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Furniture Designs, Trends and Purchases and Our Personal History

 Just like our personal appearance the decor of our homes, especially the interior, reflects who we are. If we were honest with ourselves we would admit that upon entrance into a new person’s residence, we subconsciously draw a conclusion of the person who lives there. We deduce their financial status, their taste, even their hygiene by a sweeping appraisal of their collection of decorative items, clutter or lack of it and the quality and design of the furniture. If we were even more honest with ourselves we would also acknowledge that our tastes and choices are developed by whatever influenced our personal histories. These influences include things like parental tastes, what income class we were raised in or aspire to and the influences that mass media had on developing who we became.

All design gives way to form, function and material available or practical. Just like our personal experience influences our purchases personal history influences the individual designer. Politics, economy and even design movement can influence an entire country, so of course it affects designers. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but when we set out to decorate our homes we must decide what designers or trends inspire us. With so many opinions available and so many designers to emulate, who do we follow? Do we design using current and possibly passing trends or do we follow historical and traditional designers. Does the modern movement speak to our souls, with its clean, crisp no-nonsense lines or do we feel at home with larger scale designs, decorative objects or perhaps more classical elements.  

Consumers visit showrooms forgetting about quality and only considering a better price. Modern home owners mistakenly accept the falsehood that as long as the final product looks like the picture they have invested their time and money well. Forsaking the technical details and accepting low-end materials create a marketplace for disposable furniture vs. heirloom. Fads can prevail over genuine design trends when the consumer is not aware that they are investing n something they will replace time and time again, instead of buying well once.

Mass production furniture manufacturers cater to buyers who are influenced by trends and media. Because of this most manufacturers keep real innovation to a minimum. Mass producers regard the home furnishing business as exactly that - a business. Craftsman like the Amish, whose personal history was influenced by social morals, high accountability and ethics treat furniture as a passion and not just as a way to make a paycheck. The Amish hold their standards high and do not cut corners at the expense of quality and materials, unlike box stores which help contribute to the deteriorating standards of the furniture industry.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 31st, 2009 at 12:30 am and is filed under Accessories, Amish Furniture, Furniture Tips, History of Furniture Making, Solid Wood Furniture, The Amish, Understanding Hardwood and Furniture Construction. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.