Interesting pieces of furniture - 4

[greybeard]

As a piece of sculpture yes; as a piece of furniture no.

Simple prole that I am 'my' furniture has firstly to be functional, it's the (perceived) statement of function that is interpreted, good or bad, by the design.
So I can be pleased/enchanted by Shaker/Edwardian/Egyptian(of the ancient kind!)/whatever, or just as equally not moved.

For me this piece is too 'designed' (arty?) first, with functional a long way second, wrong priorities! - my boat is not floated!

As for the origins of design, so ably disputed and discoursed upon further up this thread, it reminded me of the observation (anyone know the source?) that there are only 12 original jokes in the world, including the one about cheese, and all the rest are just variations......but perhaps I dismiss the human capacity to invent too readily?!

 

[Matt1245]

Your table isn't what I meant.

I know Jake, i was just having a giggle. I have seen it used for wall panelling in shops etc, and agree that so much is OTT.

Matt.

 

[Alf]

...it reminded me of the observation (anyone know the source?) that there are only 12 original jokes in the world, including the one about cheese, and all the rest are just variations.....

Don't know it, but I like it. I'm also relieved I'm not the only one who thinks function is a priority. If it doesn't work well, how can it possibly be well designed?

Cheers, Alf

 

[woodbloke]

Can feel myself having a little dip into my David Pye books later on ..... - Rob

 

[dedee]

Looking at the level of interest each one of these threads has produced it is safe to say that they have all been Interesting Pieces of Furniture.

Is one allowed to like a design without liking the wood used to execute it?

Andy

 

[Anonymous]

...it reminded me of the observation (anyone know the source?) that there are only 12 original jokes in the world, including the one about cheese, and all the rest are just variations.....

Don't know it, but I like it. I'm also relieved I'm not the only one who thinks function is a priority. If it doesn't work well, how can it possibly be well designed?

Cheers, Alf

I know what you mean, you couldnt exactly chop carrots or bread on it comfortably, or use it as a dining table, or let the kids draw on it. But with respect, I think that this design was a sucess and did satisfy the client's vision. (According to the web site at any rate)
Quote:-

"Daniela loved the resulting table, it fitted her space, matched her colours, took ones eye to the lovely Kapoor sculpture as planned and was a piece of quality work that could sit in the same space and not feel ashamed of itself."

So it did fit the purpose for which it was intended, unconventional as that may seem to many of us, as a sort of sculptural/altar/table living space statement.

 

[Roger]

you couldn't exactly chop carrots or bread on it comfortably, or use it as a dining table

Maybe because it's a Coffee table :wink:

But I agree with you totally:

"Daniela loved the resulting table, it fitted her space, matched her colours, took ones eye to the lovely Kapoor sculpture as planned and was a piece of quality work that could sit in the same space and not feel ashamed of itself."

So it did fit the purpose for which it was intended, unconventional as that may seem to many of us, as a sort of sculptural/altar/table living space statement.

I find it a beautiful, luxurious piece - both a work of art, craftsmanship and sculpture.

 

[Shivers]

Not my cup of tea,the craftsmanship is nice although the project looks like an exercise in design,--looks like a bench (stroke) table,i like savage's furniture & i'm sure this fit the situation for the client,
what i also notice throughout savages' pages is him giving due credit to the excellent craftsmen he has assisting,this is big of him --as many others wouldn't do so,merely taking all the credit themselves.
I think its hard to pin down his influences as he seems to have full control of multiple themes.

 

[Alf]

Fwiw, my comment on function being part of design was a general one, not specifically aimed at this piece. I've been judging these things purely on the pic on the forum and haven't visited the maker's website for the justification schpiel (spiel? schpeel? whatever). I've been trying to find a piece I like for this series of threads and went through the designer/maker site (url escapes me at the mo') looking for it - if I have to click through endless artistic websites only to read yet another "philosophy", "mission statement" or general whitter about a piece of furniture I may scream...

But that's probably just me.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

Do I come over as sour and opinionated as Jacob Grimsdale does? If so I offer a genuine apology to all reading this thread who I might have upset. I'm not trying to pick arguments for the sake of it.

Fine Jacob, you've set out your examples of popular culture inspired one way or another by non "classical" peasant/popular/ethnic inluence. When are you going to understand I'm not in disagreement with you on this :?: I have already said as much on more than one ocasion on the short time I've been on this forum, genuine cultural diversity is a good thing. Its the politically imposed artificial sort that worries me, wether inposed via greek/egyptian standards, Utopian socialist standards or whatever. Also I think we can agree that euro-centric ("centrist" as you put it) domination of cultural values has been a bad thing on the whole.

BUT my original point was that wether you or I like it, accept it or approve of it, it is and always has been, the rich people who have driven furniture style, innovation etc, they can afford to pay the makers to do it. And that includes taking (exploiting even) non western cultural influences and "adapting them" (another method of imperialism) to create new trends/fashions etc, reacting against the so called cultural norms, and making a lucrative new industry out of that.
And again wether you or I like it, aprove of it or even accept it, classical formal standards are the ones which people use as a yardstick, sooner or later. That doesnt automatically imply that you have to abide by it If your diametrically oposed to that and like to operate outside of that (like picasso did), fine, continue as you are. But if someone else says Im fed up of all the cross cultural post modern stuff, I'd like some elegance and they see it in classical/neo-classical forms then that's fine too.

Sorry Jacob If I caused you personal offense, its just too easy to get the wrong end of the stick on threads

cheers Mr S

 

[Paul Chapman]

Do I come over as sour and opinionated as Jacob Grimsdale does? If so I offer a genuine apology to all reading this thread who I might have upset. I'm not trying to pick arguments for the sake of it.

I think most of us lost the will to live several chapters ago :roll: :roll: :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Anonymous]

, genuine cultural diversity is a good thing. Its the politically imposed artificial sort that worries me,

How can you tell the difference?

 

[Anonymous]

You must enter a message when posting.

 

[Good Surname or what ?]

[I was referring to the notion that design innovation originates in cities (centrally) and diffuses out to be feebly imitated in the dreary provinces, and the colonies too

Jacob,

Perhaps you should study the evolution of the Windsor chair in America after it was first imported from the "mother country". I see few feeble imitations in America, more a thriving diversification and refinement, while the UK slipped into heavy unlovely mediocrity.