ESCONDIDO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE                               OCTOBER 2007      PAGE 7

Escondido-Based American Furniture Design Named ‘America’s Best’

Article by Tom Hogarty

           Earlier this year, Brian's company received what he refers to as " the Good Housekeeping seal of approval" when Delta Machinery, the nation's largest woodworking tool manufacturer, and its power tool division, Porter Cable, awarded American Furniture Design Co " America's Best Woodworking Plan Co."

           More recently, Connecticut-based Taunton Press, publishers of the prestigious Fine Woodworking Magazine, has given American Furniture Design the honor of carrying its entire product line on the Taunton Press website.

           Within the woodworking industry, Brian is credited with having attracted well-known artists such as Michael Dunbar, the nation's leader in the Windsor chair market, Green & Greene design leader Darrell Peart; author and lecturer Andy Rae; and National Endowment for the Arts Merit Grant Gary Knox Bennett.

           " Currently, we have 10 nationally known artists in this program " Murphy said. The furniture is available in woodworking plans for both hobbyists is now available in woodworking plans for both the hobbyists and professionals to build their own remarkable piece of furniture.

           The company has developed a complete line of the highly popular Mission style Arts & Crafts furniture, with more than 70,000 copies of its Mission Bed plan already sold world wide.

           The companies Bow Arm Morris Chair has won Best in Traditional Furniture at the San Diego Fine Woodworking Show and has scored well in shows in Portland, Chicago, Indianapolis and Atlanta.
 

           In addition, F & W Publications, publishers of Popular Woodworking Magazine has just purchased 10,000 copies of the company's Acorn Workbench to sell in conjunction with the publisher's book club.

           About Brian Murphy:
           For the past five years, Brian Murphy has taught woodworking at the American Sycamore Woodworking Retreat, one of the countries largest woodworking schools located just outside Indianapolis.

           Closer to Escondido, his home since 1973, Brian is a member of the Escondido Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. His wife, Nancy, a local realtor with CDC Commercial Real Estate, is a member of the Chamber Ambassadors. Their son, Chris, represents the second generation of Murphy's with American Furniture Design Company