Biography

	How long have you been in business?
	We have been in business since 1995, first as Eldred Wheeler of the Main Line, and now as Quail Ridge Furniture. Carmen Di Giovanni is the original and only owner.

	What are your hours of operation?
	You can find our hours of operation on the Contact page to your left. In addition to the posted hours we schedule appointments in the evenings and on the days noted as closed. Just call ahead and someone can be here for you.

	What is handcrafted furniture, and how does it differ from what is available in furniture stores?
	Modern production furniture is built in highly automated environments in large factories using composite and laminate materials, mechanical fasteners, and stamped hardware. Carvings are frequently done by a machine or laser. Finishes are usually several coats of sprayed polyurethane that appears to sit on the surface rather than as part of the surface. Handcrafted furniture originates in small shops and is built in limited quantities by skilled cabinetmakers. Wide, solid boards are used, and they are joined using dovetail or mortise and tenon joints. Dowels and biscuits are not needed and are never used. Finishing is a multi-step process with each coat rubbed out by hand before the next coat is applied. Toners, shellacs, and lacquers are used to obtain the desired appearance, and most pieces are finished with a paste wax coating.

	What sets your reproductions apart from others?
	Our pieces are built as they were in the 18th Century, inside and out. Most production furniture is 'reproduction' on the outside, but thoroughly modern on the inside. As were the originals, our furniture is constructed of solid hardwoods with pine and poplar as the secondary interior woods. Any veneering we do is for style purposes, not as a method of construction. Because of their solid wood construction our pieces expand and contract with changes in humidity. Occasionally, small cracks or checks may develop, but these add to the individuality and charm of our pieces, as with antiques from which they are derived.