Comments on: Being a smart furniture consumer

By: Daniel Ho

Daniel Ho — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:14:24 +0000

As an aside, I’ve learned the opposite: get acceptable quality furniture of acceptable quality that’s as durable as necessary, but shouldn’t last a lifetime.
I learned that lesson from my parents, who bought excellent quality furniture…of the wrong style! That means you have to put up with ugliness forever because you can’t wear it out, and yet feel guilty about wanting to get rid of it so you can get modern stuff instead.
Life is transitory, so furniture should be the same.

By: Jenna

Jenna — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:16:16 +0000

Interested in learning about another way to shop online? Check out http://www.cafegive.com, where a portion of every purchase goes directly to supporting the non-profits you love. How sweet is that? Get what you need and help make the world a better place. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. We have great home decorations section as well. Great for the holidays!

By: Battra92

Battra92 — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:38:04 +0000

If given the choice I’d furnish my home with quality craftsman made antiques. This includes things like Shaker made chairs and tables or quality Victorian pieces.

My girlfriend and I have discussed that when we build a home together we should check places like auctions, flea markets or even new sources like your local Mennonites or Amish cabinetmakers. Honestly, you may even be able to find some

I don’t care about the environment or anything (I’m one of those people who know the secret about trees – they grow back) but I do believe in the notion of buying once and buying for a lifetime and then letting your kids sell it off to buy Ikea garbage. Less waste that way.

By: gypsy packer

gypsy packer — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:57:34 +0000

Softwoods should be avoided, if at all possible. They are evergreen, but they also tend to split along the grain. They are farmed woods, and most are harvested young and sappy. I, personally, love the look of mid-century cedar furniture, but it’s getting rare precisely because cedar is among the easiest wood to split.

Also note the difference between South American mahogany and Philippine (lauan) mahogany. Lauan is another softwood which splits and shreds; South American mahogany is one of the most durable of woods. Unfortunately, it’s also a rain forest wood, so look for it secondhand and, if possible, as a solid rather than a veneer.

The primary objection to veneers in older furniture is that they were glued with water-soluble hide glues, which loosen in humid conditions. If you wish to view genuinely fine veneering, check the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s furniture collection.

Particle boards will swell and ruin the applied finish when exposed to moisture, and this includes the occasional spilled drink. Avoid the stuff whenever possible. Even laminate floors are not immune.

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:34:46 +0000

I agree with Erin, sturdy, well made (and well cared for) furniture should last and last whereas a cheaply made piece will just need to be replaced later. This just adds to more and more waste.
This article made me think, I don’t think we have a new piece of furniture in our whole house! Everything is 1940s – 60s and is very well made, I expect it to last for years to come. I guess it helps that my husband is a furniture wizard and can bring almost anything back to life http://www.toshmahal.com.
Another tip, seek out your local refinisher to restore your furniture rather than tossing it out and buying new.

By: JJ

JJ — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:23:19 +0000

My parents had the same trestle style table and benches for at least 20 years. They purchased a new table and chairs when all of the children were gone; they then needed a table that was smaller for everyday use, but had expansion leaves for family gatherings. The old table was a craft/utility table for years, and is now in my garage awaiting refinishing and some new benches to be used in my dining room.

When buying furniture you should also use the same rule of thumb as buying new clothing. Buy quality and mostly in a style that won’t be obsolete the moment you leave the store. That way, you won’t have that extremely high quality circular neon orange leather sectional sofa that you can’t stand to look at for years, or replace at the first opportune moment.

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:02:30 +0000

@Robyn — If the first time you buy something, you buy a quality product, then you don’t have to replace it. Ultimately, you put less strain upon the environment. For example, one quality chair can last you a lifetime. A series of shoddy chairs will mean that you put a strain upon the environment every time you have to replace it. It’s an environmentally responsible action to purchase quality goods.

By: Robyn

Robyn — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:46:24 +0000

As I was reading this, I was reminded of a post Leo Babauta (from ZenHabits) has over at http://mnmlist.com/the-true-cost-of-stuff/ :

“An object isn’t born in the store. It is born in the woods (if it is wood), in the mines (if it’s metal), in the depths of the world (in the case of petroleum-based products such as plastics, synthetic textiles and such), or perhaps all three places and more if it’s a combination of materials. It’s born when those natural resources are mined or harvested (at great cost and great cost to the environment), and then hauled to a factory somewhere, a factory that pollutes, inevitably. It’s shaped and shifted into its final form (often in various factories), then shipped to various distribution systems and finally to the retailer.

I say finally, but it’s far from final. The life of this object has just begun to enter our lives, even though we’ve already paid for the destruction of our Earth just to own it.”

I don’t want to be a downer here, but I do think it’s important to remember there are other costs besides dollars when we buy furniture or anything. I’m learning this lesson myself.

Ironically I just sold a big reading chair on Craigslist after being inspired by Unclutterer (and other how live with less sites). It feels so good to have more room in my little condo.