Bernhardt Furniture's focus is to anticipate and satisfy the needs of customers who expect the very best furniture for their home or office. Understanding those changing needs has been paramount in the company's success.

The Bernhardt story embodies the American pioneer values that forged an industrialized nation out of a wilderness. The founders recognized the value of hard work and perseverance. They also recognized the value of loyal employees and customers who would respond to fair treatment and a commitment to quality. It's a saga of opportunities recognized and realized in spite of obstacles and challenges.

America was beginning to take shape in 1860 when the Bernhardt family moved to the western North Carolina town of Lenoir. Shortly thereafter, when both of his parents died within a 60-day span, John Mathias Bernhardt's life changed forever. After a sojourn in Oregon, he returned to Lenoir to begin an enterprise that would become one of the country's leading manufacturers of residential and commercial furniture.

In 1889 he organized a company to manufacture furniture out of the native white oak that grew profusely in the area. John's vision ultimately led him to connect with distributors and merchants in large cities such as Chicago and New York City to facilitate the sales and shipping of his sturdy oak bedroom furniture to people who lived as far away as the Rocky Mountains. These urban businessmen quickly came to admire this eager North Carolina entrepreneur's reliability and integrity, and the relationship spurred the company's growth across America.

Through the years, Bernhardt designs have won a host of prestigious awards from industry experts and the media. Among the more notable achievements, the American Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD) has recognized the excellence of Bernhard's designs with multiple Pinnacle Design Achievement Awards. But product design is not the only area in which Bernhardt has been recognized. The company has also been an early leader in environmental stewardship with five of their facilities achieving EFEC (Enhancing Funiture's Environmental Culture) Certification. The company is also developing programs with environmental groups such as SFI, FSC, GREENGUARD, and in support of LEED.

Today Bernhardt offers an extraordinarily diverse line of fine home furnishings, including bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms, with more than 400 occasional accent pieces to provide that perfect finishing touch.