Furniture is one of the most important factors in any room. It’s not just the style or what it looks like that makes a space, but how it feels and serves its purpose. Easily assembled and cheap furniture is practical in many ways and it’s often what people will choose without much thought.
While the world of today is in a constant rush and appreciates anything that can be done quickly, efficiently, and cheaply, including fast food, fast fashion, and fast furniture, maybe we should slow down and ask ourselves what are we really getting out of it? Are there any hidden costs we’re overlooking?
This article explores the differences between fast furniture and other alternatives as well as what they have to offer.
Hudson 220 Credenza has an Osso base with a rose gold base finish, a wonderful natural wood pattern with color variations throughout it. This unique, cabinet-style sideboard credenza has sufficient storage capacity and a look that won’t be missed! If you’re looking for a talking piece, that one of a kind, statement furniture to make it the focal point of your interior design, we think Hudson 220 Credenza is the perfect choice for you.
This Naturalist coffee table from our Primitive collection has a beautiful dark wood surface with natural color and pigment variations which makes for an interesting, and we dare say statement piece for your chosen room. You can incorporate the interesting style of this coffee table into many interior designs. It could just as easily complement a rustic living room vibe, as well as a modern and elegant living room space.
What Is Fast Furniture?
Fast furniture refers to cheaply produced, furniture that will wear out after two or so years. The process of designing such furniture starts with the idea that it will be manufactured in a very short time frame, typically less than six weeks. The fast production time allows for larger quantities and lower prices of this type of furniture because they are not made with traditional woodworking techniques. Companies benefit by producing cheap furniture because it forces their customers to keep buying it over and over to replace the things that have worn out. This is an alternative to traditional methods such as the old-fashioned way of building your own furniture, or waiting weeks for it to arrive at your home. Fast furniture is also being touted as being more sustainable and eco-friendly because these items are made without wood, but with other materials like metal or plastic. The disadvantage of fast furniture is that it doesn’t have the same structural support, quality materials, and longevity as traditional furniture. You will recognize this same trend happening in fashion and many other areas. While fast fashion has been recognized as an issue in many respects, the fast furniture question doesn’t get as much attention.Pros And Cons Of Fast Furniture
Fast furniture has come a long way in the last decade. These days, you can buy a sofa online and have it delivered to your doorstep in less than one week. This is great for those who don’t need to wait for their furniture to be built by hand or for those who need it right away. That is one of the main advantages of fast furniture, it quite literally is fast. Another significant advantage is the price. Most fast furniture companies are very affordable, making it a favorite and go-to option for the majority of people, including students, renters, and people with lower incomes. Fast furniture is cheap, convenient, and quick to arrive and assemble. Yet one downside to this is that there are some concerns about quality, sustainability, environmental impact, and energy use.Why Is Fast Furniture Bad?
Fast furniture is cheaper to produce and more affordable, but at what actual cost? Manufacturers typically use lower quality and unsustainable materials because they do not require the same amount of labor to produce. thus reducing their production cost and increasing the manufacturers’ earnings from returning customers in the future. The cheap and mass-produced furniture might be practical for customers at the moment of purchase, but it carries many tough consequences down the line.Fast Furniture And The Environment
According to the Environmental Protection Agency statistics, around 12 million tons of furniture are thrown away and disposed of on a yearly basis. This fact in itself is alarming, but when we also learn that most of that furniture cannot be recycled, then we have an even bigger issue on our hands. Fast furniture is made to be replaced. The materials used in its production can make it very challenging to repair and restore when it gets worn out, unlike traditionally built furniture. Each year a ton of resources and energy are wasted on producing furniture that will end up in landfills and be exchanged by a slightly different version of itself. With the amount of energy and natural resources we spend on material, transportation, and manufacturing, it is impossible not to care about the environment.What Are The Alternatives To Fast Furniture?
There are many options when it comes to furniture. On the one hand, we have traditional heirloom-quality furniture that might not be as affordable but is more durable and sturdy than its fast-made counterpart. The other option is a cheaper alternative which may be less expensive but is usually not as sturdy or durable. When shopping for furniture, your first thought might have been a fast furniture store. These stores often offer great deals and are usually open late. However, these stores are not always the best option for getting new furniture, as they tend to sell poor-quality goods, as we’ve mentioned before. According to Trulia, a study showed that when buying directly from a manufacturer, you can save an average of 40% on the price of furniture. And that’s not the only advantage. We often focus on the financial aspect and convenience and with that in mind choose fast furniture stores, but we’re here to remind you of some nostalgic traditions that are still around and not forgotten. Like rocking in your grandma’s chair and gathering around the big dining table to share those special moments during holidays. The annoying and familiar sound of your grandfather’s clock and the inexplicable coziness of that generations-old sofa. All of those memories are built around furniture that had value much greater than money. It had sentimental value. It was built with love and attention to detail, by skilled craftsmen who used the finest materials. Premium leather, wood, stone, and glass formed masterpieces that were passed down from one generation to the next. And that’s exactly what we hope to bring back and inspire you to remember as well. The tender and emotional value of the furniture, as well as unparalleled quality built to last, is still something you can afford. Here at Naturalist, we are offering you an alternative to fast furniture. We’re offering slow, unique, and impeccable designs and construction in the form of live edge and epoxy resin furniture.Heirloom Quality
Heirloom furniture is a term used to describe furniture that has been passed on from generation to generation. These pieces are not mass-produced, so there is a small chance of ever finding the same piece twice. The quality of these pieces varies depending on their age and the materials that were used in their construction. Heirloom furniture doesn’t only have to be passed down through families; some people collect them for sentimental reasons, or because they simply like the unique style that these pieces present. Traditionally, furniture has been made from hardwoods such as mahogany, walnut, and oak. Today, many manufacturers are using less expensive woods to make furniture. Although these wood types are less expensive and easier to work with, they don’t last nearly as long as the hardwoods do in an outdoor environment. If you’re looking for heirloom quality furniture that will last a lifetime, consider buying pieces that were made with hardwoods because they will not only be built to last but will also be beautiful and timeless. When buying any type of furniture, you should definitely think about the environment and sustainability. One thing we are exceptionally proud of here at Naturalist is the fact that the woods we use in our production are sustainably sourced from the forests of Turkey, which are marvelously taken care of and replanted regularly. Mindful of the environment, old traditions, and modern designs, we’ve created incredible collections of furniture that grace the homes of many happy clients. Our epoxy resin furniture and live edge furniture are the epitomai of heirloom furniture and timeless elegance that you can pass down for many years to come.Epoxy Resin
Epoxy resin furniture is a type of furniture that uses epoxy resin to create a hard, durable, and corrosive-resistant surface. Epoxy resin furniture has been around for a long time, but it is becoming more popular with time. It offers a durable, beautiful, and affordable alternative to natural wood furniture that could last up to 100 years without the need for refinishing or replacement. Epoxy resin furniture can be stained and painted, giving it the ability to change its look at will. This type of material protects furniture against scratches and stains without being hard on the environment. The strength and durability of these resins are a big advantage to this type of furniture. But the main benefit of it is the incredible appearance that can help you bring your space to life no matter what your design style is. Be it traditional, modern, rustic or industrial, epoxy resin furniture fits right in and elevates the room in an effortless way. Following is one of our favorite epoxy resin pieces, for your inspiration.
Hudson 220 Credenza has an Osso base with a rose gold base finish, a wonderful natural wood pattern with color variations throughout it. This unique, cabinet-style sideboard credenza has sufficient storage capacity and a look that won’t be missed! If you’re looking for a talking piece, that one of a kind, statement furniture to make it the focal point of your interior design, we think Hudson 220 Credenza is the perfect choice for you.
Live Edge
Live edge furniture is furniture with a natural, uneven surface. It is made using rough-cut wood and its finishing process leaves the wood untouched, allowing it to show its natural beauty including all the knots and dimples that give it a special kind of charm. This type of furniture is made from logs, rather than manufactured pieces. It is often handcrafted and has a natural “lived-in” quality to it. The wood will eventually take on the patina of years of use and time, making every piece different from every other. The downside to live edge furniture is that it takes longer to produce and can be more expensive, but the beauty and uniqueness of each piece make up for this. If you want to spruce up your living space in an effortless and one-of-a-kind way, go for the custom makeover that comes with live edge furniture. Sometimes, when you’ve been looking for the perfect piece of furniture for a long time, you may feel like you’re out of options. This is where heirloom furniture can come in handy. Unlike fast furniture that seems to be designed to be easily disposed of and replaced, and where each piece is similar to the other, live edge heirlooms are meant to last generations and offer that unique vibe that simply cannot be matched with mass-produced furniture. One of our special pieces from the live edge collection is the Primitive coffee table.
This Naturalist coffee table from our Primitive collection has a beautiful dark wood surface with natural color and pigment variations which makes for an interesting, and we dare say statement piece for your chosen room. You can incorporate the interesting style of this coffee table into many interior designs. It could just as easily complement a rustic living room vibe, as well as a modern and elegant living room space.