An estate sale chandelier, which is already sold, hangs above this elegant dining vignette. The table is skirted by Paul Roberts chairs and both the buffet and the table are topped with European imports featuring 24K gold gilding over bronze. The display cabinet was converted from an antique armoire and retrofitted with glass shelves, lighting and a mirrored back. An Uttermost mirror hangs above the buffet.

Large wall decor, especially oil reproductions, are big sellers at Stratford Court. This lady painting from The Uttermost Company dominates the vignette filled with an armoire from Hooker, end table from Emerson et Cie, cocktail table by Robert & Robert by Council and a sofa and chair by Paul Roberts.

Uttermost expands headquarters 100,000 square feet added -- Home Accents Today, 8/18/2008 2:28:00 PM Uttermost is adding approximately 100,000 square feet to its headquarters in Rocky Mount, Va. The expansion, estimated to be completed by September 1, will bring the total square footage to almost 600,000 and provide almost 10,000 additional pallet positions for inventory storage. Mac Cooper, Uttermost’s president and CEO, said, “This space is very much needed to help accommodate the growth in our new accent furniture category, as well as growth in our other product categories.” Uttermost also has another 200,000 square feet of storage space near the Rocky Mount facility, a distribution center in Riverside, Calif., and a factory in China. The 33-year-old company remains family-owned and is managed out of Rocky Mount. Uttermost’s product lines include mirrors, art, clocks, lighting, accent furniture and accessories.

Uttermost reps tour Italy 2007 sales contest winners celebrated -- Home Accents Today, 8/5/2008 8:39:00 AM Virginia-based Uttermost treated forty reps, executives and family members to an Italian vacation this past May. The trip recognized the company’s 2007 sales contest winners with a tour that took the group to Venice, Pisa, Florence and Rome. Activities ranged from riding the gondolas in Venice to enjoying the fine cuisine in Florence to touring the ancient Roman Coliseum. In the photo at right, the group enjoys a sunny day in Florence.  Previous sales contest award trips have included cruises in Europe and Alaska, a trip to Hong Kong and China, and stays at all-inclusive resorts in various Caribbean islands and Mexico.

Uttermost unveils virtual showroom Web site caters to retailers -- Home Accents Today, 5/30/2006 7:26:00 AM Uttermost, a leading accessory and lighting manufacturer, unveiled an easy-to-navigate virtual showroom on its new Web site at http://www.uttermost.com/. "The new Uttermost virtual showroom is a great example of where art and technology have come together to create the ultimate shopping tool that meets the business needs of today's retailers," said Mac Cooper, president of Uttermost. "We believe this new service enhances Uttermost's long-standing business mission and commitment to its customers - which is to provide the best home accessory products, services and prices." The Rocky Mount, Va.-based manufacturer's virtual showroom was designed to provide retailers with a one-stop Web destination, where they can conduct their home accessory business quickly and easily. Key features include: - The site has sophisticated yet easy-to-navigate search functionality to enable the user to quickly narrow down and access specific accessory categories and/or product information. They can access specific information such as product sizes or specific finishes and styles. - Through the company's back-end, ERP system, registered Uttermost dealers can access key automated information including viewing order histories, best-selling products, checking status of orders and even placing orders directly on the site. - Retail dealers can view unique, informative information on the site such as industry news, tips from top designers, interesting news about Uttermost or a "slightly personal" company-driven blog. - All of the accessory categories and products are displayed beautifully and in a clean, simple layout. The Web site also caters to consumers and the company's internal sales force. Consumers can visit the virtual showroom to find out information on the newest home accessory products, get tips from designers, quickly access an automated database to find out where Uttermost's retail dealers are located so they can visit the stores and place orders. In addition, Uttermost's sales force can access updated account and territory information.

Uttermost expanding showrooms Las Vegas, Atlanta and Dallas spaces to grow in January -- Home Accents Today, 12/4/2006 6:51:00 AM Uttermost is expanding three of its showrooms for the January shows in response to ongoing growth and based on its track record of a 24% growth rate per year for the past 20 years. Uttermost’s Las Vegas showroom was relocated into the new Building 2, and expanded to almost 13,000 square feet. Its Dallas space was expanded to more than 17,000 square feet, allowing room to display all of its product lines, including lighting fixtures. In Atlanta, Uttermost is expanding into an adjacent showroom, to offer its largest space ever in Atlanta. "These showroom expansions are needed to show our growing product line of wall decor, lamps, lighting fixtures, accessories, clocks and accent furniture," said Mac Cooper, president and CEO. To support the distribution of more product, Uttermost added a large state-of-the-art distribution facility on the West Coast earlier in 2006. In Rocky Mount, Va., another 100,000 square feet of high ceiling distribution was added to give Uttermost more than 500,000 square feet in Rocky Mount alone. Cooper credited Uttermost’s customer base for its consistent growth, with no indications of slowing down. “We have been blessed with a loyal group of retail customers all over the world, and these guys know that they can count on us,” Cooper said. “Because we are a profitable line for them year after year, they continue to buy and sell more Uttermost product.”

Virginia gentleman Mac Cooper, Uttermost By Susan Dickenson -- Home Accents Today, 7/1/2007 Uttermost CEO Mac Cooper guesses he was about 8 years old the first time he traveled from Virginia to help set up his family's High Point Market showroom. Back then, it was for Cooper Wood Products, a business started by his grandfather around 1950. "In the old days we ate down at the volunteer kitchen, a cafeteria in the basement," Cooper recalled. "The hallways in the market buildings were always smoky and the elevators were busy and crowded." Years later, when Cooper worked his first High Point showroom as an adult, the business had evolved from a division of Cooper Wood into Uttermost, a manufacturer of framed mirrors and art. "Our space was maybe 750 square feet, and I never worked harder in my life," he said. "We didn't have reps around to help customers, and I remember the first day we wrote $30,000. We were so tired. Now it's a whole different thing and, in a lot of ways, easier." Thirty-two years later, the Rocky Mount, Va., company's product line of 2,800 items includes lamps, accessories and lighting fixtures. The line is updated by four teams of designers, manufactured in company-owned factories in Virginia and China, and delivered with the help of a new distribution center in Riverside, Calif. Nonetheless, Cooper says it all still feels new. "I don't see us as a 32-year-old company. I see our business as a young, hungry, ambitious entity that's just getting started." Cooper credits his employees for the company's success. "We've been blessed with the ability to capitalize on the strengths of a wonderful, very diverse group of people with every personality you can imagine, while working together as a team." Uttermost operates on the biblical principles of honesty, fairness and mutual respect which, according to Cooper, are applied at every level within the company — from the guys running the saws in the plant to the sales reps to the customer. Time, and the lack thereof, presents the biggest challenge. "Our management team is very lean and there are so many opportunities in front of us, but it's important we pursue the right ones." One of the company's more recent developments was marked by last year's opening of a new West Coast distribution center. "It's been very difficult to go from inventory and product shipping in one place to being 100% in stock in two places," Cooper said. "It took probably six to eight months to work out the major kinks, and we sent hundreds of containers back and forth across the country to balance things out. It hasn't come without cost, but we know it's the right move." Cooper grew up in Rocky Mount, which is located in the same county as his current home on Smith Mountain Lake, where every day feels like a vacation. "My daughters are ages 7, 7, 7 and 10, and they all water ski and swim," he said. "But, like their mother, they're not too happy about my favorite water sport, one that has resulted in a few accidents." Cooper's passion is wakeboarding, a relatively new board sport in which the rider is pulled behind a motor boat on a short, broad water ski similar to a surfboard. He remains close to his parents, who celebrate their 50th anniversary this year, and siblings, who also live nearby with their families. "My father is eternally optimistic, and that's something I've grown to treasure, plus I think it's helped me to be comfortable taking risks." After college, Cooper spent a year in public accounting at a Roanoke branch of Peat Marwick before joining the family business at the urging of his father. "I studied accounting, and accountants by nature tend not to be super risk takers, but I believe in this business you have to be," he said. "If you do not constantly change and edit how you do business, it just won't work." Cooper graduated from Virginia Tech, as did more than a half-dozen members of Uttermost's management team, and many of their spouses. He said he can't begin to express his shock following a gunman's recent rampage at the school, especially since he never felt safer than he did during his four years in Blacksburg. "For this tragedy to occur in Blacksburg proves that it can happen anywhere," he said. "Long term, I think the Tech alumni will only be more passionate and respectful of our school. It's a great institution, and the shooting will not take away from our years of great college experiences and memories." Cooper, his children and wife, Inglath, whom he met in high school, also share their home with 10 dogs, most of which were rescued from the pound or roadside. "We have another seven dogs at the barn. Some are ours and some are fosters. My wife is heavily involved in animal rescue, and there's a high euthanasia rate in our county, so we're trying to raise money to build a shelter." They have a special fondness for Nate, a dog rescued with a bladder infection, untreated broken leg and bad skin condition. Nate eventually had to have his leg amputated but now lives the good life in the Coopers' heated barn office — sitting in his favorite leather chair and going for daily golf cart rides. Cooper discusses Nate further on his blog, linked to Uttermost's Web site. "His trick that says the most about him is his 'hand' shake. If you hold out your hand to Nate, he raises his shoulder where his leg once was and shakes his shoulder up and down."

Uttermost adds two designers -- Home Accents Today, 2/1/2008 Uttermost has added two designers, Matthew Williams and David Frisch. Williams has previously served as executive VP at Garcia Designer Collections, VP of merchandising at Universal Furniture and VP of design at Maitland-Smith. Frisch, who specializes in contemporary home furnishings, has had his designs featured at retailers such as Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Target and Federated Department Stores. His experience includes teaching design at the University of Arizona College of Architecture and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.