superFurniture / Objects / Lighting

[Caps Lock]

Recently I just moved out of my dorm room and now began to move back home but I realized that my furniture game has to be stepped up big time. So I was wondering what were some good suggestions in terms of mid-point price range furniture. I dont need something thats too expensive or too cheap. I was looking at some Ikea pieces but I always remember their quality not being up to par. I've always liked the modern aesthetic so thats the definitely the look I am trying to achieve. Any Suggestions?

[sybaritical]

Stay out of furniture shops and use Ebay for modernist danish pieces, Isokon storage and the good value but ubiquitous Herman miller Eames chair and footstool knockoffs from Italy.

[Servo2000]

Buy a bunch of expensive furniture and then throw it around your apartment until it breaks and then have everyone sit around on broken modernism by candlelight.

I am definitely going to start a band named Broken Modernism by Candlelight. I'm thinking Einsturzende Neubauten meets Miami Horror beating up Hella.

[Caps Lock]

Thanks sybatrical, I looked at the chair and its cool; I'll definitely look into the italian made ones.

[Fuuma]

Thanks sybatrical, I looked at the chair and its cool; I'll definitely look into the italian made ones.

If you didn't know about Eames I'd wait a little bit before buying some furniture beside what you really need, that's kinda akin to buying a whole cd collection when you've just learned about this band called The Beatles. I don't mean it in a patronizing way btw, it's just that you'll probably learn loads of things about furniture in the following months since you're now interested and your taste is likely to evolve very quickly at first.

[sybaritical]

Fuuma's right if you're seriously taken by the idea of owning iconic or collectors' pieces or if you're going after a certain look or period. But if you just want to have a nice chair or sofa that makes your flat look cool when people come round than I stick by my ebay suggestion, cos you'll either have a chair for life or at least one that you can flip when you get bored of it.

I've seen the Italian reproductions and they're OK. Just bear in mind if you're outside the EU you'll get taxwhacked on anything you import and the shipping could prove pretty hefty.

[Cue]

buy a heap of books and get schooled ... and, like art, buy what you like, you have to live with it ...

some of the eames/ bauhaus stuff is almost played out - but still so so so nice ...

[Pin]

If you're in the EU definitely have a look at the stuff that Vujj make. It's a relatively young Swedish company that makes some of the best furniture I've seen in a very long time. Good lines, intelligent colour, impeccable craftsmanship and really nice blokes. It's not cheap but it's very good; easily the highlight of last year in terms of the stuff I get sent everyday.

If money is more of a concern then as an alternative to IKEA have a butcher's at Ilva.

[Lucas0607]

That's why IKEA was made. Trust me, with the right choices and the "eye" you could make a room look like a million bucks. But then again, if you have a quite limited budget but not overly uptight, it's good to mix IKEA stuff with some "splurge" stuff. Get a key piece you're gonna splurge on and build around that. Just don't go purely IKEA. Try going to flea markets or something maybe you'll encounter some Art Deco stuff which are sooo totally fucking modern. Ahh may fave period.

Anyway, Good luck!

[corporategrunt]

Many of the eames stuff is played out as some of you have said, I agree with that but it still doesn't stop me from wanting the plywood chair. I'd also like to have a nelson bench but them items are dough even at 2nd hand shops around my way.

Recently, I've picked up a fucked up eames lounge chair thrown out of the curb, I dragged the junk to my apt in middle of the night in hopes of restoring it, I woke up the next day and realized the shit was beyong salvage...all the labor for nothing.

[DaBestSpoona]

corporate grunt check out white furniture on essex, they have great prices on knockoff nelson benches.

[Larry!]

Steal Barcelona Chairs from Saks and Barney's.

[coalessence]

i love the whole sleek/minimal/bright color look

check out some karim rashid designs

and i just looked at the new crate and barrell catalog "cb2" and they had a lot of fairly affordable pieces that i greatly desire...

but def start thinking of a look you want to achieve and start from the bottom , looking vintage or ebay.... if u dont find your piece look to some sources

[Larry!]

and i just looked at the new crate and barrell catalog "cb2" and they had a lot of fairly affordable pieces that i greatly desire...

I second cb2. Great stuff, good prices.

[wild_whiskey]

CB2 is a good catalog. I didn't know it was Crate & Barrel myself, actually.

I found some cool stuff by searching craig's list for herman miller.

[thelion1856]

here are some online sites that might interest you.....

http://www.cb2.com/default.aspx

http://www.chiasso.com/

http://www.dwr.com/shop.cfm

[Caps Lock]

Thanks everyone, I think I found what I like on the CB2 site; which had something very similar to the regular crate and barrel. The price range that CB2 has is perfect for me and since I'm still a student.

[gimmegimme]

When I started buying furniture, I used my biggest chunk of budget for my sofa (see above). Its really the biggest focus of your room, and will probably get the most use out of anything you own (other than your bed). Buying some books is a great idea, as others have mentioned, but check out these websites for some ideas:

www.architonic.com - a huge database of every manufacturer's products

www.unicahome.com - great store with lots of selection

www.nova68.com - another great store

www.highbrowfurniture.com - lots of of the eames/herman miller stuff people have been mentioning

www.mossonline.com - beautiful store in soho with hand-selected pieces (ignore the prices and just gather ideas)

[corporategrunt]

corporate grunt check out white furniture on essex, they have great prices on knockoff nelson benches.

Thanks, will definitely give it a go.

I can't hate on IKEA, I grew up with that shit because my fam had to move very frequently and it didn't make sense to invest in many expensive furnitures. Now, I buy them because of my own financial situation, recently I was brought to my knees when my friend saw my apt and clowned me 'dude your IKEA-ed out!.'

the

[corporategrunt]

corporate grunt check out white furniture on essex, they have great prices on knockoff nelson benches.

Thanks, will definitely give it a go.

I can't hate on IKEA, I grew up with that shit because my fam had to move very frequently and it didn't make sense to invest in many expensive furnitures. Now, I buy them because of my own financial situation, recently I was brought to my knees when my friend saw my apt and clowned me 'dude your IKEA-ed out!.'

the more and more I learn about finer things in life - the gap between what i have and what i want widens...there are many great things to be had for cheap (although it takes time and effort), but there are some things that are just plain expensive.

[gimmegimme]

Thanks, will definitely give it a go.

I can't hate on IKEA, I grew up with that shit because my fam had to move very frequently and it didn't make sense to invest in many expensive furnitures. Now, I buy them because of my own financial situation, recently I was brought to my knees when my friend saw my apt and clowned me 'dude your IKEA-ed out!.'

the more and more I learn about finer things in life - the gap between what i have and what i want widens...there are many great things to be had for cheap (although it takes time and effort), but there are some things that are just plain expensive.

I do my best to avoid Ikea at all costs...I agree that not everything you own has to cost a fortune, but I don't believe in buying "temporary" furniture. I realize that's a generic statement, as I'm sure not all Ikea furniture falls apart...but no one can say that they make the best quality furniture on the market. Here's the advice I give to people starting out, which is pretty obvious if you think about it:

-put your main chunk of money in your largest pieces of furniture (sofa, bed, tv unit, armchair)

-make sure your sofa is long enough for you to nap on

-never buy a sofa AND a loveseat...pick one

-with those main pieces, pick the most "classic" finishes/fabrics, that you won't get sick of, also get finishes that are neutral so you don't have to worry about matching

-don't decorate around themes (mid-century, shaker, modern, etc.)...it makes it look like you bought everything from one store

-pick a tone of wood (dark, light), a metal finish (brushed, polished, gold/silver, etc.) and one leather colour (black, brown) and stick with those choices...when you have your basics established, then you can play around with mixing in new finishes

-don't buy art to match your furniture

-prints/posters of famous artworks are tacky...unless they're signed by the artist

-grey goes with everything

-don't buy anything with open shelving if you're a slob...go for something with doors on it

-if you want something you can't afford...don't buy a "temporary solution"...you're wasting your money...save up

Hope that helps!

-

[justinbaily21]

^^ A ton....

[goldengloves]

I searched and all the other threads were really based on questions. This one is for everyone's take on furniture; What do you like? Modern? Etc? Some of your favorite designers, why? The list can go on and on.

I'll kick it off.

One of my favorite designers;

Alfredo Haberli - www.alfredo-haeberli.com

Some of his works;

Solitaire chair for Offect (one of my favorite furniture companies)

Take a line for a walk chair/s for Moroso

Nemea sideboard for Classicon

Short Bio;

Alfredo Häberli was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1964. Today, he is an internationally established designer based in Zurich. He manages to unite tradition with innovation, joy and energy in his designs. The result are works with companies such as Alias, Camper, Iittala, Kvadrat, Luceplan, Moroso and Volvo.

Enjoy!

[thelion1856]

www.apartmenttherapy.com has some cool shit for your living quarters. check that out.

[goldengloves]

Wow, no more takers?

[Analog]

A lot of what I see now in design magazines has a forced, gimmicky aspect to them - like the designer was thinking, "Well, everything's been done already. WTF am I going to do now to set my work apart from the rest?". So you end up with cute/clever additions, appendages, etc. but they don't have lasting power - they're very "of the moment". Once the novelty wears off, there's nothing underneath.

It's also difficult to judge individual pieces (for me) outside of the context/environment in which they're to exist. Granted, some items just stand out as objects/forms...

.

[NatseOklim]

Best thing I saw recently in an interior design mag was stair drawers.

[goldengloves]

That is pretty ingenious!

Analog- I do agree completely. Most of the time I just look at furniture from the design point of view, more so than how it can be placed in a room. But I think part of that is because a lot of it is so very expensive!

That's one reason I really enjoy Eames' furniture. It's quality and the designs are rather timeless, and compared to other furniture out there it has some good price points.

[gimmegimme]

In my apartment currently:

Andy sofa by B&B Italia (in light grey):

Mini bed by Zanotta:

Newcase TV stand by MDF Italia:

Bague bedside lamps by Foscarini:

Tulip side table by Knoll (in black marble):

Tolomeo reading lamp by Artemide:

Globall floor lamp by Flos:

[Analog]

Bague bedside lamps by Foscarini:

These are nice - did you get them locally (in Toronto)?