Love teak furniture but loathe the fact that precious hardwood trees have to be cut down for it? Then consider a piece by Osisu, osisu.com. This small Thai company takes reclaimed teak (as well as discarded plywood, bottle caps and juice cartons) and fashions it into sleek furnishings that sell from its Bangkok head office and outlets in Paris and Los Angeles.
Osisu's founder, Singh Intrachooto, 39, never intended to be a furniture designer, but his environmentalist scruples made him one. About a year and half ago, the M.I.T.-trained architect was dismayed to see a fleet of trucks turn up at one of his project sites every evening to haul away tons of rubbish. "I thought to myself, 'Wow, I'm building an energy-efficient building but I'm still producing a lot of waste,'" says Singh. He discovered that the garbage--including perfectly good plywood--was being incinerated, dumped in landfills or left by the roadside. Spurred into action, he started making furniture from the unwanted wood and sneaking it into office buildings he'd designed. Clients approved, and as more people began inquiring about the pieces, Singh and business partner Veeranuch Tanchookiat set up Osisu (the word is from the Finnish sisu, meaning "to have guts").
While still relying primarily on construction sites, Singh also sources his materials from lumberyards, factories, junkyards and even juice bars (for the aforementioned bottle caps). Coming up with new ideas for furniture is tough, Singh admits, because he starts with scraps. Given the constantly changing nature of the raw materials, no more than 20 pieces can be made for each design. But this limitation is also an advantage--customers are willing to shell out top dollar for handmade designs they can be sure very few people have. "I want to celebrate life and the imperfections inherent in my raw materials," Singh says. "My designs therefore come out very edgy." He is currently preoccupied with figuring out how to turn other kinds of leftovers--such as fiberglass resin that's sprayed on plastic bathtubs--into furniture. "I keep believing that if I do this, this world would be nicer," he says. There might be a few more teak trees left standing, too.
Source: Jennifer Chen - Time
TAGS: Furniture Styles and Trends
So now we are ready to use the internet to widen our scope in looking for furniture. Think about the ground that can be covered on Ebay during the week or at off times when we cannot go out on our own time and look at furniture in person.
Let's face it. More and more people are using the internet for all kinds of shopping. As mentioned in the previous article, should I consider buying furniture online through Ebay, large items like cars, furniture and real estate are being sold through online auction each and everyday. Obviously, we need to get into the game to compete with the other shoppers. We also need information to increase our knowledge of market prices to ensure that we are receiving the best deal and doing and adequate job of comparing prices and determining fair market value.
I signed onto the internet and went to Ebay. I typed the word "sofa" and came up with 1,790 items. This is too many items for me to browse through in a timely manner. A tip is to narrow the search by using other key words. An example of more keywords would be typing in "leather sofa" into the search box. I received 684 items on this search. I typed in "black leather sofa" and received 108 search results. As you can see more keywords will often narrow the results into a much more manageable number of items.
There is a checkbox under the search box that says "Search title and description". A normal search on Ebay just checks the words in the title for a match. When this box is checked, the titles and descriptions are searched. "Black leather sofa" returned 197 search items with this box checked. This can be a good tool for sometimes finding items that are not titled well. Since many Ebay users just rely on title searching, you may find some items that have less traffic looking at them and therefore, may sell at a lower price.
Another strategy is to think of more specific terms other than the industry norms like sofa, couch, loveseat, recliner, etc. Modern, traditional, contemporary, Barcelona and other terms can further narrow the search results. Keep in mind that when using these terms, you may miss out on some items that you are actually looking for. There is a trade off between the number of results and how much time you have to spend shopping.
Focus on traditional upholstery & case goods
GUANGZHOU, China -- A slew of highly traditional upholstery and case goods competed with their contemporary counterparts at the 19th China International Furniture Fair here last month.
Both genres appeared to strike a chord with Chinese and international buyers, who came out in force to shop the event.
The show ran March 18-21 at the 2.6 million-square-foot Chinese Export Commodities Fair Complex in Guangzhou. Roughly half of the floor space was devoted to furniture while the rest was for home decor and housewares. Nearly 400 furniture exhibitors showed, most of which were from China.
Show organizers said attendance at this year's event had topped 53,000 by the second day, with nearly 72% of them from China. Official results for all four days were not available at press time.
Last year, the show drew 115,089 visitors, 77% of whom were from China.
Many exhibitors catered to the domestic market with traditional and cottage style furniture popular in China. However, a number of manufacturers also actively pursued export markets, including Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Korea and Japan.
One busy exporter is Baifuhao Furniture of Zhejiang, which sells traditional style dining and occasional furniture made with fancy-face veneers and rubberwood solids. Exports account for about 95% of revenues, with much of its sales to the United States, Canada, the Middle East and South Asia.
Hong Kong-based Gainwell Industrial Ltd. showed a variety of mostly traditional and cottage style occasional, dining and bedroom furniture items, some of which had trendy finishes and mixed- media elements such as metal and glass. Much of its business is export, with the U.S. representing about 20% of total sales, according to company sales associate Jimmy He.
French and other European styles figured into products at occasional and accent furniture maker Fujian Minhou Minxing Wea Ving Co. The pieces, some of which had iron bases, or a two-tone effect with cherry tops and antique white legs, appeal largely to U.S. and Canadian mass merchants and home furnishings specialty chains, which together account for about 80% of sales, said company representative Sharon Zheng.
Continue reading "China International Furniture Fair mixes traditional, new" »
When looking at used furniture it is important to keep an open mind. I can think of countless images in my mind where I saw furniture and said to myself, "I would not have that in my house". I might see that furniture being moved in the back of a pickup truck or in a second hand resale shop. Often these pieces look so old, used and dusty with the colors of the upholstery faded. Again the thought in my mind is no way in my house.
I read an article in last month's issue of Metropolitan Home where a prominent interior designer purchased an older upholstered sofa. He wrote that upon seeing the piece, he knew it would be perfect for his Manhattan apartment. Of course, the designer saw the piece for what it could be and not for the condition of its current state. He recognized the make and manufacturer immediately and knew that in its day it was an expensive piece of furniture constructed with high quality standards and top grain woods.
We should not forget that upholstery and cushions can be replaced. Colors, fabric types and fabric patterns change style constantly. In particular when looking at an older piece, envision it with more modern and up to date fabric and colors. Recovering furniture is a common practice to keep the piece in style as well as remove the look of "wear and tear". Recovering furniture may also be more cost effective consideration than replacement.
Second hand bargains can be found in upholstered furniture pieces. Owners are more inclined to dispose of these pieces more cheaply, than solid wood pieces such as dressers, chests and tables. The next time you are shopping give upholstered furniture pieces a second look and envision them in stylish trendy new colors and fabric.
The do-it-yourself craze has left many American homeowners ready to tackle the outdoors with fervor.
But before you tackle the dizzying array of choices, take a little time to educate yourself about all your options. Properly furnishing the outdoors has moved from a couple of sling chairs to a full-blown decorating affair with price tags to match.
Unlike indoor furniture, outdoor pieces are considered seasonal at many retailers, so if you decide to purchase from a big-box retailer as opposed to a speciality store, be aware that many collections might be out for this year only. This means you should purchase what you need now; a replacement chair most likely will not be available later.
Prices are all over the map as well and are not really an indicator of good quality or future service. For instance, at www.costco.com or www.samsclub.com, you can find an outdoor sectional for $3,700 or simple granite tables and chairs starting at $1,500.
With prices like these, knowledge is your best friend. Make sure you understand the warranty and who to call if any problems arise. Also, check to see if the furniture comes with information about how to store it. Improper storage can void a warranty.
Look at the seam welds for strength. Bad welds allow water to seep in and rust from the inside out. If the furniture is going to sit outside for the winter, protect your investment with high-quality furniture covers.
Outdoor tables made of granite need to be sealed yearly to maintain their top condition. Some furniture pieces may also need special sealers or cleaners; check with the manufacturer.
The No. 1 mistake people make with outdoor furniture is ordering a too-small table. Make allowances for your family and friends. If you live in a windy area, consider granite or synthetic stone.
Plan a lot, purchase a little. Do you need entertaining flexibility in seating or do you need pieces to anchor a space? Consider a mix of both.
If children are in the mix, stay away from glass tabletops and lean toward materials that can handle the impact of a fly ball. Trying to clean up shattered tempered glass from a deck or patio can be a nightmare. Always remember to apply indoor child-proofing rules outdoors.
Successful outdoor design is easily accomplished by creating a flow of color and design style from the indoor to the outdoor space. One easy way to tie the two is to pull deeper color shades from the indoor palette for maximum impact.
If you can't afford to take the plunge on a new patio set, use accessories to freshen up an older but serviceable set. Outdoor room screens in contrasting patterns define space and add punches of vertical color. Outdoor lanterns cast a defining glow and, when paired with weather-proof lamps, really add ambience to a space. Toss in some coordinating throw pillows and outdoor rugs to complete the look.
Surf the Web, visit some showrooms, browse through magazines, and decide what is comfortable for your family and your budget. After all, outdoor living is all about taking your sweet time.
Source: Rosa Colucci, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
TAGS: Furniture Tips FAQ
