Interesting pieces of furniture - 16

[LyNx]

Nothing better than Ikea in my opinion, lacking of quality on almost every level, soulless design, cheap materials, no craftmanship or skill, bland, uninteresting, if this is the future of modern design I despair!

Do you have these lines saved somewhere? As you add this sort of comment to every piece of furniture that isn't using old, traditional construction methods.

The furniture in Ikea is designed and manufactured for todays short term requirements. I don't want to pay for some over engineered piece when it's only to fill a short term gap whilst the kids kill it. If all your comments above stand true, then why do they sell so much?

 

[Bodrighy]

The furniture in Ikea is designed and manufactured for todays short term requirements. I don't want to pay for some over engineered piece when it's only to fill a short term gap whilst the kids kill it. If all your comments above stand true, then why do they sell so much?

They sell so much because they are relatively cheap, look good initially if you like the styling of them and they advertise a lot. Most people think 'throwaway' and don't buy with an eye for the long term. I know that is a generalisation but it seems to be the general trend. Doesn't make it wrong but like Byron I also wouldn't give them house room. Mind you apart from our bed every piece of furniture we have has been rescued from somewhere including bonfires, skips and 2nd hand shops. Means I get furniture I like of good quality dirt cheap. (Also a good source of wood for turning :lol: )

Pete

 

[Matt_S]

LyNx I agree with your critique of Byrons comments,

you can't tell from this image that it poor quality and if it is top grade ply which it probably is then I don't think it is poor materials.

I always look at these pieces as interesting pieces of furniture and the design, not from the perspecitve of how much was made in a garage.

The design is obviously not to your taste Byron which is fine, but isn't souless. It is just a piece of what could be described as modernist design. I personally think simple pieces are much much harder to get right than something with lots of details or features.

Another thing on the Ikea criticism, have a search for Alvar Aalto 60 stool, would you describe this in the same way? A design classic from a very good designer from about 1930 I think!

 

[ByronBlack]

looks like the opinion police are out again.

Lynx, please show me where I've used the same 'lines' on all these threads.

If you all don't like my opinion thats fine, just don't try and tell me it's wrong, because no opinion is wrong, it's simply that, an opinion.

Now, shall we try and continue this thread without getting personal? Because if you wan't to go down that line, then no one is safe from criticism.

My post still stands. Is it made from cheap materials? Yes.

Is it bland and unintersting - in my opinion, yes!

Does it lack craftamanship - it's made by a computers, so yes.

On another forum I belong to they have a policy called 'Play the ball, not the man'. I.e discuss the opinions posted, not the person who posted them, it's basic decency really.

 

[mr]

. Is it made from cheap materials? Yes.

can't tell really without seeing it up close.

Is it bland and unintersting - in my opinion, yes!

I agree.

Does it lack craftamanship - it's made by a computers, so yes.

tend to agree again.

However it does differ significantly from (lets say for arguments sake) an identical piece from Ikea in as much as in Ikea the thing would probably cost you £30 whereas when made by a French design house the cost is £110. I'm not questioning the price of either, they are such for a reason in both cases., rather the price differential for something which is subject to the same construction process etc but in one case is intended to be functional furniture for the masses and in the other a lifestyle statement - and yes I'm aware that Unto the Last claim to be providing the former however I think they're being a tad disingenuous.
Cheers Mike

 

[LyNx]

How do you know these are made from cheap materials? Just because it hasn't been made from solid hardwood, does this make it crap from the offset then? There are more materials being used in the furniture industry other than hardwood.

"Lacking craftsmanship" :roll: , does someone have to don an apron, and use handtools to create the piece in order to be called a craftsman then?

 

[Matt_S]

I was trying to discuss the opinions, but sorry if I got personal too.

ply might be cheaper than using exotic hardwood but it ain't cheap in the same category as Ikea chipboard with printed wood look veneer. I like ply and especially when bent it can produce beautiful designs.

As I said its fine if you think it bland, just saying I see minimal design rather than bland.

I agree no craftsmanship, but for me this does not effect if it is a nice and interesting piece of furniture. I find the fact it was CNC'd quite cool oh also remember there would have been craft used in prototypes before it was CNC'd otherwise it would not look good in the end.

 

[woodbloke]

Handy to make a ton of these for an event or a one off situation, then burn them or recycle them into toilet paper or something.

Nothing better than Ikea in my opinion, lacking of quality on almost every level, soulless design, cheap materials, no craftmanship or skill, bland, uninteresting, if this is the future of modern design I despair!

Having paid just the one visit to an Ikea outlet with SWIMBO who was not amused :roll: by the outing, I'm inclined on this one to agree with Byron here about most of the stuff in store...tho' not all, a little bit of nosing around reveals stuff that's better made. F'rinstance these chairs are just fabulous...could've easily thrown a couple of them in the back of the Landy and I believe have been in continuous production from the early 70's...so it's not all bad - Rob

 

[Bean]

Matt if it is this stool http://www.finnstyle.com/hofist.html I would have to say that Byrons comment apply. As a stacking stools to tuck away somewhere it is ok. Its a clean design but a classic, I hope not, as is it just plain and ordinary. and lacks any real features apart from the L shaped legs.

CNC are only limited by the designer imagination or desier to produce something interesting. With the chair in question I think the main objectives where cheap mass production. The chair is a collection of flat panels joined together. No real design inovations there, unless you are looking for a cheap method of producing a lot of basic chairs for the hire industry or you are trying to replace the plastic stacker. But having said that there are plenty of far more attractive chairs out there than this one to fill that gap.

 

[ByronBlack]

How do you know these are made from cheap materials? Just because it hasn't been made from solid hardwood, does this make it crap from the offset then? There are more materials being used in the furniture industry other than hardwood.

"Lacking craftsmanship" :roll: , does someone have to don an apron, and use handtools to create the piece in order to be called a craftsman then?

Where did I say the material was crap? I said it was cheap.

And yes, one must definitely have to wear an apron to be called a craftsman, did you not know that?

 

[mr]

"Lacking craftsmanship" :roll: , does someone have to don an apron, and use handtools to create the piece in order to be called a craftsman then?

The person who creates an item from a blueprint created by someone else by dint of programming a machine to do so is surely a technician rather than a craftsman. Note I am presuming that these chairs are CNC creations and that a individual did not manipulate a tool powered or otherwise. I may be wrong in that assumption but regardless surely the craftsmanship inherent in an object is derived from the manipulation of tool by man. Whether the tool has a plug on it is something else we can argue about later


Cheers Mike

 

[motownmartin]

To each their own

 

[Matt_S]

Bean that was the stool, yes it is simple but it has been it production for 70 years or so and I was just showing that ply doesn't mean only or Ikea or poor quality.

Interestingly the original manufacturers of the stool (can't remember who) have a area on their website for people to upload pics and a bit of history about old stools still going strong.

 

[Bean]

Matt I don't think people mean that ply is alway poor quality or cheap, its that chair its devoid of style and character.
I can see that the material has influenced the design, but I my opinion it is still a poor and uninspired design.

 

[Matt_S]

Bean realise people dont think all ply stuff is bad. Was just answering Byrons comments on that this piece was poor quality and cheap just because it was made of ply and looked scandavian. Again not trying to attack if this is interpreted as such just give opposite opinion

 

[Travis Byrne]

It has a cold look to it. Uninviting
Will it last 50 years---probably
Will someone keep it 50 years----probably not

Reminds me of furniture, in a not yet rich, doctor's waiting room. :shock: