About Us
In 2002 Alan Daigre began learning the craft of chair making in an old abandoned corn crib, upgraded to two adjoining horse stalls a couple of years later before building a small shop on a farm in middle Tennessee. It was here that Alan began making traditional Shaker-style ladder-back and “mule ear” chairs, primarily with traditional hand tools. As his work evolved, Alan set out to design and produce a chair that was different. He drew on the skills he had been honing, his experience building and facilitating “ropes courses,” and his exposure to antique furniture in the antebellum town of Natchez, Mississippi, where he grew up.
Alan says with a chuckle, “I knew that I was really onto something, or I had completely lost my mind. It’s sometimes a very fine line between the two!” To handle the growth, improve efficiency, and have a dedicated gallery space, Alan moved his operation to a 10,000 sq. ft. commercial building in Woodbury, Tennessee. The new gallery is currently open by appointment and during a series of Open House events held throughout the year. “We are very excited to have this new dedicated gallery and would love to show it off to you any time!”
Alan describes some important features of their work:
“In all of our chairs we start with solid air-dried hardwood frames—usually walnut, cherry, or maple. Despite being more expensive and harder to source, we find that air-dried material is superior to kiln-dried lumber for our frames in many ways. The color is much richer. And it is much more stable as it's been allowed to dry naturally over time, instead of artificially in a kiln. In most cases we buy hand-selected logs from local loggers, have it sawn at a local sawmill, and then put it up to dry for a minimum of 18 months, usually longer. We realize that this is not the cheapest or easiest way to do things, but we feel that it's worth it if you’re building something that you want to last for generations.”
That’s our chair!
“It doesn’t take long to notice that our chairs are different, especially when you sit in them. That's because the seat and back consist of many individual wood blocks that are threaded together through the frame, by a single cable encased in a synthetic jacket that protects the wood and the cable. This cable has an 1,800-lb. breaking strength and minimizes the concern of stretch and wear over time. This technique also adds to the structural integrity of the chair—pulling the frame together every time you sit in it. We guarantee the cable against breakage for the life of the chair.
“But the real beauty of the design is in the comfort. With the block seat and back suspended, the chair is free to adjust to the body. That’s right, no pressure points. Imagine a chair that fits your body perfectly, every time you sit. And it does the same for every person that sits in it. That’s our chair!
“While we think that our design can stand on its own, combine it with our hand rubbed finish and you really have something. It’s a painstaking and fussy process, but we believe that our finish work is unparalleled. Put your hands on any part of our chair and you’ll see. We start with multiple coats of a tung oil based penetrating oil, carefully sanding between each layer, followed by several coats of a wipe-on poly, adding a very durable and protective surface. The final touch is a natural beeswax formula, buffed to perfection.
“It’s an easy finish to repair and maintain. Again and again we hear positive comments about our finish, work and how much it adds to the overall joy of sitting in the chair. We’ll provide you with a 5-year supply of wax (with instructions) that you’ll want to apply to your chair every year or so. We go to great lengths to make the best chair we can knowing that it will be a part of your family for years to come.
“Feel free to contact us (email info@AlanDaigreDesigns.com) to make an appointment to visit or with any questions you may have about our work.”
Ordering from Alan Daigre Designs
For each handmade piece, Alan and his team take painstaking measures in choosing colors, grain patterns, and textures so no two items are alike. Most work is done on a commission basis, and there are a number of pieces in the gallery at all times that are available for purchase. Generally a 50% deposit is required to begin custom work, with the balance due upon delivery, unless other arrangements are made.
Items are crated and insured for safe shipping, or hand delivered. For a less expensive delivery option we have recently contracted with “Roadie,” a delivery service similar to Uber, with good success. There is currently a 2-4 month wait on most orders.
A rocker crated by Crater’s and Freighter’s
Get in Touch with Alan Daigre Designs
Alan Daigre Designs Shop & Showroom
320 S. McCrary St.
Woodbury, TN 37190
Phone: (615) 713-7868
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Find us @alandaigredesigns