Jessica Whittaker asked:


What is furniture design all about? Is it only for furniture designers?

The first Furniture Designers Association came into existence on 25th October 1917, where it formed its first constitution and by-laws. However, it was conceptualized in 1916 in Grand Rapids, known as the city for furniture manufacturing by a local manufacturer Robert W. Irwin. He wanted to promote a good relation between the manufacturer and the furniture designers. Thereafter he arranged for a meeting between the two groups, which was successful Thus, three of the furniture designers William L. Kimerly, J. Stuart Clingman and Thomas Handley determined to form an association for the benefit of both the designers as well as the manufacturers. They encouraged local furniture designers to join the association. Thus, the Grand Rapids Association was formed and E. Berkey Jones was elected as the president, the owner of William A. Berkey Co. along with eighteen skilled furniture designers and all the members of Furniture Manufacturers Association were admitted as the contract members.

Membership

The membership of this association was restricted to only the local furniture designers of Grand Rapids. In 1920, the Furniture Designers Association was restructured and the membership was given to all the certified designers throughout the United States. Initially the associate membership was given to the suppliers and later on granted to furniture design students. The need for a good prospective forced many designers to move out form Grand Rapids. At present, there are numerous furniture designers in Grand Rapids, who design mostly for the market of Southern furniture market in High Point, North Carolina.

Principles

In 1926, Thomas Johnson, the then president declared that the aim and purpose of the Grand Rapids furniture designers is to cooperate and work for the welfare to standardize furniture designs and constructions. At present the association works to stabilize the furniture design standards and to acquaintance and educate the work in the field of furniture designers. It has around 90 members and this has led to more frequent meetings, usually five in a year. The best final year student of Kendall College of art and design of ferris state university located in city centre of Grand Rapids is awarded $1500 every year in December.

Other Furniture Designer Associations:

American Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD)

It was established in 1981 as an international non-profit professional organization. It works towards improving, supporting and advancement in furniture designing. The memberships are not just limited to American furniture designers, but also international professional designers can become a member of American Society of Furniture Designers.

Chicago Furniture Designers Association

The Chicago Furniture Designers Association is formed to encourage the art and craft of innovative furniture design by raising the community of furnishings designers and makers. The meetings are held on every second Tuesday each month. At the Chicago Furniture Designers Association, designers meet and exchange ideas and information on furniture designs and making to broaden their expertise. The association also organizes exhibitions for certified members. Finally, the association encourages designers to work up to widen their interests in furniture designing.

Jessica Whittaker asked:


Brilliant furniture designs – On 28 February 1929, Frank Gehry was born in Toronto, Canada. Frank Gehry is among the pioneering and inventive architects of the world today as well as furniture designers. He relocated to Los Angeles with his family in 1947 where he associated with contemporary artists. He graduated from the University of South California in 1954 where he earned his undergraduate degree in architecture. Frank Gehry worked with firms such as Luckman associates, Pereira as well as Victor Gruen.

In 1962, Frank Gehry opened a small office in Santa Monica where his scope grew to include office buildings, libraries, furniture and exhibition designs to mention a few. Sophisticated computer software introduction facilitated his translation from model work to built form. Having over 140 employees, Frank Gehry and Associates covers several different countries such as Switzerland, Spain, Germany, France, the United States Scotland, and Japan among others.

Frank Gehry’s architectural practice has had a lot of impact on his furniture designs. His furniture designs are fairly cheaper compared to other furniture designers. Frank Gehry is able to produce furniture that is not only functional but striking as well, from basic materials manipulated in very unconventional ways.

Between 1969 to 1973, Frank Gehry created his first designs called Easy Edges, from simple corrugated cardboard materials that have turned out to be his favourite material for his models. Frank Gehry began manipulating cardboard sheets when he found out that the cardboard gained exponential strength when layered.

Frank Gehry manipulated the basic cardboard materials into curvilinear, graceful tables and chairs. His finished products were not only striking but immeasurably durable as well. Between 1979 to 1982, Frank Gehry introduced the experimental edges, which were much bulkier cardboard pieces that had improvisational shaggy edges as well as featuring a rough appearance.

Frank Gehry created larger volumes of the furniture by using thick corrugated cardboard with pronounced texture, as well as altering their density by combining sheets of different widths within a single form. Frank Gehry created the undulating line as well as slight ripples by intentionally misaligning their stacks.

In 1992, Frank Gehry manufactured the Bent Wood Furniture design, whose initial prototypes that were meant for Knoll had serpentine lines of the initial Easy Edge collection. The Bent Wood Furniture material as well as the structural support were inspired by the seamless integrated bushel basket.

Frank Gehry was given an opportunity to conduct an intense investigation of the maple wood as well as its production process at a workshop that was right next to his office. Four chairs, two tables as well as one ottoman were marketed out of the 120 prototypes that were developed from the investigation.

By using unorthodox materials such as corrugated metals, cardboard as well as chain links to make most of his trademark furniture, it earned Frank Gehry the nickname iconoclast. The nickname referred to his interest in the expressive potential of materials for his furniture, as well as the work of several contemporary artists who happened to be his close friends.

petesteck asked:


I have many great furniture designs (I think) but have no shop, no money, and no way of producing a prototype myself. Is it possible for one to break into furniture design based on design alone? Who should I talk to or try to work with? What is the process of design to maunfactuing to production to sales. Thanks!!