The story behind the company is simple. Jeff Curran was a manufacturer’s rep in the Pacific Northwest, and friends and family were always asking whether they could buy from his home furnishing lines. Back then, Curran offered everything from gifts and accessories to outdoor furniture. To make things easier for everyone, Jeff put a little flier together and mailed it out to 20 people. That was 1996, and the catalog grew by word of mouth until 2008 when Curran went totally online. At this stage, the company had widely expanded its well-curated selection of outdoor and indoor furniture (upholstered, hardwood) as well as floor coverings. In addition, it found its niche by specializing in European contemporary and modern design. In 2012 Curran opened a showroom in downtown Seattle. If you want to read more about the early days of Curran, a Wall Street Journal article about us summarizes things nicely. 
Good design is making something intelligible and memorable.
Great design is making something memorable and meaningful.
—Dieter Rams, German Designer
Barbara and Jeff met on a flight from Amsterdam to Geneva. This is a relatively short flight. Those who know Barbara Curran will tell you, that she is not shy. After striking up a conversation, the two decided to exchange numbers and keep in touch. That, they did.
Two years later Barbara packed her bags and moved from Zurich to Seattle. Barbara’s European style influenced Jeff’s style. More and more European products were added to the Curran mix. Barbara also brought her Swiss organizational skills with her. Up until this point, Jeff has focused on the creative side of Curran, improving systems and structure. The couple quickly learned that they have different skill sets—Jeff would focus on product and marketing, whereas Barbara would oversee finances and human resources. This structure has proven successful. To this day, Barbara and Jeff work together at the office growing their business in the U.S. as well as in Europe and are busy at home raising their two boys.
