A Serendipitous Sighting of Two Saddle Blankets Inspire an Award-Winning Sofa

Photo: Western Design Conference

Almost 100 artists participated in this year’s 32nd annual Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale. Fifteen artists received the Excellence in Design Award, with cash prizes totaling over $15,000. Among the winners, custom furniture maker Tim Groth of Tim Groth Furniture was named Mountain Living’s 2024 Western Artistry Award winner after showcasing his one-of-a-kind sheepskin and leather sofa with reclaimed wood. The prestigious award was judged by the ML team, who sought a craftsperson, artist, or artisan demonstrating exceptional Western artistry.

Reflecting on his 30-year journey, Groth shared that he began making custom furniture a year after graduating from the College of Idaho in 1993. While working with natural and organic materials, he participated in the early years of the Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale. “I got to know and became friends with several master craftsmen in Cody who worked in the same style and with similar materials. They were contemporaries I could look up to and learn from. It still took many years, but I eventually found my own style and achieved great success.”

Custom furniture maker, Tim Groth. | Photo: Western Design Conference

For 20 years, Groth drew inspiration from ornamental and organic wood sourced from nearby mountains, lakes, and rivers. One of his signature pieces was a Molesworth-style chair created using these natural materials. Eventually, Groth expanded beyond this medium, embarking on an almost 10-year journey working with his new passion—reclaimed wood.

“I wanted to create a more modern look with clean, straight lines. As upholstery pieces are my strength, I made chairs using very fine leathers, combined with old reclaimed wood that carried its own history,” Groth shares. “If only the wood could speak about all the things it has seen and encountered.”

Photo: Western Design Conference

Groth reveals that he first toyed with the idea of participating in the Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale’s 2024 event over the summer. However, after serendipitously spotting two saddle blankets while searching for a new barrel racing piece for his daughter’s horse, he immediately knew he would attend.

After purchasing the blankets, he envisioned building two matching chairs. But there was a problem. “If I were to cut these saddle pads, they would unravel to the point where I couldn’t work with them. I had to make seat cushions using them exactly as they were,” he explains. Groth then devised an alternative plan, opting to build a sofa with oversized, deep back pillows to emphasize comfort.

Photo: Western Design Conference

The result was a sofa with reversible cushions—one side featuring blue saddle pads and the other, authentic New Zealand sheepskin—accented with smooth leather from GH Leather and reclaimed wood sourced from a 100-year-old family working ranch in Squirrel, Idaho. Groth explains, “I wanted this sofa to have a Western look with the saddle pads, but I also wanted it to offer a softer look when you flip the seat cushions over. It’s more versatile this way.”

When asked whether function, beauty, or both are more important when building furniture, Groth chooses beauty. “Visual beauty comes first and is most important. When someone walks into a room, they will see a chair or sofa first. If it’s visually appealing, they will gravitate toward it. Then, they’ll touch it and sit in it. There’s definitely an art to creating a comfortable seat. I figured this out a long time ago, and I’ve had great success over the years.”

To learn more about Tim Groth’s custom furniture, reach out to timgroth@protonmail.com or by phone at 208-870-9938.

Photo: Western Design Conference

Photo: Western Design Conference