Modern Bungalow – Ed Sultan
Pictured above: Ed and Kate Sultan, co-owners of Modern Bungalow
CH&L: Clients come to you for…
Ed Sultan: Some come for advice, some for that Craftsman look, others because we offer more custom options than many furniture stores, and some people just come to browse. The Craftsman style creates a warm and welcoming environment that most people are familiar with—many have touches of it in their homes already, even if they aren't up on all the history surrounding it.
CH&L: Your design philosophy is…
ES: We have a real affinity for the concept of home and hearth. The buzzword today is "nesting." Our style, which has been incorporated into thousands of homes over the years, can stand alone or it can be mixed with a surprising variety of furnishings to create a truly individual environment. We encourage our customers to be eclectic, not static.
CH&L: Your style is influenced by…
ES: The big names from the Arts & Crafts and Craftsman period like Harvey Ellis, who worked for the Stickley company during its early years, the Roycroft community in New York, the Limbert Studio, Scottish designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and dozens of others who have put their stamp on American furnishings. Their design is still just as valid more than 100 years later.
CH&L: You're passionate about…
ES: We truly enjoy helping our customers create living spaces that reflect sturdy comfort and natural materials, rather than the latest fashion or trend. We also like the "green" benefits of our furniture, since the pieces we sell are built to last for generations. They won’t have to be replaced every few years. We also love to discover passionate artisans throughout the country—from potters and metalsmiths to rug and furniture makers—and give them a venue for their wares here in Colorado.
CH&L: The most inspiring thing you've seen lately is…
ES: Watching the Amish craftsmen from Simply Amish at work in their shops back in Illinois. Those humble folks create some of the most incredible furniture with meticulous details without using electric tools or shortcuts common with mass-marketed, big-box furniture. It's inspiring to a woodworker like me.
CH&L: Share with us one of your favorite pieces in your showroom right now.
ES: I’m tooting my own horn a little, but it would have to be the limited edition Prairie lamps we created this year. I collaborate with another woodworking friend of mine, John Thompson, and we started re-creating period wood-and-glass lamps a couple years ago as a summer hobby. Each year we pick a Prairie-style lamp and produce less than 10 of them. Each Oak Park Lantern we built for 2011 has more than 120 pieces of painstakingly cut quarter-sawn oak and art glass.
CH&L: What do you bring to the table that's new and different?
ES: Table, which table? We sell dozens of different kinds! No, seriously, it would have to be our custom design and creation process. I design and build custom furniture in the true Craftsman tradition for clients who want an authentic design for a unique place or purpose. Additionally, many of the furniture lines we represent in our store—which are nearly all American-made—offer custom options to suit the specific needs of our customers. Many people are surprised to learn that they aren't restricted to the sizes and shapes they see in a typical showroom.
To learn more about Modern Bungalow visit ModernBungalow.com.
