Innovative styling, exotic woods and superior craftsmanship peaks interest for Bal Design; a company that has literally come out of the woods!

boating experience under his belt and a strong reputation in the industry, Brian began his own boat restoration and design company in Lake Bluff, Illinois. With little marketing efforts and only a small business sign on the door, customers with high-end power boats, many nearing half million dollars and more, found their way to Brian’s shop. Within months Brian was a success.

Brian enjoyed the success of his hard work in the boating industry for over two decades but dissatisfaction began to take form as his ability to create and design was limited. Having the means to try something different, Brian immersed himself into wood working, a hobby he turned to as a break from the long hours of the boating company. Through the encouragement of [designer] friends and family, Brian began the transformation from the boating industry to custom furniture. He began by hand-selecting wood for the first pieces and investing upwards of $100,000 in mills, saws, sanders, air purifiers and other machinery. He then selected long-term, premier woods suppliers that not only carried high quality familiar woods but also exotic woods to make his designs stand out from the mass of artistic furniture on the market. It was only fitting that he chose world re-known Edelman Leathers for material options, taking his pieces to the next level to make a stunning and breathtaking statement.

The transformation from a boating workshop to a custom furniture workshop was complete. With no formal training in furniture design or wood working, Brian followed the path that brought him success in the boating industry, hard work and a drive for perfection. Working countless hours to master his new trade, Brian applied construction techniques and materials in the boating industry which allowed him to think outside the boundaries of conventional furniture making. The result, truly amazing and unique pieces.

A workshop once occupied by half million dollar power boats has become home to one of Chicago’s most innovative furniture companies, Bal Design. After nearly 20 years of success a preeminent builder and designer of power boats in a northern suburb of Chicago, Brian Seiller took steps to transform his power boat enterprise to a custom furniture workshop.

Smitten with boats and an innate talent for design, Brian pursued an opportunity at a small Chicago boating company at the age of 18. Impressed with his technical knowledge and vision, the owner hired Brian on the spot. In a pursuit to master his trade in boat restoration and design, Brian attended college nearby giving him the flexibility he needed to continue his work at the boating company and obtain a college education. Little did anyone know how an opportunity at a small Chicago boating company would pave the way for a future in furniture making and design.

Exposed to all facets of the boating process form start to finish, Brian was a sponge soaking up anything and everything he could learn from the moment he walked through the door. Being the first to arrive each morning and the last to leave each evening, Brian refused to settle on anything short of perfection. This relentless drive for perfection was evident in his work product and quickly gained him the respect of his co-workers and many others in the boating industry.

Upon graduating from college with degrees in economics, marketing and finance, Brian saw an opportunity in the affluent northern suburbs of Chicago [near Lake Michigan]. Having several years of