Over the last couple of months I have introduced you to some of the wonderful people I met last December when I visited Cowboy Christmas in Vegas… {see them HERE}  Today I am DELIGHTED to show you another company I crossed paths with in Vegas, Northwest Native Designs, owned by furniture artist, Ernie Apodaca.

Truth be told you have probably met Ernie before, his award-winning furniture and inspirational story has been featured in many periodicals over the last 15 years, including Cowboys & Indians, American Cowboy,
and the Seattle Times.

Ernie’s company, Northwest Native Designs, first began 15 years ago when an arsonist burnt down Ernie’s successful upholstery shop in Seattle.  While the arsonist was playing out his malicious crime streak {9 other businesses were burnt that same day},
Ernie’s life became suddenly CLEAR.  After the fire Ernie submitted himself to alcohol rehabilitation and began to dream of how he should re-build his business.  As he found his true self in the ashes of his business, Ernie knew that he wanted to create something special that HONORED his fellow Native Americans and their brilliant skills… the concept of Northwest Native Designs was born.  Later Ernie learned that his sobriety date coincided with the birth of Miracle, the white buffalo,
a soul-stirring confirmation that his new business was indeed
a part of God’s plan for him.

Northwest Native Designs has become a premiere source of one of a kind upholstered furniture.  More like FUNCTIONAL ART, Northwest Native Designs pools the talent of craftsmen across the country to create custom pieces that cannot be duplicated.

The process usually begins the first time a client meets Ernie at a show or event.  Seeing the exquisite upholstered furniture, the detailed crafting and second-to-none quality, gives the new client a DESIRE for something special from Northwest Native Designs.  Time often passes before the client is ready to begin designing their furniture with Ernie.  These are investment pieces, and are not taken lightly by either the furniture maker, or their owners.

Whether the client is a casino, business, or private individual, once they are ready to begin the design process, Ernie speaks with them personally noting every detail about the space, as well as the client.  From room colors to room measurements, to the height of the client, and what INSPIRES them, Ernie takes meticulous notes and then begins a detailed plan of the new furniture.  It is then that he begins to call on his extensive network of talented artists…

Over the last 15 years Ernie has composed a group of artists, many of them Native Americans, whose talents are exceptional alone, and even more stunning when they are combined.  Ernie’s group of artists includes carvers, several leather toolers, artists specializing in ledger art, tribal art, watercolors, acrylics and many more.  Ernie designs each peice of furniture custom to the client’s requisites, desires, and dreams; he then sends the peices to the artists best suited for the ultimate finish. Once the artist has completed their portion of the furniture, the inspirited pieces are combined to create a breathtaking whole when Ernie takes his hand-crafted alder frames and upholsters them with the pieces of leather art.

The result is expert craftsmanship using the highest quality leathers and hides, highlighted with leatherwork and artwork, completed by masters in their fields. 

CLICK on READ MORE Below for the rest of the story!!

** Click HERE to see more of the VEGAS VENDORS
from Cowboy Christmas **

** Click HERE for our
Native American Indian Decor GUIDE **

According to Ernie, what is beneath the fine finishes is just as important as the stunning exteriors.  His mentor always taught him to beware, “you can hide a multiple of sins under fabric”.  For Ernie this is unacceptable and he never settles with less than the best high density foam, kiln dried frames, hand-tied coils, and superior materials.  His confidence in the craftsmanship of Northwest Native Designs furniture is so great that it is guaranteed for life.

{This chaise lounge from Northwest Native Designs, called Lady Luck,
won “Best Leather Artist” at the Western Design Show in Cody, Wyoming.  The tooled playing cards are by artists Lisa and Loren Skyhorse.}

Today Ernie is completing a move from his hometown of Seattle to Tuscon, Arizona.  While this is a big transition for Ernie and his wife, it is a welcome change of scenery.  His new home is in the Santa Catalina Mountains where the view LIFTS SPIRITS and INSPIRES CREATIVITY…  Ernie is also looking forward to being closer to his core clients, and he is starting to gear up for spring shows and exciting new products.  

Northwest Native Designs most exciting new project includes working with Pendleton on benches that are the perfect POP for your living room, entryway, or at the end of your bed…  Ernie compared working with Pendleton as being “like a kid with a crayon box”.  The vibrant colors and Native designs lend themselves to limitless options, and PURE JOY.  Just like Ernie himself. 
Thank you, Ernie ~ it was my pleasure.

Posted on Thursday, February 26th, 2009 at 12:35 am under Furniture, Love It!!, People, Vegas and . Comment RSS 2.0 feed. Comments/Pings Closed.