Smilow® Furniture: American Made is in Our Roots

Having just celebrated the Fourth of July, we find this the perfect time to tell you about our commitment to manufacturing our furniture in America and how proud we are to say this has been the case since Mel Smilow first created his pieces in 1949. We are dedicated to having our furniture crafted locally, continuing the legacy of Smilow® Furniture’s original mission.

Mel Smilow designed with purpose, in the mid century, a time when there was a movement that believed that the average American family could be surrounded by finely crafted, simple, modern design. In 1962, Mel Smilow moved his family to Usonia, a Frank Lloyd Wright community based on this same ethos.  Smilow’s  business Smilow Thielle and the furniture he designed  sought to provide simple modern design that was accessible, useful and well crafted directly to his customers. Manufacturing in America was crucial to this process.

We are proud to continue to manufacture our furniture in Pennsylvania, just a few miles from where it was first built in the 1950’s. It is of great importance to us that we work with several multi-generational family businesses that have always valued fine furniture craftsmanship. Furniture making has been a tradition in this part of the country for generations.

One of the great benefits of working with local craftsmen is the close working relationship that we have developed. At Smilow® Design we work closely with our craftsmen to develop, refine, problem solve and ultimately view and approve every piece of furniture we produce before it is delivered.

We are fortunate to work with a terrific and and talented group of fine craftsmen. A few of which are pictured below.