In today’s disposable world, true artisans are becoming a dying breed. I remember the motto my grandparents used to say, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” As a quick side-note, did you know this phrase was coined by the War Advertising Council during World War II? It was to promote the dual need to conserve scarce resources and to help keep prices down by not generating excess demand.

Now back to the topic of today’s post. A couple years ago I was doing some interior design work on a home in Idaho. One of my pet peeves with interior designers is that they quite often tell the customer what the customer wants. I like to visit with my clients and get to know them, discovering what they like and what they don’t. I ask lots of questions and listen carefully to their answers. Based on this information, I come up with suggestions to help make their house a home. I have always felt our homes should be places of peace, calm, and comfort and I strive to design living spaces with this in mind.

For this home in Idaho I learned this couple is very traditional, and not interested in the latest fads or trends of the day. We went with basic neutral colors in the couch and chairs because I had an idea for an ottoman that would become the focal point of the entire room. Yes, the couch is green! Did you know green is a neutral color? This was the choice of the customer, not my own, although I wholeheartedly supported her choice. :) Hence the search began to find the perfect Kilim rug to cover the large oval ottoman that I had in mind.

My search wasn’t going so well, but one day I had a friend who was getting rid of some things. Low and behold, one of those things just happened to be a Bessarabian Kilim rug!!!

It was exactly what I had envisioned in my mind to make this ottoman out of. I knew I had to find a skilled artisan who knew what they were doing to work their magic on this rug, giving it the love and respect it so deserved.

Bessarabian rugs are from the Bessarabia region on the western shore of the Black Sea near Romania, Hungary, Moldova, and Ukraine. They were produced during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The designs are most often rich colored florals with a brown or black background. These rugs are almost always flat woven in the tradition of Turkish Kilim style rugs, handmade using a tapestry weave. The very finest Bessarabian rugs were made in the Imperial Tapestry Factory which had been set up by the Russian emperor, Peter the Great, after his travels to England and France.

The Bessarabian carpets made in the Imperial Tapestry Factory near St. Petersburg, Russia were lose copies of French Aubusson and Savonnerie carpets as these styles were fashionable in the Russian court. Later on, Bessarabian carpets were also made in workshops established on the estates or in villages controlled by the aristocracy and landed gentry. The name Bessarabian comes from a historical region called Bessarabia, part of which is now the present day Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Romania.

This same friend suggested I contact Greg Thayer in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Thayer Upholstery was established in 1955 by Edwin Albert Thayer and is currently operated by the family’s third generation. These men are true craftsman in their trade! Using only high quality materials, each piece is hand crafted in their workshop using the best, most proven techniques. They are not a high volume factory, and only hire the finest craftsman in the industry. They offer specifically designed furniture built by hand with hardwoods instead of plywood to last for many generations. Their attention to detail on each piece, enables them to alter the furniture to fit your needs just as a tailor would alter a fine suit.

Working on this project with Greg Thayer, a grandson of Edwin, was truly one of the most fun projects I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of! We sent him the rug, and the dimensions we wanted the ottoman to be. He would call and text with pictures of what it would look like in different oval shapes using the design of the actual rug.

We wanted the center of the rug to be on the top of the ottoman, and the border of the rug to make up the side edges. Greg nailed it! He even sent back the scraps that were left over and we covered three existing barstools with those scraps. After cutting and covering those barstools, I have an even better appreciation of the fine workmanship the Thayer’s are known for.

It was not easy working with the ¼” thick heavy wool material! In the end, we used almost every square inch of that 8” x 10” Bessarabian Kilim rug! How fun is it that we have re-purposed that rug into a unique piece of furniture, built to last for generations.

Thayer’s projects range from existing furniture pieces to be reupholstered, to original designs given to them as a sketch to craft new original pieces. They are so busy, they don’t need to advertise, but try to complete their work in six to eight weeks. During Covid, it was a little longer due to supply chain issues and a heightened work load.

Each piece they create uses hardwood frames that are doweled, glued and screwed together for maximum strength and support. Eight-way, hand-coiled springs that provide a well-supported seat. And precise attention when fabric is cut. This attention to detail in Thayer craftsmanship is a legacy passed down from generation to generation.

Even though the Thayer’s work with world re-known designers and artists, they are down to earth, friendly, and kind. I was actually a little sad when the project was finished. Working with Greg Thayer and his brother made me feel like I had a new best friend. They made arrangements for the ottoman to be shipped to the customer’s home in Idaho, and it arrived in pristine condition.

Working with people who are true craftsmen in their trade is such a fun LIGHT filled experience! These men have God-given talents, and the Thayer’s are sharing them with the world! So if you’re looking for that one-of-a-kind, custom piece of furniture, give Greg a call! You’ll discover that you too have a new best friend!

Have a great day, and look for the beauty that surrounds you in the creativity and talents of others! Creativity brings LIGHT into our lives!

Love Ya, Les :)

Create

A Work Of Art