With so much choice out there it’s difficult to know what modern furniture actually is, does it mean that it’s produced using modern methods? Or looks like 60’s office furniture? Or looks new, has a brand new form? The latter is the least likely, as with all things produced they need to perform a function, be practical at least, furniture has been with us for centuries and it’s language is a part of our everyday lives, for example a chair and table are linked historically through form and function, all we really get to choose is a style.
It’s no bad thing, but style is formed by all sorts of dictations, budget is up first, how much will it cost, how much will it sell for, who would pay that, does it look and feel like something that person would appreciate. It’s a difficulty faced by all designers, they can dream up incredible forms that would break the norm, stimulate our desire for the new and ground breaking, even improve our very well being! But actually, this isn’t what all designers dream of, imagine being given an unlimited budget, design the best, I don’t care what it costs, where would you start with that? The first dilemma must be what’s the best material to use? Followed shortly after by why is it the best material? It’s not a proper brief to design something successful as it doesn’t provide a solution, the best design for a raft is one that will float.
Let’s take designing a dining table as an example. “I want the best dining table you can design and make, money’s no object”. First thing any good designer is going to want to know is where is the best dining table going to go, and then measure that space. That takes care of the size, also when the designer measured the room they got a feel for the light in the room natural and artificial, the scale of the windows, floor material, wall heights, other bits and bobs making up features like fireplaces, skirting, colour, let’s say an overall style of the room was appreciated, just with the size of the room and feel of the room a designer can really start to design the “best” table.
Yup, we’re back to bespoke furniture! It’s all about the location, that’s where the design starts. It’s hard work designing something good that’s going to be retailed, it’s either compromised by budget or has to tick too many boxes and ends up as a “neutral” design. Having said that I bought a 2 pieces of retail furniture recently, coincidentally a dining table and chairs, the Louis table by John Reeves, clever, neat and playful bit of work and very good value and 6 Ghost chairs by Stark, which also have a clever Versaille theme. Just goes to show it doesn’t always have to be bespoke and as much as I carry on about it there are good products out there being mass produced, just wish my new table could seat 12 though!!