Ikea, Homebase, Argos and B+Q have filled our generation’s need for cheap, flat pack furniture that will change a lounge into the spread of a store mag in a single day. But then, a few years down the line the style will have changed and now Sally isn’t happy with the Moroccan living room any longer now she craves contemporary chic. So what happens? She throws the stuff out and gets new stuff – now her old living room is on top of a massive pile of rubble on a rubbish tip – what a waste. None of the furniture means anything to Sally and her boyfriend, it was purchased from a shed and most likely delivered by a young teenager at an inconvenient time. The only contact Sally or her partner have had with it is the shouting and swearing that went on whilst they hammered it together. You must understand where I am going here? Is the process of getting new, chucking out, buying new, chucking out the right idea? Shouldn’t we have a kind of relationship with the furniture that make up our abode? It is the settee where you’ll help your little girl open her gifts on her first Christmas, or the kitchen table top where she will talk to you about what she learnt at school, and the pedestal dining table where you will eat the graduation dinner. Your home is a lot more than a contemporary table, it shouldn’t be a collection of poor quality ply wood. It’s about collecting memories not about purchasing fad style.
That doesn’t mean you should spend every weekend in antique fairs and car boot sales, although it’s possible to get some quality items and it is always a fun day out! All I am suggesting is ditch the throw away culture and get quality pieces that you know will last. If you treat it properley your furniture will last fifty years plus, easily. That’s at least six sets for the average UK home owner so you can absolutely afford to fork out a little more and purchase better materials. You do not have to forget style either. 1st off purchase classic items that will not go in and out of fashion, you can alter the entire look of a room just by painting a feature wall or adding extra features. You could even be creative with your furniture and modernise it yourself using some easy restoration approaches. Wood stain is the easiest technique to get and it can completely transform a piece. You can give your table top a stunning antique finish or brighten your side table to go with the French theme. It is fun, cheap and you connect with your home. Just ensure that when you’re staining the table bases or chair bases you catch any drips! It may sound weird but really working with the material and making it personal will help you to get a deeper connection with it. It will also mean you’ll be less likely to just chuck it away because it will hold sentimental value.
