This is a question we are always being asked. In the modern world the use of sophisticated wood veneers gives an identical feel to the surface of solid wood. It also needs the same type of care as solid wood. How do these compare with laminates? This picture above shows a really superb laminate on an item from the Sardinie range. There is no question that using a veneer used to be the best route if you want the feel of real wood. Many manufacturers and retailers do not like the natural effects found in solid wood, such as knots and splits in their products, which is extremely wasteful and results in 50% of the timber being discarded. So if you want solid...
Danny Van den Bosch, design director at Habufa turned round to me a few weeks before Christmas, we were visiting his facility in Eindhoven for their 50th birthday celebration. 'Marcus.' he said. 'Can you explain to me what is happening in the UK?' he paused and put his arm round my shoulder. 'I have never seen a country commit suicide before!'
Every year Habufa add new ranges to their stable of designer products. This year there is considerable excitement as they become the first manufacturer in the world to offer a rather unusual version of the very popular and substantial oak wood that most other retailers and manufacturers offer in very mild and uniform way. Habufa have opted to use, what is called in the world of furniture 'Wild Oak'. The definition of this is simply the idea that instead of cutting down an oak tree and just using the easiest parts to create planks or veneers, that have a uniformity, they use all of the tree, knots, splits and all. None of the tree is cast out, and that means the...
After 44 years running bricks and mortar stores we finally shut the doors just before Christmas. With so many years of experience and knowledge we had reached the absolute decision that online trading was the only way forward and as we joined the ranks of others who had made similar decisions over the last few years we were faced with one enormous obstacle. How to stand out from the crowd, how to get people's attention in this blossoming market. We knew how to turn that key in our stores, but what could we do online of a similar nature. It took a full 9 months of development, of serious research, of learning the ropes of an extremely complex market-place. Lena...
