As an interior designer, have you ever struggled to find a special piece of furniture, only to settle for something that wasn’t quite what you had envisioned? Was it ill-suited to the space? Did it force you to alter your overall design? Did it lack a sense of uniqueness that complimented your customer’s personality?
Interior designers may be overlooking a valuable resource at their disposal. Throughout the US, scores of incredibly gifted craftspeople have shunned the comforts of a bi-weekly salary in order to do what they are passionate about; designing and building hand-crafted furniture. Their work is not only unique and beautiful, but the quality exceeds almost anything being imported or coming off a production line.
Independent furniture makers are, in fact, a design resource. They can assist you in creating a piece to your specifications. As a furniture maker who often works with interior designers, I may be presented with exact specifications in terms of dimensions, materials, style, and functionality; or simply a general idea of what the client is looking for. In some cases the designer has already selected all the other elements in the room, in which case my design follows his or hers. Alternatively, I’ve been given a clean slate, whereby I design the major piece in the room, such as a dining table, allowing it to inform the design of the rest of the room. In either case, the process is a mutually-satisfying and creative collaboration between interior designer and furniture maker.
I plan to post another blog on how to find a good furniture designer/maker, but for now, here are a few links to get started.
The Furniture Society: www.furnituresociety.org
The Guild: www.guild.com
My own site: www.kevingillstudios.com