“It all started with the front door to our house,” says Betty Bercowski, who owns Rainer’s restaurant downtown and has just opened a new piano bar next door. “Actually, it started at the Artisphere festival a few years prior. That’s when I first saw The Heirloom Companies’ work. I remember being impressed and taking a business card in case I needed to use them in the future.”
Fast-forward two years. Betty, who lives in Simpsonville with her husband Juergen—“in what used to be the country”—was looking for someone who could upgrade the entrance to her house. “We have a traditional house,” she says, “and I wanted a more creative, distinctive front door that drew attention to the entryway.” Ironically, it was during a conversation with her son Christopher, who works at SEW-EURODRIVE in Spartanburg, that the Heirloom name resurfaced. “Christopher told me about a company,” she says, “that designed two incredible mixed-metal sculptures in front of their corporate office. He said, ‘they’re called The Heirloom Companies.’ That’s when the light went off.”
Elegance starts at the front door
Following Christopher’s recommendation, Betty called James Moseley to arrange a time to come out to her house and design a doorway that was subtle and elegant, yet unexpected. “Her house was very typical of the area and it needed something to give it more character,” James said. “She told me that her goal was to have us design a new door that was a reflection of her, something that made her smile every time she came home.” What James and the Heirloom team came up with was a masterpiece of aluminum design that featured bold, sweeping curves along with precise lines. And they didn’t stop with the front door. James also came up with new designs for the front rails and lights that both complemented and accentuated the new doorway. “I was amazed with what they came up with,” says Betty, “truly exceptional work, highly creative and artistic, as well as functional. In fact, I liked what they did for my home so much that I got them to do work for the new bar I’m opening in downtown Greenville.”
Rainer’s Bar to open in October 2015: Featuring custom wood and metal works by Heirloom
Originally from Ontario, Canada, Betty has lived in Greenville for nearly two decades. She and her husband moved here when SEW-EURODRIVE opened a corporate office back in the 1980s. With her international background and rich cultural experiences, Betty has cultivated an appreciation for eclectic art and fresh, creatively prepared cuisine. In fact, she operates Rainer’s Restaurant and Art Gallery on Main Street in Greenville, SC. She is now opening an elegant, new bar next to the restaurant—it also will be called Rainer’s. “I’m very excited and look forward to the opening in October,” Betty says. “My vision was to give Greenville a unique, speak-easy conversational bar that fostered stimulating conversation, cocktails, and fine wine. There won’t be a television, but there will be a piano and some fine art pieces. We want people to sit, mingle, and have lively conversations in an intimate, classic nightclub setting. The following are just some of the custom features that Betty commissioned The Heirloom Companies to create:
Bar Exterior & Lights
Heirloom created a unique wood and branch design to adorn the exterior wall of the semi-circular bar. The back panel is made of copper and the dark gray branches are made of special metal. On the footrest bar, copper twine has been fabricated to give the feel of leather straps, a theme that is tied-in by the custom lighting fixtures overhead.
Outside Doors
The elegant, understated aluminum double doors with prominent aluminum handles are wrapped with an ornate copper twine (in keeping with the theme of the bar and lights inside.) A thick, clear glass is inserted on the upper portion of each door, and brushed copper panels have been inlaid on the bottom.
Inside Doors
These are the actual mahogany doors from Betty’s home that were replaced by the new custom aluminum doors James designed. Heirloom repurposed the doors at her request and added a dark tea-stain finish to bring out the mahogany. The artistic branch handles are made of copper and metal and tie-in the theme of the bar exterior.
Black Tea Finish on Wooden Doors
Heirloom’s Zack Clardy created a unique stain to resemble the classic ebony style that was popular during the 1920s. To create the desired look and feel, Zach utilized an elaborate four-step process:
1. The first step, after stripping the wood, was to brush on black tea as a stain for the mahogany.
2. Next, he mixed together an iron acetate solution and brushed it over the black tea before it dried. (Brushing it on while the tea is wet creates a chemical reaction that darkens the wood.)
3. The third step was to boil linseed oil and brush that over the dark stain to give it a richer, deeper look that really accentuates the wood.
4. Finally, Zack added a clear lacquer finish to seal and protect the wood over time.
Give us a call
To learn how The Heirloom Companies can create custom wood and metal works for your home or business, please contact Ben at ben@theheirloomcompanies.com.