Our Story
What’s our story?
My name is Bill Simpson, and I am the designer and builder of DUX outdoor furniture. It all started here at Dream Rock Silo with my amazing wife, but I’ve been learning the skills required for furniture making for most of my life. Over the years, starting very early, I learned many things that lead me to be able to do this. I started helping out in my Dad’s cabinet shop when I was about 8 years old. My Dad was a good teacher and my two brothers and I learned that only the highest quality standards were acceptable. Later, I earned a degree in Design from the College of Architecture at Clemson University. After graduation, I worked for an architecture firm in Atlanta, GA for a couple years. But I found that while I loved the design world, I also loved the “hands on” life I learned from wood working. I realized that my true purpose was to design and build. So I left the desk job for jobs that allowed me to build things. And for the last 15 years or so, I’ve been building high end cabinets and had a very nice shop for that purpose. So when my wife and I bought an old dairy barn to renovate (Dream Rock Silo), and we needed some chairs for around our fire pit, I got a chance to design and build some outdoor furniture for fun. After many prototypes, I finally had a nice comfortable folding chair made from eastern red cedar. It was at that point that I realized I was having a lot more fun creating furniture than I was building cabinets. But after only a few years, the cedar chairs started turning gray and deteriorating. A little discouraged, I started looking for a material that would last much longer. I was having way too much fun to simply give up without a fight. I noticed that there were plenty of Adirondack chairs around that used recycled plastic bottle material, but I found it had a rough texture and just didn’t have the quality or strength I wanted. I kept looking and found the answer in an unexpected place. Boating enthusiasts have known about this material for years but being a woodworker, I had never heard of it. It is a marine grade material known as HDPE (High Density Polyethylene). There are apparently many polymers that are described as HDPE, including recycled plastic bottle material, but this HDPE is different, as anyone in the boating industry can attest. Because it’s marine grade, it’s very dense, very strong, more aesthetic and lasts much longer than regular HDPE. It can be recycled, but it’s so durable, it’s unlikely that it would ever need to be. It is not filled with air bubbles and has an added UV inhibitor that reduces fading significantly. In addition, since this type of HDPE material comes in sheets, not boards, I was able to make designs that didn’t have the restraints that building with planks do. It made it possible for me to design with more freedom. I wasn’t constrained to straight lines because I wasn’t using narrow boards but instead, I had a 48" x 96" sheet of material, basically a blank canvas! I was able to create original designs made specifically for comfort! I had everything I needed to design and build incredible outdoor furniture! I had a craftsman's training, a design education, the best possible material and a fully outfitted shop with the perfect machinery needed to build high quality furniture! So when my wife wanted some rocking chairs for the guests of her bnb, and all we could find were really uncomfortable ones, I decided that I would design my own. I enjoyed the challenge and in fact, I have to admit that I became somewhat obsessed with creating the perfect rocking chair. I didn’t want a rocking chair that was merely adequate. I wanted a rocking chair that I actually wanted to sit in, and truly enjoyed spending time in. Really, how many rocking chairs have you experienced like that? I spent many months working to get everything just right. Fortunately, my wife had lots of guests in her bnb so I recruited literally hundreds of “volunteers” to test out my rocking chair prototypes. After making hundreds of “adjustments”, I finally have what I consider to be the perfect rocking chair. In the process, I also discovered that “one size fits all” just doesn't work in a rocking chair. Individuals less than about 5’-6” tall need a smaller size than someone taller than that. Without all the testing, I wouldn’t have realized that. I now have two sizes, and nearly everyone will fit in one or the other. The testing really paid off because now I have two very comfortable rocking chairs. Because of the number of test subjects I have had, I can say with confidence that you will also be comfortable in my chairs. I still love the reaction people have when they sit in my rockers. They get a surprised but relaxed look on their face. They look as if the tension in their body suddenly melted away as they sat down. I love that. It’s what I worked so many months to achieve. If you don’t have a rocking chair like this, you really should get one.
Being a cabinet maker and a designer, I design furniture from a different perspective. I know how things need to be built to be durable, and I also know what good design looks like, and I use the best material. But I believe that the final determining factor for good furniture is COMFORT. I started this journey because I love designing furniture and was searching for the perfect rocking chairs. I believe I have created it. It’s well designed, well made with very durable material and comfortable for nearly everyone. My rocking chair is called the DreamRocker, after the place where it was designed and the first of the line. Once I had the perfect rocking chair, it didn’t take much adjustment to translate that same comfort into chairs, gliders, benches, etc.
These are all original designs, no Adirondack knock-offs here. And I not only design this furniture, but I also personally build each piece.
With years of experience as a craftsman, and the fact that I am doing it, I insure that every piece is aesthetically correct and is assembled exactly the way I intended. I don’t have a big production facility, but I do have a very well-equipped shop where I design, cut parts and assemble my furniture. If you’re looking for more attention to detail and a lot more quality and comfort from your poly furniture, you have found it. Don’t get caught in a “customer service nightmare” where you can’t reach a live person to answer your questions. I am almost always available and can easily be reached via email or phone. And I speak English!
DUX outdoor furniture started as a challenge to create a comfortable rocking chair. My main goal from the beginning was to make outdoor furniture that was really comfortable, and I think I have done it. The majority of people who try them agree. Try one for yourself and I think you will agree too.
Precision craftsmanship still means something at DUX!
What drives me?
American made used to mean something. It used to be more popular. In fact, Ford Motor Company actually had a slogan for a while: “Quality is Job One”. But that was many years ago. There are still some who believe in making quality, but they are few and far between. Things were made with quality and the people who built them took pride in their work. Just one example, appliances used to last 30 years! Things were handed down from generation to generation because they were that well made. They lasted that long. Working for our dad, my brothers and I learned that quality was the most important thing. Today’s products are simply not quality; just look at our over-flowing landfills for the evidence of that fact. I call it the “throw away” economy. If we really wanted to improve our environment, we should buy things that last more than a couple years and end up in the local landfill. My wife and I are on our third cordless vacuum in as many years. I remember when vacuums lasted 20-30 years. And it’s not the packaging, products these days look nice and flashy. But the parts you don’t see are substandard, break easily and simply don’t last. Some might say it’s intentional, but that’s probably just one of those dreaded conspiracy theories. After all, why would anyone make a product designed to last only long enough for you to lose your receipt so you can’t take it back! I remember hearing about something called “planned obsolescence” when I was younger. That’s the concept that manufacturers build in components designed to fail early, requiring them to be replaced. This leads to more profit for the manufacturer but more expense for the buyer. It’s completely unethical but unfortunately, it’s also still practiced. Add to that all of the China sourced products that are seriously below American standards, it’s worse than ever. Imagine how many products are taken to the landfill after only a couple years of use. Something that should last 20 years only lasts 2. That’s 10 times as much junk in our landfills and 10 times as many times you bought a new product to replace the old one. Wasted money, wasted time, all because quality standards are not what they used to be. Worst of all, we are accepting it as normal. I hope to change that in my industry.
I miss the days of quality made products. I design my furniture to last. I’m sure it will be here long after I am. But that’s kind of the point, isn’t it, producing a product that someone can enjoy for many years. It’s not about making a quick buck. Of course, making money is important if for no other reason than to be able to keep producing more products for more people to enjoy. These are not cheap products. They are made with the best quality marine grade HDPE and assembled with 316 stainless steel hardware. I want my furniture to last, whether it’s on your porch, by your pool, or on the beach. And I want them to last a lifetime.
Maybe I’m a little over the top on the subject of quality. But really, if you want to do something, why would you do something half-assed, as my Dad used to say. I say, be proud of what you do and do it to the best of your ability. I love designing and building outdoor furniture, and will always build the best quality I can.
Ducks in a row, for another delivery…
What about Success?
I suppose that’s really up to you, my potential clients. If you think that what I have created is desirable, and buy it, then I might eventually be called a success. But I feel that success is somewhat more personal, not dependent on what others think or do. If you can find your passion and you get to make a living doing it, then that’s real success, real happiness. I continue to create new designs because I love doing it, not because it’s my job or because I hope to get rich. If people buy my furniture, that’s a bonus. I believe much of my success is due to my amazing wife. I would probably never be able to tell this story without her continuous love and support. Since she is a designer too, we have worked as a team on virtually everything including DUX. She has encouraged me and contributed to my crazy ideas all these years. I love creating with her and we will always work together to create more unique products. Living in the mountains of the southwestern corner of Virginia, we are living the dream while I get to pursue my passion.
Furniture making is probably where I was headed all along. And while it took a while to get here, I feel very fortunate to have arrived. Some never do. DUX is the culmination of a lifetime of experience in somewhat varied fields that finally lead me to this place. My wife and I have always been a little different. We’ve done some really crazy things together through the years. But it always seems to come out alright. That’s part of the reason I chose DUX as the name of the company. Actual ducks are different from the rest of the birds. They are quirky and odd. That is how I have always felt about myself; a little different from the rest of the “birds”. I know now that being unique is good and felt I had a bit of kinship with those fine feathered friends with web feet. Artists are always known for being unusual, unique, different. But I believe we’re all artists to some degree. Some just exhibit more than others. We should celebrate being different. There’s only one like each of us! Don’t live life as a generality. As the French say, Vive la difference! Individuals are always the ones that truly make a difference. Groups don’t create! People following the crowd don’t create! Individuals and leaders and artists create, despite being called odd by the crowd. The word DUX is Latin for leader. That’s the other part of why I chose that name. We are the leader in making comfortable, high quality outdoor polymer furniture. I may never sell to the masses but who cares? My hope is to sell to individuals who aren’t following the crowds that still buy cheap, uncomfortable outdoor furniture. You can be comfortable in the outdoors. Be different!
Embrace your inner duck!
Art or Science?
In my opinion, Art leads, Science follows. Scientists try to figure out what the physical universe is and how it works so we can do more with it. Artists simply make a new physical universe. Both are essential of course. Without scientists, we wouldn’t know how much weight a certain size beam can hold. Without artists, we would probably still be living in caves since an artist is always creating something new and better, or at least different from what we have! We wouldn’t have skyscrapers without artists thinking about them but we probably couldn’t have built them without scientists figuring it all out. Between the two, I lean more toward artist, but science plays an important role in what I do as well. I design furniture but then I need to figure out how to make it work in order to build it. Physics is involved to some degree, mechanics too. Pure art is beautiful and aesthetic but you can’t sit on it. A beautiful drawing or sketch of a building is lovely to observe but it is only a dream of what could be. It must then be engineered and built for it to be used by the rest of us. Designing a rocking chair is similar but obviously, far less involved. I originally did a little sketch of my concept which only took a few minutes. Then the real work began, the science of making it work in the physical universe. Ergonomics, physics, mathematics, etc. all play a part. The trick of course is to keep as much art and design as possible but to make it possible for a 250-pound man to sit on your art without it falling apart! Not only that, but it should fit a 250-pound man or a 125 pound woman equally comfortably. It’s not as easy as it might sound. It took many months to work it out. It took massaging the design details while coming up with innovative ways to construct it. I was familiar with wood working techniques so I had a definite advantage, but this was HDPE. It mills the same way but the methods of fastening it together were different. You can’t nail parts together; they must be screwed. And since it’s outdoors, it required stainless steel fasteners. But the artist side of the equation meant that the fasteners shouldn’t visibly detract from the design. So I found epoxy coated fasteners to match the color of the material and where possible, I eliminated them altogether by using Tee slots and other craftsman details to secure parts that would ordinarily require several screws. The armrests for example, are attached to the frame using a slotted groove. They slide into the groove and are held in place with a single screw, in an inconspicuous location. The seat and back slats presented another problem. Originally, I used thick straight slats built to match the curve of the back attempting to make it comfortable. Later, I found that I needed the shape to be more 3 dimensional to really mimic the actual shape of the body. The body isn’t flat or even curved in two dimensions, it’s more rounded. So why would anyone consider a flat back chair to be comfortable? Of course, it isn’t. So why do people buy them? It’s a mystery to me! Anyway, I discovered that I could use thinner slats and curve them for maximum comfort. Then I designed a template to bend them to just the right curve so they would be consistent every time. Once installed in the chair frame, they flex and conform to anyone’s back. There were many such challenges along the way. But by far the most challenging was the “Magic Lift” I created for the Chaise Lounge Chair. It occurred to me after a trip to the beach that lounge chairs were a pain trying to change the position of the back. Such a terrible solution had to be improved! After 25-30 different versions, I finally figured out a workable solution. But it was not without setbacks and disappointments. But that’s what a challenge is right? If it were easy, it wouldn’t be considered a challenge. But finally, I had solved an issue that seemingly no one else thought was a problem. I think it was a “suffer in silence” situation. Maybe I’m making more of it than it needs to be. Maybe I’m the only one that thought it was a problem. I’m basically lazy and resist having to expend more effort than is necessary to accomplish something. To me, that was a totally unnecessary amount of effort needed to do something so simple. I watched as people contorted themselves into weird positions to raise or lower their chair back! Such a simple operation was made so difficult. I couldn’t take it. I was sure there was a better way and I was determined to find it or create it. After searching around, it apparently doesn’t exist, at least that I have found. Challenge accepted and now it exists for all to use. Whether I sell millions of them or none isn’t the point. It now exists for those who think it’s a worthwhile improvement.
Thinking outside of the box has always come natural to me. I think that most people dismiss ideas that don’t fit what they consider “normal”. But those are the best ideas, the ones that move us forward. I embrace those. What if our Founders dismissed the idea of the Bill of Rights? Where would we be? They weren’t even the first to think about it but they made it happen in the physical universe, and we all benefit as a result! I know my furniture is not nearly as consequential as that idea. But it’s the idea that we can improve the conditions of life for the better that’s the point. There are many individuals better at this than me but I’m proud of my small impact toward that end.
I love the challenge of stretching the science to allow the art to shine. That includes improving the current status quo by thinking outside of the box. It’s what drew me to architectural design in the very beginning. To me, the challenge of creating art that can be built and used by us, the humans, is the most fun. And my furniture, though far simpler than skyscrapers, are my humble contribution to building a new physical universe for all to experience and enjoy.
Our production facility uses American Made Shop Sabre CNC’s for maximum accuracy.
Where are we located?
The design and building of DUX outdoor furniture occurs just outside the little town of Independence, VA. It’s a beautiful place to live and work. It’s located in the southwestern corner of Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s the outdoors at their best. We have the New River, Grayson Highlands Park, the Appalachian Trail and much more. It’s a wonderful rural setting with pastures, hay fields, old barns and old growth forests. But the best part is the people! Many families have been here for generations. We have only lived here for about 15 years but consider it our home. It’s what my wife and I have always been looking for. This is the environment in which DUX was born. It’s the perfect place to spend time outside.
I love the outdoors but I also love spending time designing and building furniture in my shop. I use a CNC for milling all parts of the furniture. The great thing about that is that it allows me the freedom to design the way I want to. Then, once the design is perfect, I can duplicate it exactly every time. I can add my own personal touches that the big manufacturers can’t, or won’t, like built-in cup holders or wheels on the backs of chairs to make them easier to move around. I also make my own custom-made templates and tools that I designed specifically for making this furniture. Between the CNC and these custom tools, it allows me to make every chair or rocker the same each time. So the comfort that I spent years building into each chair and rocker is consistent one to the next. Try one and I think you will find what others have…
Luxury Comfort, Unique Style
Karen and Bill Simpson at their home, Dream Rock Silo