The Distillery Collection Joins George Washington’s Mount Vernon Collection By Durham Furniture

Furniture World News Desk on 3/30/2015

Durham Furniture reported that it will introduce the new solid maple bedroom and occasional Distillery Collection, part of the Mount Vernon Collection by Durham Furniture, at the Spring High Point Market. 

“People love authenticity, they love a great story, and they love history,” says Gord Dilworth, president of Durham Furniture. “But younger consumers today aren’t interested in fussy, formal reproductions. They want to incorporate a bit of timeworn history into their casual, comfortable ways of life.”

When furniture designer Chris Bergelin visited George Washington’s estate to gather inspiration for Durham’s fourth licensed Mount Vernon collection, his attention was drawn to the rustic details of the working outlying buildings of the plantation.

“I kept seeing the textures and colors and materials used in the workshops. The barn had beautiful, weathered timber and old fashioned cut nails,” Bergelin says. By the time he reached the Distillery, a historically accurate, working replica of the original whiskey-making operation, Bergelin knew he had found his muse.

A door with an interesting molding became the outside molding of the cases. A recurring pattern of hand-forged, hand-driven nails became the collection’s signature accent. The textures and hues of aged weatherboard formed the finishes. The black iron hardware with worn edges showing a silver steel undertone was inspired by the original hand wrought iron hardware used on outdoor gates and doors.

“The finish of The Distillery Collection is based on 18th-century weatherboard siding used for the distillery and blacksmith shop, which could last indefinitely when properly maintained,” says Beverly Addington, product licensing director for George Washington’s Mount Vernon. “Horizontally laid boards fit together with grooves and then fastened to the studs with rosehead wrought iron nails, both of which are reflected in The Distillery Collection.”

George Washington’s decision to build a distillery began at the urging of his farm manager, James Anderson, who previously had been involved in the distilling business in Scotland. After setting up a small operation in 1797 and producing 600 gallons, which sold for “a good profit,” the former president agreed to construct a large distillery over the winter of 1797-98. In 1799, the last year of Washington’s life, the distillery produced nearly 11,000 gallons, making it the largest whiskey distillery in America.

“The original distillery fell into disrepair and burned in 1814,” Addington says. “In 2007, after extensive archaeological and documentary research, a working distillery was rebuilt.”

With clean, simple lines, The Distillery Collection is crafted of solid maple in two compatible wire-brushed finishes, Trenton Grey and Whiskey. Mitered cases and bold inset beading draw the eye to drawer fronts, which are adorned with hand-driven authentic nails. Side-tapered square legs and touches of fabric appeal to modern consumers, as do casual antiqued ring pull hardware and key escutcheons. Drawers feature soft-close drawer guides, and many pieces include cedar-bottom lower drawers.

The Slatted Bed, inspired by a loom in the spinning room at Mount Vernon, features maple slats accented with hand-cut nails on the headboard and footboard. The Upholstered Panel Bed echoes the Slatted Bed, with two upholstered panels, outlined with hand-cut nails, on the headboard and maple slats on the footboard. A clipped corner maple frame defines the upholstered headboard of the Panel Bed, which has a low profile maple footboard with tapered round legs.

The uniquely functional Entertainment Credenza, designed to house both electronics and spirits, includes two center doors that open to adjustable shelves for electronic components, a left door that conceals an adjustable shelf and a deep liquor drawer, and a right door that opens to wine storage.

The Storage Bench, perfect for the end of a bed, an entryway or any room of the home, has an upholstered seat with a comfortable maple back and two lower drawers with cedar bottoms.

The Chest, Bachelor’s Chest, Double Dresser, Tall Chest and three-drawer Nightstand feature mitered cases, over-scaled inset beading, Trenton Grey and Whiskey ring pulls and key escutcheons, as well as four to eight rows of hand-driven cut nails. The similarly styled four-drawer Media Chest and eight-drawer Dresser also include a flip-down top drawer for electronic components.

The Nightstand includes a single drawer and lower shelf. The Landscape Mirror echoes the aged weatherboard, accented with double rows of hand-driven cut nails.

“Like the small-batch whiskey still produced in the 18th-Century way by the Mount Vernon Distillery, this collection of solid wood furniture crafted in North America speaks to the way Millennials live today,” Dilworth says. “It represents authentic artisanship and hands-on attention to detail.”

A portion of the sales of all Mount Vernon furniture is returned to Mount Vernon to preserve, educate, and support the preservation efforts.

About Durham Furniture: Since 1899, Durham Furniture has been committed to making adult and youth solid wood furniture of exceptional quality, design and enduring value. With a proven legacy of integrity and dependability, Durham, a winner of numerous design awards, is among the premier bedroom and occasional furniture manufacturers in North America. The Durham brand also includes Solid Choices offering more than 40 finishes for some pieces and collections, and PerfectBalance, offering furniture that is the right style, right finish and right size. All furniture is crafted at the Ontario, Canada plant using lean manufacturing methods, while still relying extensively on the human touch.