Niermann Weeks’ 30th Anniversary…a short history

Hello Friends!

In 2008 Niermann Weeks celebrated its 30th anniversary in the furnishings industry. What a kick!

When my husband Joe Niermann and I first started out, times were tough, but we had a design vision. Fortunately, that vision translated successfully into many products that appealed to wonderful architects and interior designers. Their patronage helped us learn to customize in size and finish, and to grow into the lifestyle leader that we have become today. Our earliest best sellers included chandeliers and coffee tables.

Custom 0285 bed we made for Queen Elizabeth II to sleep on during a visit to Canada

I think our chandeliers and sconces are still the best value on the market for their price point, and some of our earliest lighting fixtures still sell really well.

Other popular designs include our Louis XVI Bed. This design began life as a custom bed for a customer in living in a Chicago high rise.   Once we worked out all the custom details and saw the beauty of this bed, we decided to make it a standard offering. Over the years, we have customized this design in shapes and finishes, each time making a customer happy.

Over time Joe and I have seen many finish trends dominate our business. In the late 1970s, black with gold paint decoration were de rigeur.

Then came the era of off-white. Some homes were so white they almost hurt your eyes!

followed by the radically daring period of beige and light brown tones. Sometimes these finshes really looked like white that had been dirtied by use over the centuries.

Then in the mid-90s our customers discovered gold leaf, which made our paint studio look warm and happy all the time. Light reflected all over our atelier.

And for the last decade the palette has expanded to include silver leaf and all other white metal finishes. Silver tends to look too cold, so we have learned over-glaze it into a beautiful warmth.

Niermann Weeks originally introduced a silver leaf finish in 1993 with the La Chasse Trumeau

At that time, customers dismissed it as too cold. One designer dismissed our efforts, “I want silver on my table top, but no any place else in the home. However, tastes have changed.

We developed a way to make shiny, modern mirror look like beautifully patina-ed antiqued mirror, which customers have loved and ordered in many clever combinations

Joe and I have been very fortunate to enjoy the confidence of many wonderful people over the last thirty years. We are also fortunate that our daughters decided to join us in our business, making our business a family business. Three decades ago, who ever would have thought that Joe Niermann and Eleanor McKay would be so lucky?

We give thanks to all our past patrons and look forward to continuing to serve the design community. Thanks and kisses for all your support!