Traditional Craftsmanship of Furniture Helps to Get Industry through Tough Economic Times Friday, Apr 23 2010
Furniture 1:20 am
A house isn’t a home until it has furniture in it. – Anonymous.
This is true for many reasons; everybody needs a place to sit down, eat, and relax. Without furniture, a home isn’t a home – it’s literally an open empty space. However, that statement also works on deeper level. Furniture can ultimately define a person’s lifestyle. Simply put, you are where you sit. If someone chooses solid wood furniture over “new-aged” designed (and often sometimes awkward looking) furniture, it shows that they have a respect for traditional craftsmanship of the form and want their homes to convey that. Yet, this same type of craftsmanship is also what’s helping get the furniture industry through the current recession.
The recession has had a widespread reaching effect on almost every industry, and furniture is no exception. However, the furniture industry has shown that it can outlast the recession through a strict focus on customer service; creating business models that help protect the environment, and most importantly, producing high quality products. Eccentrically designed furniture does have its place, but has not helped to keep the industry afloat during these tough economic times. This is why designers who are heading to furniture fairs like the Salone Internazionale del Mobile di Milano are struggling to get their state of art furniture to the public. As much as a trendy chair would fit in many situations, it can’t contend with the comfort and familiarity of well-made solid wood office furniture, especially during a time when these elements are desired most.
It’s argued that well made products like solid wood living room furniture are helping to get the industry through the recession and into a successful future, and this is because of quality. Despite the economic downturn, the general public still pays for quality, particularly when it comes to home furnishings.
Focusing on conventional craftsmanship also proves economically sustainable; combined with quality, both of these elements are major players in advocating for traditional solid wood construction.