b'words: Melanie Cooperchez moi pictures: Kallan MacLeodfurnishing family history Martin Bell DirectorRose & Heather director Martin Bell reckons the best furniture is the kind that has a story attached to it.Good furniture lives in a familys home for years andThese days, they employ more than 40 staff, spread acrossGet the stained timber each piece ends up with its own special history thats tiedretail outlets in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland, and inlook outside with Resene Kwila Timber Stain or in with all the memories, he explains. the manufacturing workshop, which has recently grownResene Woodsman.by 30% to keep up with the growth. Ensuring supply LocalfurniturebusinessRose&Heatherhasbeenkeeps pace with demand isnt always easy in the face of developingitsownstoryfor30years,sinceMartinsthe companys steady expansion, exacting standards and in-lawsTimHeatherandLucilleRoserealisedtheirthe fact all the furniture is crafted in its own workshop by Warkworth tearooms were doing a rapid trade in Timstheir skilled staff. However, Martin believes in keeping the handcrafted wooden coffee tables. They switched cakemanufacturing in-house.for kauri and a successful furniture business was born.It all makes a difference to our customers. Theyre not Martin and his wife MaryJane (daughter of Tim and Lucille)going into an outlet to buy a piece of furniture; theyre now manage the day-to-day running of the company.buying from us and they know that we made it. We have 112 |'