My wife and I occasionally walk through large furniture stores, up here Kraft or Kabs. But we never feel happy there. Somehow a unimaginative uniform mess. A thousand corner sofa sets, each flashier than the last, uncomfortable to sit on, only good for lounging. Shelf cabinets for the living room hardly exist anymore; anyone who owns more than three books seems to be a dying species for the furniture manufacturers, instead ultra-wide media racks, the giant screen is showcased and becomes a furnishing highlight. Hello, Frauke and Franz, welcome to our living room, look at what we have for the great TV.
A nicely crafted piece is rare, laminated chipboard or otherwise coated dominates. Fronts selectable it says then, another word for pressed waste wood, only slightly disguised.
We often actually find what we want at Ikea. Yes, there too it is chipboard, at least often. But more delicate, also designed more cleverly. The sofas smaller. The dining table is a table and not a ping pong table. Chairs, there is still the Arne Jacobsen tradition, making much out of little. Round shapes, plywood laminates. We like that. Take the Lack coffee table. Only 10 euros. Some coated wood composite, filled with recycled paper. Square. Small. Take four pieces, gladly also in different colors. Put them close together, a big table. Or at a small party each couple gets one, for the drink to set down and for the slice of pizza to nibble. Should dancing happen...zap, the little things are quickly out of the way. Furniture comes from mobile. Somehow the mainstream producers forgot something there. Or are we customers such that we demand more is better? Does it always have to be bulky, only Almased goes on the table? Karsten