How to Order Furniture as a Designer for a Client
Designers ordering Hickory Chair furniture for clients through Sutter & Vale work through a trade account process that keeps specifications, finishes, and fabric selections tied to a single project. Sutter & Vale carries Hickory Chair's full range, including pieces from the living collection, and handles each order on your behalf from specification through delivery.
Do I Need a Trade Account Before I Can Place an Order?
Yes, a trade account is the right starting point. Contact Sutter & Vale directly to open one. Once your account is active, you can place orders under your firm, track project specifications in one place, and direct shipment to a receiver or white-glove delivery service of your choosing.
How Do I Specify Finish, Fabric, and Scale?
Hickory Chair's Made For You and Made to Measure programs give you real control over silhouette, finish, and scale. Have these details ready before you submit:
- Frame finish: wood species and stain or paint color from Hickory Chair's current finish options
- Fabric or leather: COM (customer's own material) or a selection from Hickory Chair's fabric programs, which include Liberty and Hable
- Dimensions: Made to Measure lets you adjust seat depth, arm height, and overall scale; note target dimensions in inches before you call
- Hardware: where applicable, choices such as Antique Brass, Antique Bronze, or Antique Silver, as on the Artisan Pedestal Base in Ash
- Quantity: each piece is bench-made to order, so confirm quantities per room before submitting
For a casegoods piece like the Artisan Grand Credenza in Ash, finish and hardware are the two primary specification decisions. For upholstery, fabric grade and yardage requirements come into play as well.
What Lead Times Should I Quote My Client?
Confirm current lead time with Sutter & Vale at the time of order, then add buffer for freight and white-glove delivery before giving your client a move-in date. Hickory Chair builds each piece to order in its Hickory, North Carolina facility, where framing, finishing, upholstery, and shipping all happen under one roof. The house's own language describes production starting in as little as three to four weeks, though complex custom specifications can extend that window.
How Should I Handle COM Fabric for a Client Project?
Send COM yardage directly to Hickory Chair's facility, addressed to your open order number. Sutter & Vale will provide the correct shipping address and order reference when your order is confirmed. Include a cut for approval if your client wants to see the fabric against a frame sample before full production begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I place an order for multiple rooms of the same project under one account?
Yes. A trade account at Sutter & Vale lets you group multiple pieces under a single client project reference. This keeps invoicing and specification sheets organized across rooms and phases.
Is there a minimum order quantity for Hickory Chair pieces?
Hickory Chair builds in a quantity of one, so there is no minimum. You can specify a single chair or a full room program through the same ordering process.
What if my client changes a fabric selection after the order is placed?
Contact Sutter & Vale as soon as possible. Changes are sometimes possible before cutting begins, but once fabric is cut and upholstery starts, alterations are generally not available. Confirming every specification in writing before submission is the most reliable way to avoid this situation.
The Sutter & Vale Team
