Furniture Reporter

I still get inspired by the design from the 50s and 60s. But should we still think like the decade who gave us plywood- and plastic furnitures suited just for massproduction? With good intensions, they wanted to design and produce for “everyone”. But with concearn of environmental issues, cheap and massproduced furnitures creates a “use and trash it” mentality who would`nt exist if we had a greater focus on the craftsmanship rather than worship the industrial massproduction.

A friend told me once that when he was a kid, he used Eero Aarnio “Pastil” chair as a sledge in the winter. With all due respect for mr. Aarnio, the Pastil chair is`nt the most beautiful piece of furniture, but it`s still considerd one of the “classics” and I think it`s a horrible (and a littlebit funny) use of this product. A lowcost massproduced plastic chair with no higher value than, just “another chair”.

The Fig Leaf Wardrobe by Tord Boontje for Meta reflects a healthy respect for intricate labour and craftsmanship as well as rich materials, taking us back to a time when artists and craftspeople competed to attract patrons. The amazing wardrobe is covered in 616 hand-painted copper leaves in ten different shapes and a variety of mixed colours, that surround a lost cast patinated bronze tree. In addition, there is a hand-dyed and woven silk lining to the wardrobe.

A littlebit over the top, but an great example for my text here even though not every designer out there are able to be a part of a project like this.

To make something that could last for generations, you have to pay some respect to the craftsmanship. Forget about lowcost. Focus on the product and make it expensive. We should have more of one- off products. That inspires me!

Harden Furniture, McConnellsville, NY
This company is highly committed to manufacturing their furniture in the USA, heck they’ve been doing it since 1844!  They currently employee 400 local craftsman.  Read about them here.

Amish Direct Furniture, Utica, MI
The Amish have a reputation for building top quality furniture.  This distributor has a wonderful selection of Hand Crafted, American Made, Amish Furniture.

Mobel, Inc., Ferdinand, IN

The weather is now getting colder, the leaves are turning and it has been rather wet in Hebden lately but this hasn’t dampened people’s spirits and, as new work has started to arrive, we have been really busy.

This month is one which we either love or dread as the sun sits lower in the sky and it starts to get darker earlier. We can tend to hibernate and reflect on the year that is starting to pass by so quickly with Christmas fast approaching.

This year has been another tremendous year for Heart Gallery and those who truly know me understand that it has been an emotional journey which has been faced with dignity.

I hope you enjoy these snippets of new work and call in to Heart Gallery soon to say Hi.

Bye for now

Alison

silver and 18ct gold hoops £73

silver and 18ct gold studs £45

silver bangle £125

2 tier cake stand using vintage plates £45

Biscuit plate using vintage plate £22

Cake stand using vintage plate and sundae dish £27

Small clock using vintage plate £40

Large clock using vintage plate £60

Steves parents sold their beach house, so we salvaged some furniture from the 1930′s. I found an old encyclopedia published in 1937 too!

We have talked about buying new furniture.
And we found some we really liked at Ikea.
Of course we can’t buy theese at once,
so we plan to save a bit and buy one a month.
They are called Liatorp.
We have also decided to buy a drawer and
a sofa bed for our spare bedroom.

Sideboard

Tv – Unit

Glass-door cabinet

Drawer

Sofa bed

All these can be found at Ikea Usa

All photos from Ikea Norway