Today’s mass-produced furniture is both affordable and practical, especially for homeowners on a budget. However, spending a bit more on higher quality furniture may save you money in the long run. When it comes to buying a piece of furniture to last for years to come, quality craftsmanship is one of the most important factors. Read on to learn more about the elements of quality craftsmanship in furniture and why they matter.
Durability
Handcrafted furniture is typically made from higher quality materials than the cheaper alternatives. This boosts a piece’s durability and lessens the likelihood of breaking or falling apart. Durability is especially important with children’s furniture, like cribs, beds, and bookcases. In many cases, handcrafted furniture comes with a manufacturer’s lifetime guarantee as they’re confident your piece will last well into the future.
When shopping for new furniture, it’s important to pay close attention to durability before making a final purchase. If you’re shopping online, don’t forget to check customer reviews for any red flags. Unhappy customers frequently report issues with faulty manufacturing and broken components. In addition to reviews on furniture retailer websites, take a look at 1StopBedrooms reviews for valuable information on quality.
Personality
Commercially mass-produced furniture often lacks uniqueness or character. Most pieces are made from a template, which gives them a cookie-cutter look and feel. Today’s big name furniture retailers often create their products with profits in mind. Handcrafted furniture is made with more purpose and care, which makes the pieces look more expensive and special.
Furniture craftsmen infuse intricate, unique design elements in their pieces which can’t be found anywhere else. For example, they may incorporate upholstery only found in a foreign country or use an ancient carving technique. Additionally, handcrafted furniture tends to retain the original markings and characteristics of the materials it’s made of. If you’re looking for conversation-starting furniture, handcrafted may be your best bet.
Value
Regardless of whether you buy high-end or discount furniture, it’s a significant expense. For many people, furniture is one of the most costly items on their budget. Although handcrafted furniture is often more pricey, spending more on pieces up front could be more cost effective over the long term. Cheaper furniture tends to require more repairs and often falls apart far sooner than handcrafted pieces.
Although it may be tempting to buy more affordable furniture to save money, the money spent on repairs and replacements could have been better spent on higher-end furniture up front. Your handcrafted furniture is almost guaranteed to outlive your mass-produced pieces. It’s also an investment to share with your family and pass down to future generations. Many people view their custom furniture as works of art, and they often fetch high prices at auctions and estate sales.
Customization
Although many popular furniture manufacturers now allow for certain customization in their collections, you’re often limited in what you can choose. If you’re looking for a piece to fit an odd corner of your home, seeking out a unique type of wood, or desire unique upholstery, handcrafted furniture may better suit your needs and tastes.
A skilled furniture craftsman knows how to bring your vision to life and often has access to unique suppliers to create exactly what you’re looking for. Additionally, each craftsman has their own individual style and technique which is infused into each piece. Even if a handcrafted furniture maker creates two of the same type of table, no two pieces will be alike. Although custom furniture pieces are almost always more expensive than mass-produced products, they’re guaranteed to be one of a kind.
Tags: contemporary, furniture, home improvement, home organization
