History of Brass Beds of Virginia

The story began when I came to Richmond, Virginia in 1974 and met Bill Bridgforth, who was buying, refurbishing, and selling old brass beds. Over the next year, we hunted for good, turn-of-the century brass beds but they became increasingly difficult to find. As the supply and quality of old beds began to diminish, we realized the only way to satisfy our customers was to craft new brass beds that were made with the same sturdy construction as the old ones.

To meet this goal, we chose to use the highest-quality materials available along with old-world craftsmanship to create a durable, unshakable bed with steel-reinforced side posts, heavy-gauge solid brass, and a cast, dovetail frame system. Making new beds gave us the flexibility to suit the design to the customer and offer beds in all the sizes: twin, full, queen, and king.

In late 1975, our beds were available only in the metro Richmond market. Then, while visiting my parents, I discovered a store similar to ours in Birmingham, Alabama. From my visit with the owner, we got an order for several beds, and thus, our first out-of-state showroom. Later, a friend opened a store in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. and a customer of theirs moved to Atlanta and opened a store there. Over the next several years, we grew through referrals and through customers who loved our beds and wanted to sell them in other markets.

In 1988, after moving into our sixth location in fourteen years of business, I took over as sole owner. We continued to add new bed styles to both the brass and iron bed offerings, and in 1991, introduced several new finishes that were unlike anything available at that time. These new finishes were enthusiastically received by our customers and propelled the demand for our beds to new levels. The new finishes enabled us to take any bed style and create an array of looks to suit anyone's taste.

In the mid 90's, we developed a line of transitional beds for those who wanted a cleaner, sophisticated appearance. The design for these beds is a bit of tradition with a strong hint of contemporary.

Each year we continue to add bed styles and finishes to our product offerings and open new showrooms. When you consider our variations of styles, bed configurations, and finishes, you'll see that we offer hundreds of possibilities for you to find your perfect bed.

Today our mission statement remains the same as when we began: To provide our customers with an honest, quality product and exceptional service, to build a bed that we are proud of, and to guarantee it for life -- because we can. We can say this because we have been quietly making one the best beds there is for thirty years! We have been feature in Furniture Today. To download the pdf of the article please click here.

Many beds are manufactured so they can be sold below a given price, but our beds are built to achieve a high standard of quality. The foundation of our bed is our strong, time-proven frame -- made with a cast, interlocking, dovetail joint, that is easy to assemble yet very sturdy. Combine the frame with designs and finishes that are both unique and beautiful, and you get a wonderful addition to your home.

Our beds are not cookie-cutter copies with limited options. You pick the style, configuration, and finish that suit your desires and we make it for you. Since we make your bed for you, if you need to make some custom changes -- such as frame height or headboard height -- in most cases these needs can be accommodated. And, unlike so many other manufacturers who have outsourced, all of our beds are still made here in Richmond, Virginia.

We are careful about which stores carry our beds, so you will not find us everywhere. Contact us and we will send you to our closest specialty showroom and answer any product questions you may have. When you see our beds in person, you will understand what makes them so special and appreciate why so many of our customers have more than one.

Our beds are built to last, to be an heirloom. They may not be the cheapest beds on the market, but their quality and value only grow over time. You get what you pay for! We stand behind our beds with an iron-clad, lifetime warranty that guarantees our bed will be part of your family for generations to come. If you are interested in a metal bed, shouldn't you have the best?

Yours truly,