“Our business has experienced remarkable growth over the past eight years, a reflection of both our team’s commitment and the demand for thoughtful craftsmanship,” said Andrew Crone, CEO of Chaddock. “We’re one of the few companies to build both upholstery and casegoods under the same roof—an uncommon approach that allows for exceptional continuity in design and quality.”

That integration gives Chaddock a strategic edge—especially when it comes to blending materials. “This setup gives us the rare ability to incorporate beautifully crafted exposed wood directly into our upholstery frames, creating a seamless blend of form and function,” Crone said. “It’s just challenging for others to do that.”

In fact, Chaddock’s entire production philosophy is rooted in flexibility and responsiveness, driven by its adoption of the Toyota Production System. “We don’t begin production until we receive an order from the customer,” Crone explained. “Some refer to it as a one-piece flow. We don’t keep a warehouse full of finished goods—just raw lumber. The beauty of this model is that while it’s complex and challenging to implement, it creates real efficiencies. And once it’s up and running, the quality improves naturally—because when products sit in inventory, they’re more likely to get damaged.”

This made-to-order model enables true customization across both wood and upholstered pieces. “Let’s say you want a sofa that’s a bit deeper than our standard offering—we can make that happen,” said Crone. “Or maybe there’s a unique design challenge in your home, like fitting a sofa perfectly along a custom wall. Designers often need larger dining tables to accommodate extended family—we recently built a 98-inch round table for a client. That level of customization allows us to bring tailored solutions to even the most complex design needs.”

Chaddock’s craftsmanship is as meticulous as it is personalized. “Our case goods go through a proprietary 18- to 22-step finishing process that teases out the natural beauty and depth of the wood,” said Crone. “We also use a pre-catalyzed lacquer that enhances the durability of the finish.” Chaddock primarily works with oak and maple, woods whose grain and texture are accentuated through this meticulous process.

Meanwhile, the upholstered side of the operation holds true to tradition. “All of our upholstery, as long as the frame will allow, is eight-way hand-tied, and that’s really just kind of the hallmark of heirloom quality furniture. It’s built to last for generations.”

Despite this level of detail, Chaddock's lead times are almost unheard of in the high-end market. “We’re shipping upholstery in as little as two to three weeks and truly custom upholstery in 8 weeks, which is remarkable for this industry,” said Crone. “Most companies quote eight weeks for standard pieces alone—so we’re outperforming the market when it comes to speed.”

The company’s Morganton roots are no accident. The business was launched in 1996 when the founders—two brothers whose father once owned Drexel Heritage—purchased an existing facility. “The reason for coming to Western North Carolina is that there’s such a rich heritage of craftsmanship and a skilled workforce,” Crone said. “Part of why they started the business in '96 was because of the local talent. There's so many amazing second and third generation craftspeople…we have a lot of family members that work for us, so multiple generations and multiple family members work together in the workroom.” 

It’s not just the craftsmanship that sets Chaddock apart—it’s the company culture. “It’s not a top-down, motivated team—it’s very much based on mutual respect,” said Crone. “Most of our best ideas come from the craftspeople actually producing the product.”

The company has created an environment where employees can grow their skills—and their careers. “As our team learns additional skills and we coach them and teach them to do different things, they become more valuable and their compensation goes up,” Crone said.

That investment in people includes partnerships with local institutions like Western Piedmont Community College, which helps train the next generation of craftspeople. “If someone wants to come work for Chaddock… after six months [of employment], we actually pay for their tuition,” said Crone. “It’s a great partnership and we look forward to doing much more with it in the future.”

Workplace perks include a renovated workroom, break areas, and a gourmet-style cafeteria. “We feel very much that just a good culture and workplace shouldn’t be reserved for the tech companies of the world,” Crone said. “We want our team to have an awesome place to work.”

Despite being a nationally recognized brand, Chaddock has remained grounded in its values—and in Western North Carolina. “We’ve always had a great story—it just wasn’t being told in a bigger way,” said Crone. “The audience didn’t know about our capabilities.”

Now, with a commitment to customization, quality, and community, Chaddock Furniture is making sure that story gets told—one handcrafted piece at a time.

Learn more at Chaddock.com. 

PULL QUOTE: “The reason for coming to Western North Carolina is that there’s such a rich heritage of craftsmanship and a skilled workforce. There's so many amazing second and third generation craftspeople.”