When it comes to investing in luxury furniture for your future, especially key pieces such as a dining table, it can be hard to know where to start before ordering or choosing what will become a future heirloom. Beyond the practical requirements such as size, shape and material, we believe there are three very closely related considerations that you should be sure about before going ahead.
Craftsmanship
We’ve all heard experts wax lyrical about luxury furniture or antiques in the media or auction catalogues, and at times over things that we would not consider worthy of the attention. Whether we like the look of those pieces or not, the thread that runs through them all is quality of craftsmanship.
Craftsmanship is incredibly important and we know that the phrase ‘buy the best you can afford’ can sound clichéd, but it is true; the best craftsmanship will ensure the piece is well-made, designed to last and of a quality to pass on.
Find out how your piece of luxury furniture is made, whether it is a metal bookshelf or a modern dining chair. Visit the workshops, if you can, and meet the people who will be crafting your piece. They may not necessarily use the easiest methods of making; what should be important to them is to be creating something meaningful and of value. The quality of their work and manufacture of each piece should cross the fine line between craft and art.
Narrative
There is another benefit to meeting the craftsperson or designer that could be making a piece of luxury furniture for you. It will allow them to share the story and process behind the final piece.
Understanding the inspiration behind a piece of luxury designer furniture and how it is taken from drawing board to finished product will create a deep connection with the piece. Hopefully this background will appeal to you and add personality to the piece, making it into something that holds a special memory and you are proud to own.
This narrative and provenance of how a piece has come from the workshop of a designer maker to your home (and then hopefully on to the next) will only add to its worth and value long term.
Design
The design of the piece of luxury furniture you are investing in is as important as the craftsmanship. You must like the way it looks, and it should reflect you. No matter whether it’s a statement designer desk, living room storage cabinets or an oval dining table, the design needs to be pleasing to the eye (yours in particular) and be balanced and elegant.
Ideally the piece will be the perfect marriage of quality design and craft. A thoughtful and rigorous design process by the designer maker will have given the piece meaning, and a character and style that will stand the test of time.
Timelessness does not need to be bland or boring, instead timeless design means that the design is of a quality and ingenuity that the appeal of the piece will not be affected over time.
We pride ourselves on building pieces of furniture we know will stand the test of time. Our three top heirloom pieces are:
How do we know what will be the heirlooms and antiques of the future? The short answer is we don’t know, but if you choose the best craftsmanship, timeless design and a piece of luxury furniture that has an interesting story, it will become an object that you will love, take care of and pass on to be used and cared for by generations of future owners.
Are you interested in visiting our workshop to see how our craftspeople design and make our luxury furniture, mirrors and accessories? Then please get in touch.