He’s the mastermind. He’s the one “ behind it all.” Cindi Rembert holds back no praise when introducing her husband, Carson, a master carpenter for 15 years. Besides painting their showroom on Johns Island in various shades of blue, her favorite color, Cindi plays a big role alongside her partner in their new family business, Custom Carolina Hanging Beds.
“We were expecting our first son,” Cindi says, “and we didn’t have enough space in our house for a baby room and a guest room. So we came up with the idea of having a hanging bed that folds out from the wall.”
Anyone who appreciates the couple’s work can’t help but wonder why he didn’t come up with such a simple yet incredibly clever solution himself. The Remberts created their first hanging bed for their newborn son’s bedroom. It was hung on ropes lengthwise, parallel to the wall, in contrast to Murphy beds, which fold out perpendicular to the wall. The ropes were the perfect touch for their child’s John Wayne-themed room. Ropes have since become a signature component of their beds, giving them a quiet swing and a rustic, country feel that works well in Southern surroundings.
“It all started with that and has grown from there. We decided to put one in our yard, under a big oak tree, and family and friends started saying, ‘Oh…we want one!’ ”
Soon, they realized they could build a business together, the kind of business that would help strengthen Carson’s existing construction company. It grew rapidly into an operation that required time for in-home consultations—consultations that allow the Remberts to customize beds to suit a customer’s lifestyle.
“We gain insight into what might look good, and we do all of the measurements,” Carson says. “We find out what style might work well on our customers’ porches, or inside their houses, and decide what flows best. Then, we give them a couple of different ideas they can start with.”
After a consultation, the couple works together to design a bed. Then, Carson and his crew create it with their hands. Using various types of wood, including cypress, cedar and pine, they produce a final product that fits in just about anywhere, inside or outdoors.
A one-stop shop, Custom Carolina Hanging Beds commissions other types of furniture (such as tables) to complement their beds—and also offers locally made bed cushions. The couple also takes pride in their collection of locally made oyster art and mirrors.
In the end, their goal is to produce solid, spectacular products that reflect their customers’ tastes and brighten up their homes. Carson says that people are often “ecstatic and overwhelmed” after their product is installed. “Just seeing how happy they are gives me a good feeling,” he says.
That first bed they made for their son, Ricky, will always be sentimental. These days, they sleep in the bed themselves when their baby wants them nearby. And when their child goes to college, and they convert the room to an office, he can come home, pull his bed back down and make the space his own again. He’ll be resting his head on the very product that launched a successful family business.
Besides the comfort and convenience, there’s another reason to buy one of their hanging beds: Anyone who orders one gets a complimentary gift basket from Irvin House Vineyards. It includes an ice bucket, two wine glasses and a bottle of wine. “We thought it’d be nice to give something back to our customers as a thank you for doing business with us,” Cindi says.
Carolina Hanging Beds can also be seen at Home + Design shows, Irvin House Vineyard events and more. “It’s exciting for us to be in public and meet new people,” Cindi says. 2
