unlike
ordinary furniture, most of our
casegoods may be finished in a
multitude of options. Each expertly
crafted piece is hand finished one at a
time by our skilled artisans. To
personalize a piece for your distinctive
tastes, choose from one of the more
than 50 finishes offered. You can even
choose a different finish for the top and
the base.
Innovation
Century creates unique pieces that
simply cannot be mass produced. Take
the Radial Table from our Oscar de la
Renta Home collection, shown here.
It's based on an 1835 design by an
inventor named Jupe. Unfortunately,
the tolerances required were so narrow
that minor changes in humidity made
the mechanism unworkable. Modern
wood and metal working techniques,
along with engineering know-how,
solved this problem.
Speed
Century is known for its speed
of delivery. After a consumer
places his/her order, we typically
have his/her customized
furniture available for delivery in
four weeks or less—by far the
fastest turnaround time in the
luxury segment of the furniture
industry.
Creative Alliances
We have found that collaboration
generates tremendous creative energy.
In recent years we’ve joined forces
with fashion giant Oscar de la Renta,
and international furniture designer
Richard Frinier. The results? Diverse—
and breathtaking—furniture collections
that are fresh, and unexpected.
Extreme Customization
Our goal is to never say no. We offer a
practically unlimited range of custom
upholstery built to your exact
requirements. This includes custom
widths, depths and heights, skirt
options, cushion and back details
along with the plushest seat and back
fills, and application of unique trims.
More than likely, if you can design it,
we can build it. Our skilled craftsmen
have worked miracles in creating oneof-a-kind pieces. If it is possible, we
will quote you a price. Then you can
decide whether or not to proceed.
“We strive to make furniture
of such impeccable quality
that it brings joy not only to
the people who own it, but
also to the craftsmen who
build it.”
Harley F. Shuford 1947