What to look for in the very best contemporary furniture.

1.         Veneer and Inlays   

There is a general misconception that solid wood is superior to veneers, but this is actually not true. The companies that create veneers, veneer convertors, actually receive the first selection of freshly felled woods, which happens to be the highest quality timber. By delicately slicing this beautiful wood, veneer convertors utilize the exquisite grain, allowing it to be seen across a larger area. It is generally thought that the use of veneers and plywood is a recent technique; however it was the Egyptians who first used these types of materials. In the current heat and moisture controlled environment, the use of veneers and plywood allows stunning pieces of furniture to sit on a heated floor without damaging the finished work of art.

 2.        Function

All furniture has a function, a chair will be sat on, a bookcase will be filled and drawers will be opened countless times, therefore a good furniture maker will always understand the particulars of function. From ensuring the correct ergonomics of a chair to help posture to using clever techniques for weight baring shelves, it is always an idea to ask why furniture has been designed in a specific way and what that means to your specific requirements.

3.         Construction

The most important element to any piece of furniture is the joints.  The last three decades have seen a huge progress in jointing, with the introduction of new equipment which makes it much easier to create modern functional art, with cleverly hidden joints.  It is always good to ensure that drawers are dovetailed and glide easily and supporting joints are going to last a lifetime. 

Finally, the biggest thing to look out for is the complexity and beauty of a piece of bespoke furniture. There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into every item on Makers’ Eye, from choosing exquisite materials to creating by hand the stunning finished object.