Choosing Furniture
Spending Good Money for Good Furniture
First, a caveat. Not all expensive furniture is well-built furniture. I recently visited a nationally known purveyor of household goods. They also sell lines of furniture in various period styles.
The first piece I looked at was a writing desk, medium walnut finish. The drawer sides were properly dovetailed into the front. The bracing was solid, the finish thin but tasteful. That was the last good piece I saw.
The rest? On the first dresser I looked at, the drawer sides were slotted, glued, and nailed in. sturdy for awhile, but in a few years the joints will wiggle loose. The piece was pressed wood, with 1/16 veneer covering. I knew this because I could see the edge of the veneer. Cheesy. It was finished in dark matte mahogany, no grain visible, badly sanded in places. Price: $1200.
Next dresser. Slotted drawer sides, different dark finish, this time the drawers were just basic boxes glued/nailed into the front, which was slightly warped. Price: $1300.
Tables wobbled, or were poorly joined. Some poor manufacturing was purposefully chipped and "distressed" to make it look antique.
One table caught my eye. Where had I seen it before? Wavy top, badly sanded. Legs a dark color, wobbly -- wait! The table at the party that crumpled! I checked the price: $1250. Ouch.
If some of these descriptions are difficult to understand, if you don't know a dovetailed box from a truly dovetailed drawer, it's best to stick with manufacturers whose reputations are well known. Most department and chain furniture stores, like the one I described above, have some quality pieces, but you won't find them unless you know what you're looking for.
Manufacturers of Quality
So where do you go to get unimpeachable quality from a manufacturer?
1. Ethan Allen. One of the best-known manufacturers in America, Ethan Allen sells some of the best construction and design in furniture; some of their patterns go back to 1932, when they began. All their furniture is made to the same high standard. Their wood is carefully selected, and kiln dried, so that all joints and seams will remain tight over the years. They build largely with maple and ash, pine ply being used, properly, for drawer bottoms. Yes, they use plywood, but plywood has been preferred for sides and panels by furniture builders since 3500 B.C., so yes, it has earned its place in cabinetry. Prices, by the way, are competitive with those of the high-end department and furniture stores that sell the pressed-wood pieces.
The down side? Prepare to live in the Federalist period. The Ethan Allen style is as traditional as it is recognizable. Colonial lathe work abounds.
2. Sills Huniford. Looking for elegance in a more modern vein? Sills Huniford's furniture line is of a more modern, urban design. Good construction doesn't have to look heavy. Their round dining table looks open and light, but is as strong as any mission table (note that the pervading theme of this site seems to be table strength?). They offer two side chairs, one traditional, one in a modern, almost Asian design. The upholstered chairs are simple, yet elegant. Sills Huniford specializes in one-of-a-kind pieces, some classics, which fit the modern vein of their design philosophy. The prices are higher than other, more mainstream pieces, but that's because they're not mainstream. Their furniture and accessories are built for those who want some of the most distinctive and well-designed pieces, and aren't afraid to pay for it.
The downside? Prepare to live the Manhattan Elegance. Their selection is narrow and limited mostly to living room pieces. I mean, you could put that $3400 lamp in your bedroom, but it's better in the living room, where the Secretary General of the UN can notice it when he and his wife stop by for drinks.
3. Stickley. The label says "Stickley -- since 1900". Not true; since 1901. But who's counting? Gustav Stickley was the early progenitor of the Arts and Crafts style of furniture, also known as the Mission Oak style. Noted for its sturdy but stylishly balanced appearance, Stickley furniture has always appealed to those who like their finishes dark, their interiors somewhat cloistered in appearance. The traditional pieces look heavy, but the filigree and inlay work add delicate touches, giving a sense of warmth and comfort. Note I said "traditional." Stickley has, over the recent years, expanded their collection to include modern Asian and Western styles. Though none of their pieces would be described as edgy, all of the 21st Century Collection would sit well in any modern setting. Prices are high, but competitive with Ethan Allen and that other furniture store I went to.
The downside? If you like a preponderance of roundness or light finishes, or a lightweight, spindly style, you might look elsewhere. Also: the square edges on most of these pieces are not child-friendly.