This question was presented on Quora.
"How likely are people to buy upcycled furniture rather than new?"
I thought the answer would be simple but then I realized I'm not exactly sure what upcycled furniture is.
"Up-cycled" is easier to define when you're talking about tables, dressers, and such.
Just slap a coat of paint, add a few adornments, and presto!
But I would think that a true "up-cycle" job on a sofa or chair would have to involve reupholstering it. At which point I'm not sure it still falls into pro-typical up-cycle category.
On FB groups, we see a lot of newbies that are all excited about buying older, more solidly built furniture and recovering it. They think they're going to make a fortune flipping furniture bought from a thrift store. Saving an old sofa from the landfill gives everyone a warm, fuzzy feeling. But in reality, most of America would rather toss their cheap sofa to the curb every few years and buy another cheap one.
I think up-cycling is just for the artsy-fartsy crowd that watch all those HGTV shows. They soon find out that TV makes it all LOOK a lot easier than it really is.
What sofadoc said.
UpCycle
Not a word in my mind, I tend to agree with the term starting in certain crowds.
I have had way to much experience in the past with friends, family and my own young finding items and thinking I will work miracles rebuilding these masterpieces in their mind. For the pleasure ( not! )
So in respect I "know" this word needs professional work, if not discarded!
Good day everyone
Floyd
I never heard the word up cycled. A goggle loose translation is re-purpose. We all re-purpose items - I think of artists who make sculpture out of items thrown away.
SA
You wouldn't believe some of the words young people dream up.
Because 'recycled' is not good enough, right?
It's pretty ludicrous. But, if that makes them happy.
Quote from: sofadoc on October 06, 2017, 07:14:30 am
"Up-cycled" is easier to define when you're talking about tables, dressers, and such.
Just slap a coat of paint, add a few adornments, and presto!
You see, when ever I go to a sight like Quora or any number of different pages and members ask furniture questions I automatically think they are referring to upholstered furniture. When in reality they may be talking about any variety of other types of furniture. Yes it is difficult to "upcycle" upholstered furniture.
I personally like a nice patina on vintage furniture. What I don't like is mid-century dressers or tables in so many antique stores. Slap a coat of paint on, sand the edges a little and call it distressed.
I really don't like it when people paint beautiful teak, rosewood etc.
SofaDoc nailed it.
Here's a whole portfolio of "upcycled" http://designs.generalfinishes.com/color-category/kitchen-bath-upcycled?page=1
It's usually old furniture painted with (faux) milk paint, chalk paint, sometimes glazed, decorative fru-fru paint, distressed, bejeweled, etc. If it's not properly repaired and prepped, it will look old and abused in a few years.
Personally, I think it will turn out to be a fad just like the rustic (faux aged, unfinished) furniture, "decomposed" furniture (no outside panels, just see the burlap lining for the inside panels, complete with a few holes designed to look like nail holes, with an occasional tack holding a tuft of cotton batting for effect -- yes, this is true)
Long ago I use work in the back of the Upholstery shop helping the wood master. I easily remember the pieces or furniture parts having any paint were held to last of the stripper fluid change. With all the eyeglasses, mask and gloves so adding paint particles in the fluid was Lotsa grief. When set the pieces off to dry that crap stuck well enough to be a real pita.
I remember much of the oh so artsi method was to use 2 and 3 colors to do the 60's version of faux
Floyd
Keith,
The missing outsides is a trend I must have slept through. I'm glad I missed that one.
Paul you're lucky then. This whole 'rustic' thing has gone on too long. Grey, beige, greige, brown. Rustic, reclaimed bla bla bla.
Can we get back to actually superior furniture already?
I've seen the outsides finished with what look like exposed #4 tacks but that is it on this front.
Quote from: MinUph on October 07, 2017, 06:04:33 pm
Keith,
The missing outsides is a trend I must have slept through. I'm glad I missed that one.
Yes, and those are fake tack holes and fake aging on the wood
http://media.restorationhardware.com/is/image/rhis/030512_furniture_deconstructed-slide-6?wid=1000&fmt=jpeg&qlt=80,0&op_sharpen=0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.3,1.0,5,0&iccEmbed=0
https://media.restorationhardware.com/is/image/rhis/prod2110880_av3?$l-pd1$&wid=650
It used to be that only the rich suffered from obesity, gout, diabetes. Today our nation's poor have these ailments.
It used to be that only our nation's poor had upholstered furniture where fabric was missing and the insides could be seen...
gene
It would be interesting to know really about trends if it weren't so exhausting.
From my perspective, it used reclaimed materials began as a real thing. It was then passed on to yuppies, who 'craved' rustic, reclaimed, and anything showing 'character'.
Of course, it got way out of control and anything resembling 'rustic' was proliferated even if it had absolutely no relation to the original idea or the re-using of anything.
You also have to add in that people get bored of stuff, so when a new trend arrives, on the bandwagon they go. Me personally, I refuse to be a part of it.
I think as we get older our view of things are more traditional. I don't have any tatoos but my Children have several each. Now that they are older they are stuck with that perspective in time -
Quality is apparent to those who have been around long enough. I'm laughing when I read Paul's response to the burlap finished crap.
What an embarrassment of craftsmanship - also remember the dung decorated Mary painting in the Brooklyn Museum. I went to see that for myself and knew the world was going crazy with their take on expression.
SA
The whole unfinished burlap look has a niche following for sure.
But people that like it generally only want one piece as a novelty. Not a whole room full.
They probably don't intend to use it for everyday sitting. It's just a conversation piece.
It's a niche that I prefer to leave to the DIYers. I'm not interested in competing for that market.
But if you target the hoity-toity customer that has more money than brains, you can probably make some pretty good scratch doing that stuff.
QuoteI went to see that for myself and knew the world was going crazy
Steve, you went to see a painting made with feces and you think the world is crazy? LOL
I remember Robert Maplethorps' photo of a cross in a glass of urine back in the late 1980's.
Both are great examples of how politicians spend our tax dollars. And we keep voting the same people into office again and again.
gene
Gene you're right - I'm not all there :) Thanks for reminding me !
Anyway I was working in the area and the real draw were two large cement statues that were in the way of construction of a bridge and the Museum took them in. I went inside the building - the painting was being guarded because someone had defaced it. The Mayor was protesting it and the city was well divided. There were other exhibits there that I wouldn't call art but they did - They had dead animals cut in half sealed in acrylic boxes with flies eating the flesh. Ultimately that painting sold for millions - don't know how the proceeds were divided up but tax payers probably didn't receive a nickel from the sale but the museum collected plenty from the exhibition.
SA
Quote from: SteveA on October 11, 2017, 08:19:48 am
the painting was being guarded because someone had defaced it. The Mayor was protesting it and the city was well divided.
All righty then. They were guarding a painting that was defaced with dung and at the same time protecting it from being defaced. Has NYC gone completely crazy?
Kody- it's NYC.
Right - it's NYC - the roads are crumbling, they want to close Rikers Island, the bike lanes and pedestrian Plazas prevent traffic from flowing, and the rent for a 1 bedroom apt is $ 2000.00 - $ 4000.00 - depending on the neighborhood.
Great opportunity here but I wonder if I'll be able to stay here and afford the property taxes - larger houses near me have 3000 sq ft and pay
$ 32,000.00 a year in property tax - $ 125.00 / month for water, gas + electric includes heat + central air $ 700.00 -
SA
Getting off topic but that is NY. The rest of the state pays high taxes also to carry the big city.
Steve:
I have often wondered how people can afford to live anywhere in the State of NY. Friends have told me what they pay for property taxes, fees, etc. and it is mind blowing.
I have found that most of New England is expensive. Probably the cheapest State I ever lived in was TN. Property taxes are very low, house and car insurance low, tags for vehicles are extremely low and there is no income tax.
I have found Florida to be a fairly cheap State to live in as well. One of the most expensive States outside of Alaska and Hawaii is CA. The government nails you from all directions and their regulations are over the top.
Chris
Speaking of Upcycled / recycled furniture I met up with Kodydog and Rose and got my industrial stool that he sold me. He even recovered it in my favorite color - maroon. He did some research on it and found out the original manufacturer. I have no idea what year it was made. Maybe he knows. It is an awesome piece and is going into our music studio.
It is always great to meet people from this forum. Paul stopped by our shop a few weeks ago to pick up some stainless steel from me and Ricat has been there numerous times.
Big Mike in Port Charlotte and I talk on the phone, PM through Facebook and text but have never met each other in person. He avoids coming to see me as I told him I would out him to work. I avoid going to see him as he has threatened to put me to work. So we stay in touch via phone and facebook and e-mails. :)
We should have a Florida stitcher weekend somewhere some time so we can all get together.
Mojo
Quote from: SteveA on October 12, 2017, 05:55:23 am
larger houses near me have 3000 sq ft and pay
$ 32,000.00 a year in property tax
I pay exactly 1/10 of that amount for the same sq. ft. home. in a nice new neighborhood.
My electric bill includes water, sewer, and trash. Never been more than $350.
Doc get the spare room ready for me !
SA