About Us

Most modern furniture is designed to be replaced, not repaired. It arrives in flat-packed boxes, made of sawdust and glue, destined for a landfill within five years.

We grew tired of the disposable, low-quality nature of the industry. Verus was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, out of a frustration with the lack of integrity and locality in the modern furniture market. We believe that when you invest in a piece of furniture, it shouldn't just fill a space—it should become an expression of your style, and a function of your home's story.

Our Ethos

  • Honest Materials: We work exclusively with high-quality hardwoods. No veneers, no particle board, no MDF and no shortcuts. Every grain tells a story of durability.

  • Cleveland-Made: Our roots are in the Midwest. Every piece is designed and hand-built right here in Cleveland, OH.

  • Generational Quality: We don't build for the next apartment; we build for the next generation. Our joinery and finishes are chosen for their ability to age gracefully and withstand the rigors of real life.

  • Anti-Disposable: Our design philosophy is "buy once, keep forever." By rejecting the fast-furniture cycle, we create products that are better for your home and better for the planet.

The Verus Standard

In a world of mass production, we choose the slow way. We choose the right way. From the selection of rough-sawn lumber to the final hand-rubbed finish, we ensure that every piece leaving our workshop earns the Verus name—Latin for True.

True materials. True craftsmanship. True durability. 

Our Process from Forest to Finish

At Verus, we don’t just build furniture; we meticulously manage the lifecycle of the wood from the moment it leaves the mill. By overseeing every stage in our Cleveland workshop, we ensure that the integrity of the material is never compromised.

1. Local Sourcing

We begin at the source. We partner with local Ohio sawmills to select premium, sustainably harvested rough-sawn lumber. By choosing our boards in their rawest state, we can hand-pick the grain patterns and structural characteristics that will eventually define your piece.

2. Milling & Planing

The journey continues as we bring the rough lumber into our shop. We mill each board to reveal the hidden beauty beneath the surface. Using precision planers and jointers, we flatten and square the timber, transforming rugged planks into perfectly uniform material ready for your high-end furniture.

3. Precision Cutting

Once the wood is prepped, we move to the workbench. We carefully map out every cut to highlight the most beautiful grain movements while ensuring maximum structural stability. Every line is measured twice, and every cut is executed with exacting detail.

4. Traditional Assembly

This is where the raw material becomes furniture. We utilize a mix of modern precision and time-tested joinery techniques to ensure your piece is rock-solid. Every joint is fitted by hand, glued, and clamped, creating a bond that is often stronger than the wood itself.

5. Hand-Applied Finishing

The final step is a labor of love. We sand through progressively finer grits until the surface is silk-smooth to the touch. We then apply high-quality, hand-rubbed finishes that protect the wood from the inside out, enhancing the natural color without the "plastic" look of mass-produced topcoats.