Doris and Lou Bozzelli fell in love at George Brown College in 1985 – with each other and making furniture. They were both enrolled in the Furniture Production and Design Program.

“We offer a varied selection of styles but our main focus is leathers and fabrics.”

“For us building great furniture is a combination of everything we’re passionate about – timeless designs, traditional craftsmanship, the finest materials, a relaxing, satisfying shopping experience,” says Doris. “We’re lucky to love what we do…our customers deserve the most well-made comfortable, stylish sofa we can build for them – the key is to keep it just that simple.”

The Bozelli formula is simple and has worked well for 17 years. Their enterprise, Rumours Furniture, has grown in the quaint town of Rockwood, east of Guelph.

While Lou works on a chair in the downstairs workshop, Doris leads a tour of the main showroom. “We offer a varied selection of styles but our main focus is leathers and fabrics,” Doris explains. “We use ‘naked’ leathers, untreated with chemicals to allow the hide to breathe and reveal its true natural look and veining. It actually allows the piece to last much longer.”

“We’re lucky to love what we do. O Our customers deserve the most comfortable sofa we can build for them.”

The Bozzelli commitment to quality is apparent as Doris elaborates: “Being in business 17 years we’ve experimented to see what worked and what didn’t. We saw weaknesses in other manufacturers that we wanted to avoid – warped and twisted joints, squeaky springs, sagging upholstery. We went with coil springs that are hand-tied eight ways for a long-lasting, quiet suspension system. For the frame construction we use only one x one inch, kiln-dried hardwoods, double or tripled-dowelled at the joints to ensure a tight fit. Hardwood corner blocks are glued and double-screwed to provide stability.”

Lou and Doris have developed a workable division of labour. Lou does frame construction in his fully-outfitted carpenter’s shop, while Doris does sewing and design. “We work well together because I let Doris be the boss,” Lou jokes affectionately.

Lou does frame construction in his fully equipped carpenter’s shop. “The good thing is that people can actually come in and see how well their piece is made.”

This eye for detail and quality takes time. “Our traditional approach results in an average of one sofa a week, that’s 50 or 60 a year,” he says. “As a result, we’re always busy. The good thing is people who come to our shop looking for a well-made piece of furniture can actually see it being made!”

For many, watching behind the scenes is believing. Since the beginning, their business has relied primarily on word-of-mouth and referrals from satisfied patrons.

Doris invites people to look beyond the obvious. “True, all the quality features are covered when you look at a sofa. But Lou and I take pride in creating a lifetime piece – quality that will last. We have a commitment to that and to the designs we’ve developed over time. I guess you’d call it traditional style with a modern aesthetic.”