FAQ
FAQ SECTION
the following is a compilation of the most common Questions, as well as many of the How-To’s & lastly, the most important Facts and Figures – all about of our interior design furnishings, custom furniture, vintage lighting and home décor pieces. If you have any other question please feel free to contact us.
All of our products are in one place, housed in our 30,000 sq. ft. emporium – w a couple of showrooms, workshops, storerooms, located at the Old Pin Factory & Warehouse, here at 27 Main Street, we are on the 4 floor, in the center of Oakville, CT. Which is a 1700’s mill-town, just a little north-west of Waterbury – which is one of the largest, most-influential, old industrial cities in America, it was a huge melting-pot of industrialized Americana.
We ask that you call ahead and make an appointment, so we can show you around. Jeans and a t-shirt are ideal when visiting. Remember, this is a “working factory”, and we all work-hard to… enjoy each day. Be warned, it is a lot like stepping back in time, or visiting an old-art gallery in a museum. Somethings you just can’t touch, and others, you’re probably going to want to play with, or hopefully swing-in. Everything here works, and everything is for sale.
We invite anyone and everyone from the trades – especially all of you design professionals please come in, use our space for inspiration, or just peruse our old-factory floors for some fun. Of course, we also invite anyone and everyone who just appreciates beautiful vintage industrial furnishings or modern industrial furniture. Or come on up and go through the curiosities, admire the sculptures, or purchase a one-of-a-kind antique, but, give us a call first, (860) 485-7441 – we would love to share some of our stories, our passions, and always a few good laughs, with you. Drive-by’s and random visitors are usually locked out ;)
Having the absolute best in product quality is our promise to you, so we offer a lifetime guarantee on all of our products, parts & components. The products folks purchase, and all of the components included therein, as made and sold by us are all in “Good Working Condition”. Meaning they have no known defects in the design, materials or manufacturing. All of our products undergo a strict Quality Control process during and after manufacturing. This is why we can offer “A Lifetime Guarantee” on our products. However, in “good faith” we believe and ask that everyone be responsible for themselves and take responsibility for their own actions.
Hence, we all will indemnify and hold harmless the action of others. So be careful not lose, harm or damage to any of the property or persons arising from or relating to the purchase, assembly, installation and / or usage of our products. Be mindful, after purchase, as it is your responsibility to look the product over, check for any potential damages which may have been caused during the shipping or moving of the product (and if found, please notify us immediately for return and replacement), and be extra careful and do the proper moving, assembly, installation and maintenance of your product(s) so you keep them in “Good-Working Condition”. If you have any other questions related to our products, their quality and your satisfaction, please call us at (860-485-7441).
Our Return Policy is designed to honor the industry standards For Manufactured Goods of Consumer Products. It is our goal to serve you in the best way we can, while being fair to the basic needs and potential issues that may arise when making a commercial exchange.
RETURN OF ANY DAMAGED OR BROKEN PRODUCT
Our Return Policy is fairly standard (and “fair”). We will refund you your money, IF something you’ve purchased from us is damaged or broken, as long as it is not your fault. Once an inspection is done on the returned product, and it is evident that product is still unused (and/or has not been assembled or installed) due to it being faulty, broken or damaged (when either manufactured or shipped by us) then we will provide you with the refund.
REPLACEMENT OF ANY DAMAGED OR BROKEN PARTS
If it is a part or a component that is broken, we will provide you with a replacement, at cost. If something is broken by you during assembly or installation, we will work with you to replace the broken part, at cost plus shipping.
REFUND OF A PRODUCT
If someone wants to return a product that they are just not happy with or if it just does not fit within the intended space, then yes, we will refund you the purchase price, as we stand behind our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, (again, this is only after the product has been returned to us and we find that it has not been used, assembled and or installed, and is not damaged in any way).
RETURN SHIPPING
It is simple, if a product, component or part needs Returning, Replacement or Refund we need to be notified of the reasoning, and all information verified, prior to the return shipping process and you may need to cover the cost of the return shipping. Usually, it is the cost of the return shipping which becomes the determining factor for the consumer. We do not cover the cost of return shipping unless the product is faulty or damaged on our end (meaning it was damaged during the manufacturing process or during the shipping process). If this is the case, please document the damage (with a photo) and then notify us so that this can be verified and approved, prior to beginning the return shipping process. Do not ship the product, part or component back to us without this documentation and verification.
Modern-Industrial style furnishing are quite often the most versatile, durable and longest-lasting pieces of furniture you can find. This is due to the rugged, sturdy nature of its design. The Vintage-Industrial is a more specific style, as it has design-qualities and characteristics that are reminiscent of an era when things were made to work-hard. It is an era, when manufacturing was at its infancy, so the production AND the design were both considered equally important elements, which often resulted in the perfect balance of toughness and elegance -a relationship driven by the brilliance of form & function. Because of this, quite often objects from this period are referred to as “functional works-of-art”.
The Modern Industrial style of design places a lot of focus on the character of a piece and a lot of the times, on the architectural elements, or the details of the construction, it is usually evident when the emphasis is on the raw materials and the natural look or unfinished nature of something. In this category, it is really about furniture that you want to keep, maybe even treasure, because more-often-than-not, it is furniture that will last-a-lifetime or longer. Furniture that ends-up as valued, “family-pieces”, heirlooms that can be passed-down from one generation to the next, due to their strength, design and build – hence the vernacular “Vintage”.
At its core, the Vintage-Industrial style of furniture and furnishings is about respecting and celebrating our industrial heritage. These are carefully picked objects, pulled from an era, repurposed, reimagined, and made ready for use once again. They’re historical-artifacts, sometimes considered industrial-antiques, which are often, industrial components or machine-parts from an old factory. Whatever they “were”, they’re now redesigned and made into more-contemporary “curiosities”, perfect for home-décor (the curiosity, is in large part, due to the pieces historical significance, its unique story or heritage. Hence, the category descriptor “vintage industrial”).
By literal definition, these are relics of our past, now renewed, reused, made into more-modern, practical, purposeful, pieces of furniture or furnishings. Pieces that when complete, are often prized. Pieces, that by design, respect the craftsmen and their artistic talents, that honor the laborers and their passion for crafting these “Things that work, that last, that perform & that impress!” Quite simply put, the vintage-industrial style is rooted in an appreciation for reviving the remnants of our past, and complimenting the artisans of that industrial-era, all of whom helped to originally create the more-sought after, one-of-kind pieces that we revere and curate today.
These are indiscriminately-aged pieces of industrial-art, each with its own “perfect-imperfections”, worn and weathered over time, used and even abused. As some would say, they’re aged-to-perfection and “ripe for the picking”. Every piece is imbued with its own eccentric-personality, and each has its charm, or even an oddity all its own. With an eye to the details, one can see the unique construction of each piece, its natural “working” elements, its material beauty, and surmise at its preexisting purpose or historical importance. …Which often begs the question of “Where, when, and how was this once used?
To us, Vintage-Industrial furnishings are like owning, better yet, preserving a piece of history with a vintage décor-piece, which can provide a strong sense of pride when showcased in a home or office. Many of our vintage pieces find their origins and inspiration from the American Industrial Revolution (post 1800’s), which began right here in New England. Considered “the cradle of modernization”, with its large-scale factories, textile mills, saw mills, steel foundries, public works, institutional libraries, hospitals, boarding-schools & so much more.
Many of these original factories and old buildings, even with their architectural grandeur, have unfortunately shut their doors. They’ve closed down and been abandoned for many, many years. At one point, they all played an integral part in the birth of urbanization here in America. History books refer to this time as “The Dawn of Progress here in the US”, with the onset of huge industrial machines, high-volume production lines and mass-produced products. This is also when the concept of productivity began to outweigh the value of commitment (for the working man), and the “business of design” was focused on industrial strength, a machines performance. However, the principles of great design that governed this huge boom in American manufacturing have become fresh yet again. Rugged durability, simplicity, functionality, purpose. Now today, behind those old crumbling brick walls, vintage industrial designed parts can still be found. If one looks hard enough, you can still uncover truly-remarkable time-pieces and reclaim some of those rare architectural wonders. We can Get-Back some of that history by showing our appreciation with just the right “pick”, with a little ingenuity and craftsmanship everyone can enjoy an American vintage industrial piece.
Our warehouses are filled with such treasured-artifacts and fascinating home-décor products, all pulled from our-shared history here in America, and each piece with its own unique story to tell. Every piece that is salvaged is a memoir of times-past. A time when the workmanship was incredibly demanding, often very-rough and very-tough, and because of this, the trades, professions, and crafts, were all able to produce unbelievable works of artistry, a lot of which still remains (if you know where to look). These are relics of the working industries, that today still hold an aura of attraction, and at times, even a captivation. Perhaps, some of this allure, is due to the relic’s “reversal of fortune”, it’s recovery and potential revival. Whereas each piece was destined to be forgotten, yet because of its inherent beauty and resilience, or it’s forte’, it’s been pulled from a certain plight of destitution or even demolition, and now… with some loving care and a lot of skilled craftsmanship, its untapped potential for greatness can now be recognized, the piece can be put to-use you once again, and maybe even cherished, as your next “story-piece”.
To the aesthetic enthusiasts or the connoisseurs of antiquities, a vintage-industrial piece is an “objet d’art”, an object of perfection! Meaning it’s a great solution for when purposeful-design is needed, when you want to make a statement with a useful piece of furniture. It can also be perfect for those who just want to appreciate very-effective design, from a bygone-era. As our Founder Tim Byrne says, the vintage-industrial style (of furniture & furnishing), is ideal for anyone who wants to Get-Back to appreciating, honoring or showcasing a piece which chronicles a point-in-time, when things were done right, the first time.
To us, vintage industrial defines a proud-piece, in its simplicity & in its purpose. It describes a piece that has substance to it. It is a style that evokes a dichotomy of feelings, often striking the perfect balance of strength AND beauty, to us that is… “The Art of Industrial”.
The “Vintage-Industrial” design style originated long ago, as a niche’ it was the key to our success (today it is also often referred to as “industrial chic”). It’s a style that was clearly evident in our custom-made, one-of-kind pieces, all of which were handcrafted, and done so for some of the design community’s most “discerning eyes”. Today, it is still very-much the same. We are proud of the progress we have made, and of the impact we have had, seeing this style of design flourish and grow (watch just about any interior decorating or home renovation show today). The style of design that respects the old(er) working classes and the traditional “production of things” has been around really forever, it can date back to the Roams if we want to be very specific. However, the more modern style of vintage industrial (American) design is a much-more narrow and more-contemporary niche’, one that we have been able to appreciate and promote, along side dozens of other well-known and well-established brands. We have been truly blessed to serve so many great clients over the years, and some of them being well-known industry icons, influencers, & insiders. The folks who know, who want the best. We enjoy working with anyone who loves, likes or appreciates the vintage industrial style of décor. We’ve stayed true to our Founder’s philosophy: “When you build with love & care, your work will surely endure!” And the Vintage Industrial style is still “going-strong”, even after more than two decades.
More and more Americans have begun to appreciate the interesting historical and very-American, industrial-style of design. It is a look and feel, that has begun to appeal to a much-broader audience, and we believe it has a lot to do with the “pride of ownership”, and everything to do with the visual “story-telling” that this particular aesthetic style of design offers. As a specialty it is an amalgamation, a blended and very-unique field, exploiting quite a few very different professions, talents and benefits, all in one. It’s a position that is comprised of many parts, one is part Architectural-Installer, one part Woodshop-Instructor, another part Veteran-Craftsman or Professional-Tradesman, and of course the critical part, unique, Interior-Designer, unique because it also requires, you to be part, History-Teacher.
There’s always a story to be told, behind the vintage. Which is a lot of the modern day appeal. Just watch any one of the Home Design, Decorating, Restoration or Remodeling shows, and you’ll see the modern/vintage-industrial style incorporated into the interior design of the new house or establishment (see the list of shows below). On many of them you’ll even see the same style incorporated into the exterior design as well (on the patio, at the pool-bar, or even in the BBQ area, fire-pit, seating area, etc. due to the rugged, tough, durable, nature of the materials and the functional aspect of the design itself). It is very evident that this is not just a niche’ market anymore. It is now a style that is being sought after by more and more mainstream-Americans. It’s been on the rise for decades now. You can also see this style of design permeate just about every kind of social / public venue, from retail environments, to hotels and resorts, to the more-common locations, like clubs, pubs, restaurants and bars (with their old-Edison lightbulbs dimly focused on the exposed, red-brick, and the visible and often very-functional, cast-iron piping, as well as the uncovered, plumbing & venting, and of course, the beautiful display of raw, imperfect, natural hardwoods).
(List of TV Producers, Cable Shows and Celebrity Designers who love to incorporate the vintage-industrial style of deign into their home renovation plans are very-popular television shows like “Home Improvement”, “Extreme-Makeover”, “Trading Spaces”, “Fixer Upper”, “Good Bones”, “Property Brothers”, “This Old House”, and “Love It or List It”, as well as business revitalization and renovation shows like, “Bar Rescue”, “Hotel Impossible” and “Restaurant Recovery” just to name a few. Many of these shows have used Get Back Inc’s vintage industrial designs and / or services – with our Swing-out Seat being one of the most-popular, widely-used products – See this select episode of “Fixer To Fabulous”).
It has been our Founder’s desire to bring more great, modern/vintage-industrial designs to the larger-market. So today, we have invested in our production facilities, so we can make more of some of our most popular products, by doing semi-mass-produced manufacturing (a lot of which still has to be done by hand, but we can lower the price of the products now being that they are not all one-offs, or single cast-iron molds, or single product builds. Respecting our reputation for innovation, quality and design, we are now making the modern/vintage-industrial aesthetic more accessible to every home-owner, by allowing them to be the designer and builder. We provide the consumer with everything he or she will need to make their own vintage-industrial designed piece of furniture.
We have created several unique products and packaged Kits. Whether it be an island bar with custom made Swing-out seats, or new space-saving, kitchen table, or a more-modern, rugged, industrial style picnic table for the back-porch, we have the perfect DIY Kit and Guide just for you. Whether you’re a craftsman yourself (and all you need is the Hardware) or if you’re a really, handy-homeowner (then we can give you a kit with just what you need, the wood, templates, hardware and instructions, to build your own modern-industrial, dinner table for the family to cherish). Saving you money and providing you with the latest and greatest in vintage-industrial styled furniture. Furniture that you may have seen on TV, or published in a magazine about some famous celebrity’s giant, gorgeous home, now brought home to you, and for you.
As we continue to grow, we will remain focused on the changing times, and the economic demands that are put on the design and décor industry. We know, we’re all different, and we all want different when it comes to taste and style. A custom-built, one-of-a-kind installation isn’t for everyone (but as they say…“In the end, you get what you pay for”). With Get Back Inc. you Get the best in quality, design and service, now made more accessible. So today, the more-discerning Americans, those who like the finer things in life, and those who appreciate truly, great-design, they can now have a more-affordable and a more-practical option. As these DIY Kits are perfect for residential and commercial installations –with vintage industrial seats, bar-stools, dining tables, kitchen islands, and so much more).
It is a very-American trait, to do it yourself. And we know that well. And as, more and more Americans appreciate the more historical and very American, industrial-style of design, we aim to be their preferred choice. We believe that the vintage-industrial style appeals to this broader audience because of the pride in ownership that comes from having such a piece (and the visual “story-telling” a unique heritage piece provides, especially when it is a modern-industrial styled piece – one which has a distinctively-vintage story of origin). And now with these latest DIY Kits, we can provide our customers with their own sense of “pride in the build”. There is a real genuine, hands-on, lasting pleasure that comes from purchasing AND then making your very own piece furniture. It’s more than just showcasing it when done, or talking-about it, or heck even bragging about it. Really, the more-important benefit comes from the value you and your family can then place on the piece, as you or they, decide to keep it, and pass it down from generation to generation. Or when it is bestowed upon another loved one who would also cherish its valued-heritage.
We also provide semi-mass produced vintage-industrial shelving units, and display systems – great for home libraries, kitchens, bars, or even commercial settings where you want to showcase a lot of products or materials. They are made out of tubular framework of cast-iron piping and thick mahogany shelves and look absolutely great studio apartments and urban lofts.
