The U.S.A.’s tradition of furniture design and manufacturing is alive and well—and looking good. Check out these collectors’ items, custom pieces and classics in the making.
Milo Baughman Sectional Sofa for Pacific Iron
Kansas-born midcentury designer Milo Baughman came up with this three-piece sectional sofa. It comprises one armless chair and two one-arm chairs. The modular grouping can be reconfigured to form a two-seater sofa and a side chair—depending on the space, or your mood. This rare find has been completely restored, and elevated to luxurious heights with pebble-colored Sandra Jordan alpaca wool fabric upholstery. Available for $19,500 at Almond & Co. 415-355-1200
Madison Pendant by Rocky Mountain Hardware
This pendant light, handcrafted in bronze by U.S. artisans, features a linen drum shade suspended within a rectangular lantern—kind of like a Little Black Dress (LBD) for your room. This investment piece would fit well in both traditional and contemporary rooms. Starts at $9,596. Available at Rocky Mountain Hardware 888-788-2013. In San Francisco, available at Belmont Hardware, 415-252-5625, and in Chicago, available at Chicago Brass, 312-245-0200 and Katonah Architectural Hardware, 312-670-1313.
Amicus by Cerno
Designer Nick Sheridan, along with his friends Bret Englander and Dan Wacholder, founded Cerno more than 10 years ago with a commitment to design and build original light fixtures in California. The company is well known for its architectural lighting pieces that celebrate wood. Amicus is a bit of a departure, as its starring feature is a perforated metal shade inspired by Sheridan’s pre-pandemic travels through Morocco. Starts at $950. Available at Cerno, YLighting.com, Lightology.com, Lamps Plus, and Lumens.
Classic Bedside Table by Smilow Design
Made in Pennsylvania from solid walnut, this elegant two-drawer furniture piece is a reintroduction of an archival design with updated proportions. The table surface is wide enough to accommodate an aromatherapy diffuser, a water carafe and a catchall tray. The drawers keep books, magazines and tech gadgets out of sight, but close at hand. Starts at $4,660. Made to order at smilowdesign.com.
Hands Down 82″ Sofa by Blu Dot
Designers at the Minnesota-based company Blu Dot, winner of the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, intended this tailored sofa to be “smart, not stuffy.” The single seat bench cushion provides comfort, while a variety of pillow sizes at the back creates customizable options for sitting tall with a few friends or stretching out solo after a long day. Available starting at $2,799 at bludot.com.
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Lisa Boquiren is an architecture and design aficionada who provides brand strategy for creative businesses. She has overseen rebranding initiatives at EHDD Architects and the San Francisco Design Center, and she creates convergent conversations on A+D, and presents, at the American Institute of Architects’ San Francisco and Los Angeles chapters. Photo by Thomas Heinser
