What I've Learned

[Pete W]

Tony's design threads have certainly generated a lot of responses. Having read through both threads carefully, I thought I might summarise the useful things I learned.

1. We all like different things.

2. If we dislike something, £7,000 is obviously far too expensive; something we like is well-worth three times that. The use of light or dark wood is a vital factor in this equation.

3. The most important part, indeed the very essence, of design is pricing.

4. People prepared to pay high prices for well-made, hand-crafted furniture are "clueless dumb-buttocks" (master cabinetmaker's technical term).

5. An expensive piece may not be a rip-off as long as it has curves.

6. Only two things are necessary to succeed in cabinetmaking a) marketing, and b) a steady supply of rich silly person customers.

7. Underpricing your work and failing entitles you to sneer at successful cabinetmakers who make a living at it.

8. Building a successful business, and a life, doing something you love, and being rewarded for it, is the hallmark of a "barmy loner".

I think I knew the first one before; the others were certainly a revelation to me!

 

[Roger]

Wow :shock: I think I'll just sit back and wait for the 'incoming' rounds

 

[spadge]

I am sure the Stadler and Waldorf of UKworkshop will be along soon

 

[LyNx]

my feet are up, wine on the side. This is going to be a good one :wink:

 

[innesm]

Ladies and gentlemen, start your handbags.

 

[DomValente]

PeteW said ,all of the above.

Pete you must be very young not to have heard of the green eyed monster, it's what makes the world go round y'know.

 

[Anonymous]

I really don't see the point of this thread, the other one was just starting to die off after 5 pages of repetition, why bring it up again if you weren't happy with the thread first time around.

 

[beech1948]

Dear Peter W,

Excellent and well thought out indeed. I share each of your learnings and would like to tell you that had you not written this I might have written something much less diplomatic.

My local furniture maker and I were chatting in the pub recently and he said something like:-

- as a master craftman I put my heart and soul into my work. Each piece is crafted the best way I know how with the most care and skill I can give it. To me beauty is the whole thing of the final presentation. Like looking at beautiful sunset where we all have a shared unconcious appreciation of beauty.

- What I really enjoy is to meet a customer who can and does share that beauty and unconcious knowledge of what I tried to do, someone who is as knowledgeable as I, who in critiquing my work will give back the respect and shared endeavour reflecting the knowledge and skill I put in.

The master craftsman is nothing without the master customer.
Like wise poorly shaped and ill advised criticism is as nothing to me.

Thank you for your message.

 

[Chris Knight]

I don't imagine this thread was started with the intention of provoking a war but that is the way it could soon go so I am locking it right now.