Furnishing a Wal-Mart world
Re “All This Schlock and Not a Decent Couch to Faint On” [Oct. 28]: The furniture industry is no different than any other industry -- it caters to the masses.
Los Angeles has 13 million people, and they don’t all purchase their furniture at the Cantoni contemporary showroom. We are a world of fast food, Wal-Marts and reality TV. Do you actually think this breeds conscious design taste?
The customer demographic that appreciates good design tends to be college educated (25% of the population) and upper income (the top 10%). Within that is a smaller percentage with contemporary taste. I call this the “Ford to Ferrari” statistic. Ford sells 5 million cars a year, while Ferrari sells 20,000. If everyone loved the design, then Ford would make the Taurus look like the F430.
Greg Spencer
Phoenix
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BARBARA KING’S observations at the High Point furniture show reflect the state of most general furniture retailers. Yes, this schlock is pushed heavily at consumers, and I have asked myself similar questions: Do manufacturers really think this is what consumers want? Do people really buy this? Where do I go to find something with style and not spend thousands of dollars over my budget?
Poor quality and paltry vision are readily available at any price. I have paid significant amounts of money for furniture with cabinet doors that aren’t aligned and drawers that barely open. I have settled for less because I can’t find what I really want. Many retail showrooms feature the same awful styles that they offered in the 1970s.
Is it no wonder the industry is in a slump?
Cathleen Yates
Norco
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IF only the furniture makers -- like the rest of our mainstream “cultural” forces (TV, film, music) -- would have the courage to invest in work that is artful. They would be surprised at how many people respond to things with true soul.
Alisa Carroll
Los Angeles
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THE ‘90s seems to have been the pinnacle of what designers and stylists could present to the buying public. Lately, everything has seemed rehashed, tired and bizarre. I am so glad to hear someone else say the same.
Looks like consignment shops, thrift stores and estate sales are the way to go these days. At least that way the purchases can be tweaked to suit.
Penelope Williams
Studio City
