New at Hoff Miller: Jess Bed

A slice of Santa Fe history

Since its founding by the Spanish in 1610, Santa Fe has been at the crossroads of history, culture and commerce, thus informing the city’s distinct style, a blend of Spanish, Native American and Rustic Americana.

In the decades after the arrival of the railroad (1879) to New Mexico, this style almost disappeared. In a rush to adopt “modernity” and make way for the Victorian style of the time, many of the original Spanish inspired homes were razed. In the process the historic quality of Santa Fe was almost lost.

In 1912, Santa Fe’s mayor gathered a group of prominent historians, anthropologists and architects to discuss ways to revive the economy and restore the identity of the capital city. 

The group conceived a signature architectural style that combined the historic Spanish and Southwest Native American traditions with the necessities of twentieth-century life.

Inspiration for the Jess bed comes from a woven leather-back sofa that was crafted by “Jess” (Jesse) Nussbaum. Nussbaum was one of the early practitioners of the “signature style” that blended Spanish and Southwest Native traditions while keeping with the 20th century aesthetics. The original sofa is in the collections at the New Mexico History Museum.

Jess features a cathedral ash footboard, solid ash posts capped with a metal sabot finished in Modern Gun Metal and a wonderfully unique woven headboard accented with nail trim on the back side. Shown in Modern French Grey finish.