MADE TO LAST?

“Oh yeah,” said the hairdresser on some property/antique/lifestyle television show, “furniture was made to last in them olden days” (she was no expert). Well, was it?

Err...not especially. The bulk of ‘old’ furniture that has survived tends to be well built, for obvious reasons.

Was all the furniture from the Middle Ages made from large lumps of oak? It wasn’t, it’s just that those made of oak have survived – a big lump of oak is very durable! The Victorians were industrialised – they churned out vast quantities of cheap, badly made furniture. Where is it?

Of course, some badly made furniture does survive – but in our experience, it tends to be rarer that than the well made stuff!

So...in 2070 will a hairdresser be looking at a 1970s MFI bedside cabinet and saying “oh yeah, they really made things to last in the olden days”. I think not!

WOODEN POSTCARDS? REALLY?!

As you know, we’re always on the lookout for something a little bit unique, and we’re chuffed to be selling a new range of wooden postcards in Nest, now!

They’re based on the original postcards from the early 1900s, and screen-printed on to 4mm birch. Best thing – you don’t need an envelope, just stick a normal first/second class stamp on and they’re good to go.

And in line with our ethical policy, they’re made here in the UK and for every ten cards that are sold, the company plants a tree in Africa...so everyone’s a winner!

A VIEW FROM THE WORKSHOP

Well, it had to happen at some point – a member of staff has written a blog. Nicole, comfortably ensconced in our new finishing shop, does the vast majority of the painted and distressed finished now....and a grand job she does too. Clearly this has inspired her to write a blog entitled ‘view from the workshop’.

I might just add quickly (because we don’t intend to censor her in any way and Nicole will hopefully write some more) that any resemblance to real people, events and locations is simply a coincidence. I think that should cover it! Anyway, here’s Nicole:

Who would know, even me (who does), that a hobbling, sad eyed piece of furniture in need of a bath could become once more a proud and beautiful object with memories and history restored...

Here I am, the alchemists apprentice on my knees in the workshop putting the final touches on the ‘homestuff’ that Nest sources and re-fashions like grandmother in the magic forest, making sure that they retain their wooden souls.

A simple coat of paint it isn’t... I take great pleasure in the transformation of the finished pieces, most of which I covet for myself! Matt restrains me from embellishment, but for my own work I have a free reign for the quirky and the decorative impulse...

Who knows what will come limping into the workshop next week, every week the landscape changes and each item of furniture has its own personality. The solitary workshop experience can fire the imagination in peculiar ways...or is it just the fumes?!

A YEAR OF POSTING!

A year of posting! Is this stuff interesting? Should we keep on doing it?

We’ve been trying to remember why we started writing in the first place. I think, apart from it being our  year of ‘new media’, that it was prompted by an argument with a French sales rep working for a company that specialised in pushing your website profile up the search engine list.

I think he promised about 5 million hits a month and an appearance on page one. We would apparently be stupid not to take up his offer (sailing dangerously close to salesperson of the week award) – being French he was especially good at ‘goading’ and ‘huffing’. Anyway, the ‘discussion’ ended with him saying “you don’t even have a blog” and I said “oh yes, we do, I just haven’t...err...uploaded it recently” and him muttering that we would be begging for his services in about 6 months.

Well, I don’t know where NEST appears when you search for it – I always find it at Burwash Manor in the second courtyard, tucked away in the far corner – and, to be honest, that’s how most of our customers find us. We’re a lovely little secret and I suspect most of our customers would like to keep it that way!

(picture is of one of our French lamp....some French things are wonderful!)

SALESPERSON OF THE WEEK

“Hello, I’ve got an 18 foot pine church pew to sell” he said, on the phone.
“Well, it’s a little too big to fit in our shop” I said.
“Ah, I thought of that – you could cut it in half and then you would have 2 pews” he said.
“Has it got 2 end panels?” I said.
“Yes, indeed it has” he said.
“Then I would have one pew and a plank” I said.
Long silence.

“Yes, yes, I suppose you would, err....that’s not much use, is it?” he said.
“No, not really” I said.
“O.K. sorry to bother you – bye now” he said.
We award him Sales Strategy Man of the Week.