In previous posts, I talked about understanding the value of hand painted crafts and the art of polymer clay figurines. Today would be a great time to discuss handcrafted furniture and home furnishings. My business is extremely fortunate because my husband is an excellent woodcrafter. Not to compared him with my idol (Norm Abram), but my husband makes the best small cabinets, shelves, mitten boxes, etc. He just has the knack to see a picture and can figure out the best way to recreate it.
Lesson One – it starts with the bones, and in this case, the wood. Selecting the cheapest wood, will only give you a cheap product and a lot of heartache in constructing a project. All you have to do is visit the local craft stores and view their selection of unfinished pieces. Many are full of knots, cracks and warped in places that you cannot fix. In addition, the quality of backing materials, and hardware, is less than acceptable. Pieces made from a better grade of wood, will take a finish much better and provide you with a product that will be enjoyed for many years. Typically, the pieces we make are constructed from a high grade of pine. There are no knots in the wood and it has a beautiful grain. If you didn’t know your wood, you would swear it was a hardwood. We realize that there is a greater cost using this type of wood, but we stand behind the quality of our products.
Lesson Two, you need to look at the construction of a piece. Does the piece lay correctly, no visible gaps in the piece? Does the hinges work well; was it stapled together or was it constructed using screws, plugs, biscuits, etc.
Lesson Three, does the finish feel nice as you run your hand over it? Many pieces can be created to look old, either with distressing, painting techniques and construction choice.
Unless you are seeking a “true antique” (working with a reputable dealer), nothing is wrong with choosing a reproduction. Many Americans are looking to capture a country or Shaker look and you don’t have to sacrifice getting a well-constructed piece or paying a lot of money. If you are looking for an antique, (I do own a few) they are wonderful finds, but we all don’t have that amount of cash floating around and a reproduction is equally good (today’s antiques were new at one time). Any number of our pieces can be made to “look old” using various painting techniques (that is my job). Since our company specializes in country and Shaker designs, the finish of choice is usually paint, which is why we typically do not make many products out of a maple or oak (though we can). It is just sacrilegious to paint over those beautiful wood grains.
In closing, you never know if the piece you purchase today as a collectible (newer than 100 years) from us, will someday become tomorrow’s antique (in 100 years). To learn more, contact us at info@mylovi.com or visit us at any of our upcoming events.