Journal
Designing a Dream
At age 32, Michelle was at a crossroads, searching for something that would fuel her creativity and passion for helping people. “It was time to reinvent myself,” she says. She wanted to help people enjoy living through color, texture, shadow, and light. As a child, she says, “I organized my closet by color and methodically placed each toy in the perfect position.” She knew she wanted to be a residential interior designer. Several months later, she applied to a design school in Chicago. “While in design school, I got on the mailing list of several catalogs. I was bombarded with design and home decor magazines, but I remember getting the Thos. Moser catalog. I was blown away. I didn’t know furniture could look like that. When I received that catalog, I began flipping through the pages and created a list of everything I wanted for my dream home. I marked up the catalog with little tags on the top as I didn’t want to ruin the pages with ear folds, and I even had a plastic sleeve over it to protect it,” she says. “In my first rendering class, the professor said we should bring our favorite catalogs to class to find inspiration. I knew the Thos. Moser catalog was the one I wanted to bring and the Lolling Chair was the perfect specimen to use for my study. I carried my Thos. Moser catalog with me back and forth all semester for inspiration. I just loved the form and playing around with it. I remember the first sketch was in charcoal. It was terrible, smeared, raw, and looked nothing like the finessed form I saw on the page. The next one was in pencil, and I remember adding different layers, textures, and color, and by the time we got to the final rendering, I still really loved the chair.” Above: Lolling Chair & Ottoman with the Square End Table with Drawer With each line she sketched and retraced, she deepened her connection to her brother and his passion for woodworking and furniture design. “My brother, Ryan, was a furniture student at the Rhode Island School of Design while I was in design school, and I knew he would love to see the Thos. Moser designs, too,” says Michelle. “I thought it would keep him motivated about furniture design and to believe that something like this could be his future… it worked! I remember telling my husband I was sending him the catalog, and he said, “You’re not going to send your brother some furniture catalog, are you? He’s going to get made fun of.” Michelle says, ” I sent it anyway. When Ryan received it, he called me and said, “I got this really fancy catalog.” I said I know, I sent it to you. Ryan geeked out over the designs just as much as I did. As young designers, it gave us something new and exciting to connect over.” As time passed, Michelle eventually started her own design company, and her brother followed his dream of furniture-making. Over the years, their family suffered significant heartaches and celebrated incredible achievements. Through all this, Michelle and her brother have held on to their mutual passion for fine furniture and design. “It says a lot about your company that my family’s shared joy and influence of design came from that catalog, and we’re still talking about it some 20 years later. I still get a kick out of thinking about my brother carrying around that catalog on campus and taking it into the woodshop. It’s crazy how life is and how powerful memories can be," says Michelle. There is never the right time or "enough money," but there are incredible memories of her brother surrounding that catalog and the hours spent putting pencil to paper as she manifested her dream chair. "The form and the look of the Lolling Chair are just timeless," says Michelle. “It says a lot about your company that my family’s shared joy and influence of design came from that catalog and we’re still talking about it some 20 years later.” Now, two years later, Michelle says, “I received the new catalog in the mail and instantly had a smile on my face. The cover looks exactly like 'my chair.' She says, “What’s not to love? Considering I purchased the chair and ottoman “sight unseen,” which I have never done before with any furniture, I was pleasantly surprised at the comfort and elegance in real life. Sometimes you sit on a piece of furniture, and after a while, it’s not comfortable; that’s not the case with this beauty. I love the brass bar mechanism that raises and lowers the seatback, and the adjustable neck-support pillow is the icing on the cake. I have my Lolling nestled in a corner near my fireplace. It’s cozy and comfortable, and it’s my favorite place to unwind. I still can’t believe she’s mine!” “Talking with everyone at Moser and taking a trip down memory lane is the best thing that has happened to me this year. The Lolling Chair had been sitting in my cart for over a month, and I’m glad I reached out to you guys. It’s been my Christmas miracle.”
LEARN MORE
The Aging Process of Cherry
Cherry furniture deepens from light salmon to rich reddish-brown within months, its unique finish inviting a tactile connection through time and touch.
LEARN MORE
Natural Variations Found in North American Hardwood
Discover the natural variations in North American hardwood—aging color, grain patterns, and mineral deposits—that make each Thos. Moser piece unique.
LEARN MORE
How to Clean Your Hardwood Furniture
We asked Marc LaBonte, head of furniture maintenance, for expert tips on caring for and cleaning our hardwood furniture.
LEARN MORE
5 Reasons Why You Should Choose Solid Wood Furniture
Choose solid wood furniture for lasting beauty, durability, and eco-friendly appeal. Discover five reasons why it’s the smart choice for your home.
LEARN MORE
Wood Moves
Designing furniture with solid wood demands patience and respect for its unique traits, ensuring each piece endures a lifetime with character and strength.
LEARN MORE
Five Things to Consider When Buying a Dining Chair
There’s a science to comfortable sitting. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all for dining seating. For some, it comes in the form of an upholstered seat that perfectly matches a favorite rug or a hand-sculpted wooden seat that tucks neatly under the edge of the table, allowing for maximum use of the room before and after meals. And for others, it’s a bench that can be pulled from the entryway or living room to accommodate a few extra guests for a neighborhood supper. The Eastward Side Chair and Eastward Bench Height One of the best places to look when you begin to select your dining room seating is your table itself. What is the height of your table? With this measurement, selecting or customizing seating that will perfectly place you at the table will easily fall into place. Most dining tables range in height from 28 to 31 inches. Many of our tables fit comfortably within this range at 30 inches high. Our dining chairs will average in height, from the top of the seat to the floor, from 17 to 21 inches high, leaving you with a distance from the seat to the tabletop ranging from 8 to 14 inches. The average person will find a seat-to-tabletop distance of around 10-12 inches most comfortable. Most dining tables are 28" - 31" high. The average seat height from the floor is 17 " - 20". The average height from chair seat to table top is 10" - 12". There are a few things to consider with these measurements. First, what is the thickness of the tabletop itself, and if there is an apron around the table, how far does that extend toward the floor? Be sure to account for these measurements, especially if you select chairs with armrests. The Wishbone Table, Cumberland Chairs, and Cumberland Sideboard Depth The depth of a dining chair influences two important aspects of comfort and function: how far the chair will tuck beneath the table when not in use, and where you will naturally sit in relation to the tabletop when seated. A chair with excessive depth may prevent the chair from sliding fully under the table, while also positioning the sitter farther back than intended. In some cases, this can cause the sitter's legs to come into contact with the table’s pedestal or trestle base. Thoughtful chair proportions help ensure both comfortable seating and ease of movement around the table. How to Select the Right Number of Chairs Determining how many chairs can comfortably fit around a dining table begins with understanding proper spacing. As a general guideline, allow approximately 28 inches between the centers of adjacent seats to give each guest adequate personal space and freedom of movement. It is also important to maintain at least 2 inches between chairs so seating does not feel crowded. For chairs placed at the ends of the table, allow roughly 14 inches from the seat center to the tabletop edge to create a balanced and comfortable arrangement. Using these measurements helps ensure the table feels welcoming, functional, and proportioned for gathering. The Boat Top Table and Harpswell Side Chairs with back. A Chair's Footprint The chair’s footprint is the width and depth of the chair. For some chairs, especially if they have a splayed or bowed leg, this measurement will include the furthest two reaching points of the legs. When deciding how many chairs to place along the length of the table, it’s helpful to know the width of the chairs so you can be sure there's enough clearance underneath without bumping into each other or the table's base. If the chairs touch when tucked underneath, your guests can feel cramped. Generally, allow 28 inches from the center of the seat to the next to comfortably accommodate most people or at least 2 inches between chairs. For chairs at the end of the table, allow 14 inches from the seat center to the end of the table. Upholstery: The Softer Side of Dining Chairs Upholstered chairs offer a variety of ways to express one's style. They can be a wonderful way to tie colorful elements of the room together or offer a neutral palette for the eyes to rest. A few of our chairs, Aria and Harpswell, offer upholstered cushions for added comfort. Our fabric selections range from fine leather, like our full-grain Riverside, ideal for heavy to medium use, to some of our most durable upholstery materials. The Pasadena Side Chair and Aria Arm Chair Arm Chairs and Side Chairs Many of our chairs come as both side and arm chairs. If you prefer your chairs to sit fully under the table top, we recommend choosing a table design without an apron. Two of our favorite armchairs that do slide underneath our tables without an apron are the Harpswell chair and the Eastward Chair. For a sleeker companion to an armchair, our side chair offers the same exquisite design and style. Another consideration when choosing chairs is the difference between the table height and the overall chair height. The overall height of your chair is measured from the top of the crest to the floor. How high is the crest of the chair in comparison to the top of the table? Unless you are selecting stools as your seating, you’ll want the crest of the chair to be roughly 1 inch to 2 inches higher than your tabletop, giving visual intrigue to your dining set. The Intervale Table, Continuous Arm Chair, and Freeport Bench Alternative Seating Beyond the classic dining chair, you have options. Benches and stools offer an alternative to traditional seating and can be moved into another room when additional seating is required. Many of our benches and stools seamlessly pair with our dining tables and are customized to fit your dining situation. Our smaller, studio-sized chairs and 18" stools can easily slide underneath the table when they are not in use, and benches, like our Edo, Eastward, Freeport, and Vita, can be moved into a living room or hallway, allowing for flexible use of your furniture when it is not needed at the dining room table. The Eastward Bench and Trestle Table When you begin to think about adding the perfect chair to your space, remember these basic guidelines: height, overall footprint, and upholstery. Know your style and know your space. With these guidelines in your back pocket and our team of knowledgeable furniture specialists willing to help you, the hardest part will be deciding which one to choose.
LEARN MORE
Our Materials
Selecting the right materials for our pieces is essential. We source only the finest-quality lumber, fabrics, leathers, and finishes, and put considerable effort into building relationships with partners whose values and quality align with our own. The wood, fabric, and leather we choose define not just the look of a piece, but how it ages, feels, and lives with you over time. Thos. Moser sources only the finest lumber, textiles, and hides, partnering with suppliers whose standards align with our dedication to durability and beauty. Wood Species As woodworkers, we consider our materials inseparable from the environment. There is no substitute for the character of the wood that comes from a mature tree. Each is a product of its unique habitat, and the grain, color, markings, and variation are a roadmap to a tree’s story. No two trees, boards, or pieces of solid wood furniture are identical. Here are some characteristics of the wood we use at Thos. Moser. We work with premium-grade North American hardwoods — predominantly cherry and walnut. On occasion or upon request, we also work with a range of other sustainably sourced American hardwoods. Crafting furniture from different species can impart distinct characteristics. For example, the dark tone of walnut can emphasize form. At the same time, the pronounced grain of ash conjures a more tactile experience, and the darkening of cherry over time may lend a more classic, traditional look and feel. Cherry Cherry wood is beloved for its rich tones, timeless appeal, and ability to develop a deep patina over time. In 1976, cherry became synonymous with the Moser style. Today, it remains the most popular North American hardwood we use when building our furniture. The black cherry tree thrives in cooler, northeast-facing environments with well-drained, fertile soil. With its gentle sloping hillsides, the Allegheny plateau provides the rich, well-drained soil and consistent moisture needed for a cherry tree to send out a pioneering taproot and grow to be nearly 80 ft tall. Aging When freshly cut or sanded, cherry is pale tannish pink, as shown in the first square above. But the wood is rich in resins, particularly prussic acid, which reacts rapidly with sunlight and oxygen. Through oxidation and UV exposure, the color of cherry shifts from a light salmon to a deep, rich auburn — a transformation that can occur in as little as six months and continues to develop over time. Cherry will darken over time, whether or not it receives a coat of oil. However, when oil is applied to fresh cherry, it amplifwood'se wood's depth and color by highlighting tstructure'sucture's reflectivity, giving it a three-dimensional shimmer. Above: Wing Three Place Sofa and Vault Table in cherry. Walnut As the only native dark wood in North America, black walnut covers an impressive swath of land extending from southern Ontario to South Dakota, northern Florida, and eastern Texas. Our walnut trees come from the banks of the Missouri River. Here, acidic and loamy soils produce trees that can grow upwards of 2ft a year and reach over 120ft, with an equally impressive canopy when fully mature. Aging Walnut is prized for its rich, bittersweet color range, from chocolate to deep burgundy. When finished with a coat of oil, the rich ripples of espresso and almond become immediately apparent. Unlike cherry, maple, or ash, the walnut ages and lightens in color. This process does not happen as quickly as it does with cherry, but over several years, those deep chocolate hues will mellow into an ambered brown. Above: Intervale Extension Table and Cumberland Chairs in walnut. Alternate Wood Species On occasion and upon request, we work with sustainably harvested ash, maple, and white oak sourced from mills in Maine, New Hampshire, and New York. The northeast produces the finest northern hardwoods in the United States, and we are pleased with the consistently superior quality of the material our trusted partners provide. Above: Fahmida Lounge Chair in white oak. Upholstery At Thos. Moser, we select upholstery materials with the same care as the woods used to craft your furniture, which is why our leathers and fabrics are warrantied against material defects for five years (please note that we cannot warranty the performance of customer-provided materials). We feature our most popular upholstery and leather options on our website, and if you’re interested in additional colors, prints, or textures, or would like to supply your own fabric, we invite you to arrange a consultation with a sales associate, as the right upholstery choice ultimately reflects both your lifestyle and the aesthetic you want to create. Rub ratings, or double rubs, also known as the Wyzenbeek test, measure how well a fabric stands up to everyday wear through industry-standard abrasion testing, with lower ratings suited to decorative or light-use pieces and higher ratings indicating durability for daily living and high-traffic spaces, helping ensure the right balance of comfort, beauty, and longevity over time. Fabric We carry a vast selection of premium quality fabrics from the world’s leading textile manufacturers. Our design-driven options ensure that you find just the right fit for your style and décor. To assess our many fabric options or to request a swatch, visit your nearest showroom or contact us to arrange a consultation with a sales associate to determine the best choice for you. Working with Leather We hand-select and carefully inspect our leather to ensure unrivaled quality, softness, durability, and overall character. Our Riverside line of micro-finished top-grain leather offers a sumptuous feel from day one. It is available in a contemporary color palette, making it an ideal candidate for any application. We feature our most popular leather colors in the pieces shown in our print catalogs and online. If you do not see a color you would like, or are interested in other protected or aniline leathers, please get in touch with us to arrange a consultation with a sales associate. Above: Wing Three Place Sofa, Drift Lounge Chair & Ottoman, Vault Table, and Thos. Moser Continuous Arm Chair Our materials shape every decision, from proportions and joinery to surfaces and finishes. Wood, fabric, and leather each carry inherent properties that guide how a piece is made and how it lives over time. When those materials are selected with care and used with intention, the result is furniture defined by clarity, restraint, and longevity—made by hand through practice and patience, and built to remain useful, relevant, and considered for generations.
LEARN MORE