Looking at Furniture Opportunities

I've been at this game of furniture design and manufacturing for over 30 years now and have faded "Polaroid" photo's to prove it. I've had my successful runs and recently I've been looking back on the opportunities that presented themselves.

Like some of you today, my first look 30 years ago, was to work the craft show scene. Although the craft show circuit was more vibrant then, the opportunity to "make a good living" was suspect at best. Yes fun, more in the hobby realm, gas money, good exposure, extra cash for another tool, all positives but as an opportunity to make a living and accumulate wealth, the craft circuit would not provide that opportunity.

But what would be the furniture design opportunity to make a living???

Could a gallery be the opportunity??? Could working the Studio Furniture Maker be the angle to opportunity????

Maybe, so I headed to Pitman and Eames early on when they showed Castle and Krenov. I was familiar with both and wanted to see their work first hand, but the gallery scene didn't stir the juices. The idea of one or two owners determining the value of your skill set has never made sense to me. A gallery owner such as Peter Joseph may have an eye and make you money but why limit your opportunities.

So now where was the opportunity to "make a good living".

Coming out of a large manufacturing facility, my skill set would work perfect with a small crew for short production runs of high-end residential case goods. Wha-La!!! OPPORTUNITY!!!!

On that route, I've placed work in the upper east side of Manhattan, all through Long Island from Sands Point to the Hamptons and neighborhoods in-between. The real key was building on that Opportunity of residential case goods and placing pieces in the NYC Design Center at 200 Lex, producing a line that fit the small upscale furniture boutiques of Nassau County, understanding how a sales rep ticks, and squeezing in the work of good interior decorators.

Opportunity comes in funny packages and here's one that I will always remember. Through an interior decorator, we landed a big job in the 5 acre estates of Oyster Bay. The client, a rather wealthy bloak, said lets go for a ride. AH..... my opportunity to ride in an ivory colored Bentley Corniche convertible. The idea behind the ride was to inform me of the incentive to payment and exactly where as we pulled into the parking lot, I would purchase all finishing materials for the job.

Opportunity in furniture design today is different but it still exists. WoodExpo2012 is just that, an opportunity for those serious about making a difference in furniture design and manufacturing. WoodExpo isn't an opportunity to talk about sandpaper grit and what bandsaw you own. Its about finding a synergy with other craftsman and talk business.

WoodExpo2012 is an opportunity to Bust Down the Door and find our way back into the consumers thought process.

Like I said, Opportunity comes in funny packages, but you have to be open and ready to expand the opportunity. WoodExpo2012 is that start!!!!

WoodExpo 2012 - Call for Entries

WoodExpo 2012 is again on track for another fantastic Woodworking event. Here you'll be introduced to the event and its Call for Entries. WoodExpo is about providing the opportunity for you to present your work.

This video explains the two categories of entry and stresses the objective of mixing experinece with up and comers.

Have a listen, hopefully get inspired and be a part of WoodExpo 2012.
Here's the Rules and Eligibility.

ICFF 2011 - a future Trend??

The International Contemporary Furniture Fair, a show I have exhibited in is usually a happening I’ll make time for each year. Especially since I’m of the belief we can walk the edge more in American furniture design. Well with that said, each year I look to see if any designer has balls.

This past May 17th my focus was two fold. One was to investigate digital printing and how to apply the result to furniture. And two was to see if I could pick-up on any potential trends.

Just a bit of background to begin, this past March I had attended the NY Architectural Digest Home Show and came upon printed faux shagreen. This made my first mission at ICFF to look for that same exhibitor. Unfortunately I’m still looking, I wasn’t into the show 3 booths down my first isle when I stopped and to my right saw real shagreen. A company hailing from Paris, France called R&Y Augousti is laying shagreen. Real shagreen and with that sighting, my digital printed faux focus was lost. For those of you not familiar with shagreen,
here’s a brief description.

I have a building history in finishing with skins, but today I’m torn as to using skins in furniture, there is no need to use for instance goat skin, it’s a great faux lacquer finish, but true shagreen, man that has me. Once you see and feel the real thing, digital printing just doesn’t compare. It’s a luxury item that R&Y Augousti believes is back big. They just opened suite 419 in the NY Design Center. Interesting.

As for the trends, its about the crowd. At trade shows, when I see a crowd, I stop. I don’t care what is in the booth, I just stop, observe the crowd, and listen.

If you are a follower of this blog recall back in May 2008(6 minutes in) my mention of lighting as a under served market, well its now being served. I think it was Yogi Berra who said, there is so much lighting, nobody stops to look anymore. The trending color in furniture, wall coverings, and textiles not surprising is some variation of “Honeysuckle” - PANTONE 18-2120.

The possible opening to a future trend in furniure design is pattern, texture, and color. These are three design elements I’ve already been addressing, hence my original reason for going to ICFF: to apply digital printed patterns, texture and color to furniture. What I saw in pattern and color in wood that drew a crowd for instance was a v-match veneered pattern in different colored woods and reconstituted stone. The objects were interesting but way to time consuming and a bit immature in pattern. Applying that to myself, my pieces are mature in pattern but too time consuming. Again my reason to investigate the time saver of implementing digital printing.

I see room like I once did in lighting if you want to be a part of creating the next trend. So think about how to apply pattern, color, tonal range, and texture to your work. No easy feat!!

Shown pieces in photo's by:

Gabriella Azlalos ------- Li-Rong Liao ------ Richard Schltz ------ UM Project

WoodExpo Delivery from France

Late February 2011, Tommy MacDonald hosted the WoodExpo in Boston Massachusetts. The event was quite successful even garnering the title INTERNATIONAL WoodExpo when a perfectly executed entry arrived from France. Come and take a look at an object that worked the design process from form to construction to packaging and distribution. This magnificent entry from Ronaldo Messina living outside of Paris was just what the WoodExpo needed and is all about. Enjoy!!

BUSY!! Haven't forgotten Saw Dust Challenge Table

The saw Dust Challenge table and video series has gotten caught up in other work. I haven't forgotten, just had to move it off to the side of my plate for now.

I'm extremely intrigued and caught up in a rather complicated piece for the past 5 weeks. I'm trying a new technique and the results are what I expected. They are good and show loads of potential. Working the machines well, is working the machines. What is making this piece complicated is the veneer selection being used and the layout. Or simply said, the design constraints I've placed on myself.

Over the past 20 or so months I've been engrossed in the study of form and communicating visually. The study has taken me away from viewing furniture and more into color, textiles, graphics, varying center points, on and on. I have my reasons. But combining a new form with sound visual communication is where I'm headed. I've expanded my knowledge base but at the expense of my viewers. Sorry about that, but down the road there's more to share with you. You may have heard me say often, "I don't like going backwards, I like what's in front".

When completed I will get back on the Saw Dust Chronicles Challenge video, and fill you in on this piece.

Stay tuned.....and check back at the end of February 2011 as I go after what is turning into a fun project.

All projects build off of what you've built before. Much of what I've been experimenting with this past 20 months, keeps showing up.

Quite an interesting process for me.

In the infamous words of General Douglas MacArthur......... "I shall return".

Start Woodworking - Dry Assembly - Part 9

Start woodworking by entering a build challenge. One such as the Saw Dust Chronicles Build Challenge and this is Part 9 of playing in a build challenge arena.

When you begin to woodwork, it can get confusing, but as part 9 shows, you do not need many tools to accomplish building a furniture object. We go through attaching our stones, yes to encourage a design option, I went with the stones, and dry assemble the entire base. Personally this approach I decided on has brought me back full circle to where I started woodworking with limted room and tools. Building this project for Rick Waters' Saw Dust Chronicles build challenge has really got me thinking about how woodworking is presented and how limted the internet presentation is.

Enjoy---- sit back and watch the design of our small table come to life.

Part 9 has really got the wheels spinning on another design based off this prototype.

Start Woodworking - Shaping Parts---Part 8

To start woodworking, we've hooked-up with the 2010 Saw Dust Chronicles Build Challenge. The challenge has prizes galore, so what better way to improve your woodworking skills while at the same time picking up a woodworking prize.

The Dewalt router kit has me inticed and my prize of choice but since Tommy MacDonald of the TV show Rough Cut Woodworking with Tommy Mac, has enabled the winner to show his work at the 2011 WoodExpo, thats the real prize. Heck Glen Guarino and Allan Breed are going to be actively disussing woodworking there. One's a traditional craftsman, the other a contemporary builder. Exposure to that combination is rare and worth the price of admissions.

In this episode, we finish up dimensioning parts. We'll take it further and shape our table base parts, going through the building of a fixture using shop scraps and toogle clamps. Touching on that elusive and important router kit, we'll address collets and router bit shank size and discussion why a half inch shank at times is better suited than a 1/4 inch shank router bit. Assembly is next so be ready with that affordable dowel jig, you'll be impressed with what we build with a limited tool box.

A simple workmate bench and a flat surface is all the bench we need.

Enjoy!!!!