Good read: Why furniture got so bad
Woodworkers aren't the only one who's noticed. At least someone at the Washington Post agrees with us.
Sep 07, 2023
A recent article in the Washington Post bemoaned the lack of quality in today’s manufactured furniture. I don’t think that this is news to anyone, especially to those of us who have spent any time woodworking. Furniture being made today, like many other goods in our culture, is often viewed as disposable. That said, I do think that there is a desire to own good-quality, handmade work. That’s where we can play a role. I am often guilty of getting stuck in the mindset that the things I make must be “special,” that I need to incorporate details and techniques that elevate the piece beyond the norm. The problem is that this view, while pushing my work forward, can also push it beyond the reach of a typical buyer. It’s good to be reminded that just making something simple and sturdy, something that looks nice and does its job well, is a very special thing these days.
*This post is in front of the paywall right now, but I’m sure it won’t always be.
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Comments
I'm disillusioned by the whole craft at this point. It seems clear to me that unless and until a devoted furniture maker commits to opening an online store/youtube channel instead of a store front, and predominantly "teaches" woodworking through that channel, making a living at this craft is unrealistic. The Post article gets it. In this day and age, social media rules. The businesses that are thriving, as per Woodshop News, are guys and gals who make fixtures: for schools, corporations, interior designers. Cabinets and built ins. NOT furniture. Why in the world would a millennial spend $2000 on a piece of furniture when they can't afford the home to put it in? Our industry is dead and its not coming back except for a few long established makers with significant customer base. i'm tired of hearing "experts" say I need to spend more time marketing and advertising than actually making. I won't do it. I don't want to do it and that's that. I'll continue to work wood as a hobby.
I've been doing this for over 40 years. It's thriving, far more than it was when I started. There's more and better of everything, from wood, tools, knowledge, styles -- you name it.
Companies discovered consumer product turnover drove profits: new clothing fashions, new automobile designs, new furniture style, the in color for makeup and interior paint, etc, etc. As such, less incentive on both the sellers and buyers to make things that will last. Annoying for sure. When an electronic chip went bad in my 20+ year old (but still looked as good as new) double ovens, I ended up replacing them as no one I spoke to could simply replace the chip. My grandma's double ovens from the 1960s were literally just replaced this past year. Oh, the 1930s phone in my grandma's basement still works fine. I used it a couple of years ago to make a call. On par with the quality of most cellular phone calls. We as consumers could force a change but it takes a lot of us. Ford came out with a small inexpensive pickup truck two years ago and it sold well (consumer demand). Suddenly all of the automotive brands are scrambling to make them.
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