Today, a powerhouse of the industry. Back then, a mobile trailer set up behind a seafood processing factory. Such is the journey of Four Hands, the Austin, Texas–based furniture manufacturer that supplies everyone from top designers to blue-chip retailers and rakes in more than half a billion dollars of annual revenue. To say it has been a long, strange trip would be an understatement.

When Matthew Briggs arrived on the scene in the late 1990s, the company was a distinctly marginal operation. “We were [a] weird little importer on the fringes of the industry around companies like Century or Bernhardt—the real companies doing real business,” Briggs tells host Dennis Scully on the latest episode of The Business of Home Podcast. “We couldn’t afford a real showroom in High Point [so] we were off campus. There’s been a shift in the industry, where older school businesses have gone away and lifestyle home furnishings companies like Four Hands have become the mainstream.”

What drove the change? To a large degree, design. In the wake of the 2008 recession, Briggs (by then, he was leading the company; today, he’s CEO) realized that wholesalers were going to be squeezed from both directions and oversaw a radical shift in the company’s strategy. They would bring on creative people and make the furniture themselves, putting them in a stronger position in the marketplace. At the time, Four Hands only designed 10 percent of its inventory. Today, it’s 90 percent. “Instead of being middlemen, we are the creative force behind the product we sell,” says Briggs.

For Four Hands, the past decade has mostly been a runaway success story. But on this episode of the show, Briggs shares a sobering look at the headwinds ahead, ranging from out-of-control shipping costs to rampant inflation, which he believes will prove fatal for smaller businesses in the industry. He also offers a candid appraisal of the radical shifts that have taken place over the past five years around pricing transparency and exclusivity.

“Whether it’s a designer or a retailer or anyone in this industry, I hear less and less conversations about how people want to be protected,” says Briggs. “People have figured out that to be relevant in this industry long-term where the internet does exist, you’ve got to find another way to add value and have people want to do business with you, other than lack of transparency or [the] ability to control a geographic region. These conversations were far more common five years ago. They just don’t happen anymore. Everyone has figured out they’ve got to find their own way to add value.”

Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This episode was sponsored by Room & Board and Modern Matter.

Homepage photo: Courtesy of Four Hands

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Four Hands

If you're looking for an in depth review of Four Hands, jump on over to our Four Hands Buyer's Guide.

The growth of Four Hands is nothing short of remarkable. Over the last several years they've established themselves as one of the premier manufacturers of trend setting furniture and decor.  The team has forged solid relationships with furniture artisans across the globe and continually brings forth new, fresh designs to the marketplace. In a short amount of time Four Hands has gained somewhat of a cult like following as they’ve fused together cutting edge style and quality at an affordable price.

Creativity is at the core of the company's design team and it shows with their multiple collections of Living room furniture, dining room furniture, and bedroom furniture. From stylish modern lounge chairs, to dining tables to media cabinets and modern credenzas, they truly are furnishing style to every room of the house. 

While most of their furniture is made of wood, they’ve expanded to offer upholstery, wall art, pillows, lighting, modern area rugs and much more. All with the same attention to detail and eye for style as their original line of reclaimed wood furniture brought to the market.

Below are a few common questions that we’ve received related to Four Hands Furniture:

Where does Four Hands ship from?

Four Hands ships from their warehouse in Austin, Texas. Since furniture is so heavy, it makes the most environmental and economic sense to have items shipped directly from the manufacturer to you. This allows us to uphold our offer for free shipping and keeps items damage free since they’re not shipping multiple times.

Where is Four Hands Furniture Made?

Four Hands relentlessly searches the globe for quality artisans and factories who can meet their incredibly high standards of manufacturing. Four Hands pieces are ethically made throughout Asian and European countries by skilled workers. Different pieces and collections are made in different countries. Feel free to reach out if you’ve got a specific origin question.

Where can I buy Four Hands Furniture?

If you’re shopping for Four Hands online, you’ve come to the right place. House&Hold is an authorized dealer of Four Hands and offers free threshold delivery on all of our LTL shipments. If you're in need of white glove shipping, we can do that too! Just reach out to us for a quote prior to placing your order, or immediately after placing your order and we’ll get you a quote on additional delivery services. 

One of the many great things about shopping with House&Hold, is that we use a specialized fork lift free carrier on all Four Hands shipments, insuring that they arrive cared for, and damage free!