Jim's grandfather (Otto) was on a German merchant vessel when he jumped ship in Toronto, Canada just before the First World War. Concerned that he would be forced into the aggressive German military, Otto somehow managed to sneak into the United States and become a citizen. He married his wife Dora not long after.
In tribute to his grandfather's strength and courage Jim has developed a furniture collection that mirrors those attributes. Using tight grained wood species such as cherry, walnut, and maple, Jim combines Gustav Stickley's aesthetic with the work of the Greene Brothers and the Shakers to create a more contemporary mission style.
Other inspirations have come from the writings of James Krenov with his emphasis on wood selection and Frank Lloyd Wright for his design purity. Jim always emphasizes the importance of "building upon the past to create furniture that will have its own place in history."