Furniture over the ages speaks volumes about how people live. Not only does furniture choices and trends identify social attitudes but provide evidence of how these social attitudes were expressed in day-to-day living. If you are furnishing a house today, you can adopt one of two points of view. You can say to yourself that tables and chairs and cupboards are articles of convenience and nothing more, and that their appearance is of no consequence provided they are solidly constructed - the chairs can be sat without discomfort and the cupboards are of sufficient size and shape to accommodate all of the things you want to put in them.
Alternatively, you may recognise that a great part of your future life will be lived with the furniture you choose, and its purpose is not simply functional and well crafted. With careful selection of pieces, it can not only be functional through its construction but add a lot of enjoyment by its design, look, feel and even history. Pick up any book on the history of civilisations and you will see a vast array of furniture styles, designs, materials, uses and concepts.
It is not unusual to see how furniture is often a form of self-expression, a statement of social attitude at a particular point in time and even an art form. In museums you may see a piece of furniture in isolation. But in reality, furniture pieces can be a bit like a jig saw - when looked as a collective it builds a unique picture - a piece for a special place in the home. This perspective opens a wonderful panorama on the possibilities each piece can present in your unique story.
That is why I am passionate about furniture.
