When Hartford House opened in 1988, owner Sarah Smith did all of the furniture finishing on her own. But, as the business grew, it became necessary for Sarah to hire others to do the staining and painting while she concentrated on the day-to-day operations of Hartford House. Of course, Sarah always finished a few pieces each year, when the finishers were on vacation or during the Christmas rush.

Something changed in the summer of 2006, however. Sarah got the “finishing fever” again, and she couldn’t stay out of the workshop. She started experimenting with paints and crackles, usually working after everyone else had gone home. Many times that July and August, the employees would arrive at work in the mornings to find Sarah’s works of art waiting to be placed on the showroom floor.

Sarah’s creations soon became known as “SES originals,” since no two finishes were ever alike. In addition to using a varied palette of colors and crackles, Sarah also searched for antique reproduction knobs, pulls and hinges for her pieces. The result: love at first site for Hartford House customers!