# What do you see as current "hot trends" in furniture/interior design? What will last and what won't?



## barringerfurniture (Sep 17, 2013)

For guys who build for a living and deal with clients, designers, architects on a daily basis; What kinds of designs, aesthetics and materials are most lucrative for you?

What styles seem to be trendy where you work and of these, which ones do you see as lasting (i.e. having an appeal that will transcend into the future)

Do any current, popular styles have clear roots in traditional designs? (Shaker, Stickley or others?)

Where does true originality in design come from or is there even such a thing?

Just some interesting questions I've been pondering.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

You know, some of what they want is refinishing and modifications
to existing older pieces. If you can move a giant case to your shop,
modify it and deliver it, you can bill pretty well for that service.


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## marcuscraft (Nov 14, 2012)

I me in the process of having a home built so have spoke with a ton of builders and designers. All of them right now are saying dark wood good are in demand, but more than that, white painted furniture cabinets. I for one hope the paint fad goes away.


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## barringerfurniture (Sep 17, 2013)

Loren, I've done a couple of repairs since I've been open for business. I've had a lot of interest in whether or not I can match existing furniture as well.

A common proposal I hear is to match an existing piece, but by using a cheaper wood and staining it. Like, say building a computer desk out of Pine but staining it to match an existing Black Walnut dining table - baffling (and impossible).

I got asked recently if I could build this:










She found this at Toys-R-Us and wanted to see if I could beat their price. She was shocked at my quote. To be honest, I may not have done it anyway. Or I might have but not told anyone!

As far as trends, I see two things around here; The first being a lot of interest in reclaimed materials - furniture from pallets, old fence boards, barnwood, old industrial hardware, etc.

And the second is ultra clean, modern, largely synthetic materials and colors (think Ikea).

Two completely different sets of aesthetics and philosophies in my mind.


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## barringerfurniture (Sep 17, 2013)

That Hello-Kitty headboard is going to come up on Google searches for me from now on.


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## marcuscraft (Nov 14, 2012)

I would love to see that headboard done by someone here. I'm picturing the white in maple, black in walnut with a padauk bow.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Unless you want to get into working with an edgebander a lot
I'd focus on the reclaimed idea.

If you can do distressed finishes that's a marketable thing to
designers. They'll give you a hassle on price some of the time,
because their typical markup is 100%. A lot of what they
do is try to imitate the look the wealthy get on much
lower budgets, sort of like those things that show how 
to put together an imitation of a Paris runway ensemble
with stuff bought at Target.

If you can do the finishes they really want, you'll have some
leverage. You can even outsource some of the woodworking
and focus on finishing and service.

You can buy table legs in the mail. You can even buy unfinished
french provincial furniture pretty cheap. It's the finish and
posh-looking details that drives people nuts with desire, 
assuming the building style is what they like.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Although what I do is keeping me as busy as I can physically be (live edge), I still see refinements that will move me more towards more traditional furnishings. I don't know if it is a specific style, but solid wood and well constructed.


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## LeTurbo (Jan 22, 2014)

I laughed at the Hello Kitty headboard - not so much that, as the client wanting a knock-off and then being shocked at the price. What is it with people that they think a handcrafted piece will cost less than the mass-produced piece? "Oh yes, I want to make this so much, I'll cut my margins just for you."

It's pretty common though. I've just had a guy wanting the same thing, a copy of a refectory table. He's gone to a cheap woodworker who will put it together with biscuit joints and (a very popular one, this, in my area) a solid top that is securely bolted on with no possibility of movement. I give those pieces maybe three years…

A friend has just had to spray a solid cherrywood commode gloss white. Much as I dislike the idea, it was a badly made piece without any grain matching, so it actually looks better this way.

But trends: supawood with gloss. Steel and wood, or other mixes of materials like concrete. Mid-century Scandinavian. Printing on wood. (See Boca do Lobo for much of the aforementioned). And that horrible, horrible rustic look which usually involves painting a beautiful old piece and then (again in my area) hitting it with an angle grinder.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I should note too: furniture is hard.

Casework is the lower hanging fruit. If you really want
to do furniture, stick to your guns and do furniture. If
you start bending wood and doing marquetry and curved
veneering, their jaws will drop.

I should warn though - the more dazzling your portfolio
the less calls you'll get from people who want something
simple because they'll assume you're expensive. It's a 
dance you'll have to figure out… still, go for dazzle. It's the 
better approach in the long run.

I'm set up for both but it's an awkward compromise
and took a long time to get here. Many casework
shops are going over to CNC and other specialized
machinery in order to compete. I can still do casework
pretty quick because I have a silly machinery addiction,
but compared to a shop optimized for casework only,
I'm a tortoise.

The bottom fell out of the big ugly entertainment 
center gravy train when the flat panel TVs came out.

I'm going off topic but I know people want to know 
the lowdown, so I'll just go on calling it as I see it.


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## barringerfurniture (Sep 17, 2013)

To make the Hello Kitty headboard thing even more ridiculous, I told her I would have to sub out the painting because I don't spray finishes. Could you imagine?

I like what Monte said - "solid wood and well constructed". I personally think there are some things that never go out of style because there just isn't a substitute. Trying to convince potential clients of this is a big part of my job.

I can't do dazzle (marquetry, carving, wood bending) because I don't know how and I'm not equipped for it. So instead I'm sticking to my guns, doing what I can do and trying to do it really well - stylistically simple and traditional but extremely well made.

That said, I do all kinds of things to pay the bills. They just don't necessarily end up in my portfolio.


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## NoThanks (Mar 19, 2014)

"The bottom fell out of the big ugly entertainment 
center gravy train when the flat panel TVs came out."

I still make a lot of built-in wall units that utilize flat screens.

The style that I see dominating is contemporary. 
Flat panel doors, tight reveals, and as said above dark colored wood.
I also am seeing a lot of shaker style coming back.


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

"I me in the process of having a home built so have spoke with a ton of builders and designers. All of them right now are saying dark wood good are in demand, but more than that, white painted furniture cabinets. I for one hope the paint fad goes away." 
- marcuscraft

I'm a kitchen designer, furniture designer and home designer and I hear this all the time…so and so said this and so and so said that.

I ask them…what do YOU like and want?

My answer to them is…

So and so is not going to be living in your home nor cooking in your kitchen.

Never failed me yet and momma was happy to get what SHE wanted not what so and so was telling her.

We just recently installed a country French kitchen and had gone back after 30 days to make sure everything was working properly and she was happy. The lady told me one of her friends told her oh that looks so out of date…she told her friend…it's my kitchen and what I want and you don't have to cook or eat in it nor sit in here with me drinking that cup of coffee This lady is 36 years old.


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## barringerfurniture (Sep 17, 2013)

Bruce, well said, and a great approach. Sometimes common sense falls by the wayside of peer pressure.


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

"Bruce, well said, and a great approach. Sometimes common sense falls by the wayside of peer pressure." 
- barringerwoodworks

Thanks and I'll add this to the furniture approach. Where we live in the mountains it's all about distressed and or twig and post furniture.

We have million dollar vacation and retirements homes all over us. We've found that the people have one idea about where their full time homes are and how they want their homes here furnished.

It's a matter of personal choice and should be. In our home we have Chippendale, Chippendale distressed, Shaker, country, junk, you name it. With a wife and five daughters NO 2 think alike but they all agree on one thing. We want our furniture built in our shop like we want it to be.

My wife has a Shaker style kitchen. That's what she wanted and that's what we built for her. Cook and eat in it or cook outside and eat outside…so far no arguments.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

As was said, the biggest things I see is the "rustic"/"distressed" stuff and white painted furniture. They can both look great when done right, but the majority of what's out there is pretty terrible, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, my wife is stuck on the rustic look and we made a deal that she can pick whatever style of furniture she wants for the bedroom, so it looks like that's what I'll be making. At least I get to pick the main floor and can do Arts and Crafts stuff there.


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## barringerfurniture (Sep 17, 2013)

A little off topic, but I accidentally put a chisel through a flatscreen that I had installed the day before, during a remodel once. After the flatscreen was mounted, the client wanted a recessed niche above it in the wall for a center speaker to fit into. Framing in the way and everything so I did what I could with a sawzall, then finished hacking out the rest of the framing with a chisel and hammer. The chisel slipped. I was on a ladder.


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## marcuscraft (Nov 14, 2012)

Funny you should mention that Bruce..I basically told all the designers the same thing. I told them is there was painted wood in my house, there would be hell to pay!


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## barringerfurniture (Sep 17, 2013)

Wanted to mention also that, at least here in Sacramento, I see a huge trend right now in antique American mid-century-modern furniture. 1940's - 1960's.

I see common element though between this, the Shaker style, Classical Japanese/Asian styles, Modern Skandinavian and Mission styles; They're all unornate - very little if any moldings, clean straight lines, flat panels, low and horizontal looking.


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

"Funny you should mention that Bruce..I basically told all the designers the same thing. I told them is there was painted wood in my house, there would be hell to pay!

" 
- marcuscraft

Several years ago a man and his wife came into my office to discuss a new kitchen, maybe early 60'a. He did all the talking, I want this I want that, want them painted this color trimmed in this color, use these type knobs and so on.

Little ole skinny wifey just sat there saying nothing with a brow beat look in her eyes. I had had enough so I asked him…who does the cooking you or your wife? He said well she does…I told him then ok I need to discuss this with her not you.

He looked like he had been shot in the butt with ice cream salt and his butt was on fire when I told him that. He said ok I'll leave and she can make a mess of things then.

I asked her, now tell me about this new kitchen you want. NO paint, I want Cherry with NO color on them and I want it to look like your oldest daughter's.

And that's what she got and he even admitted to me later is a shame to paint wood after seeing her new kitchen.


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## FellingStudio (Oct 17, 2013)

Make what you like, make it well, and don't chase trends.

It seems to me that there is a market for every style of furniture from rustic to Chippendale, mission to modern. Folks have antiques that they will want to work into the décor of a room, and they will also have more modern furniture that will have to fit somewhere too. Folks with craftsman houses might be interested in mission or Greene & Greene style of stuff, and folks with ranch houses will probably be more interested in Danish modern stuff. The folks with a cabin on a lake might be looking for rustic log/stick stuff. The point is that there are lots of different buyers out there, and the style that you work in is mostly relevant in that (1) you like working in that style, and (2) you have buyers that want that kind of furniture.

Having said that, reclaimed materials seem to be a high selling point. (At least with the folks here in Portland.)

Also popular these days here in Portland is anything to do with bikes. (I.e. bicycle accessories.)


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## barringerfurniture (Sep 17, 2013)

Jesse, well said as usual.

I agree that there is a market for all of it. I don't intend to build in any style that does not satisfy me personally first (Some may point to that as a bad business model but I think they're wrong). I'd like to develop a reputation of doing one or two things that may be highly traditional, but doing them really, really well and of an impeccable and consistent quality. I don't have a lot of interest in innovation or even originality, at the risk of sounding crass. And styles and trends be damned.

As I said earlier though, I do a lot of things to pay the bills, they just don't end up on my website or in my portfolio necessarily. I'm in a sort of "transition stage" between being a professional carpenter and developing a fine furniture business. It'll take a minute.

I'm interested though, intellectually I guess, in the commonalities between lasting styles. It's fascinating to me that even over thousands of years and from all parts of the world, there seems to be only a small hand full of basic design elements or aesthetics that seem to satisfy us in the long term.


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## barringerfurniture (Sep 17, 2013)

Jesse, love the website by the way. Amazing work. Great presentation.


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## FellingStudio (Oct 17, 2013)

Thanks for the kind words Scott. I could do better at putting up more blog posts, but am generally pleased with the site.


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