Contemporary melt-down

19 years ago

I'm in Central FL (Daytona area) and started looking for a dining room buffet about a year ago. We have a solid travertine International Stone table in the dining room that needed a buffet. We purchased a Canadel buffet 5 yr ago and were totally disappointed with its quality and lack of substance.

So. Visited all the local furniture stores--no contemporary. Went to Hilton Head and then to Jacksonville to visit contemporary dealers. Hated the lack of detail on the Italian stuff. Didn't like the shiny resin and not impressed with anything else. Today went to Orlando (my birthday trip, I guess). Visited 3 furniture stores and then went by Robb & Stucky. I dreaded it--where to go if this didn't work???? Well, we had a great salesman who really listened. I want real wood, American made, good details (the doors must fit), and in contemporary style. Poor man. He knew it does not exist and so do I. We looked at most everything. Loved the Barbara Berry Hendredon server but so delicate, so undersized. The salesman had a brain fart, I think, and headed for the clearance room. I followed. He pointed and I gasped. Hendredon buffet in mahogany (oh, man--no!), plain front, black marble top. The drawers fit; the breakfront was gently bowed; the finish is perfect. I bought it. As is. Details are beautiful. Came home, looked up the Hendredon website and found this description: Aston Court Collection: An artfully assembled collection of 18th Century English adaptions...." Gag!!! I saw beautiful wood, good construction, wonderful details (these great drawers that angle due to the bowfront) and they say "18th Century". Well, it must have looked contemporary at some time. The price was a deciding factor--in the clearance room it was $3,900 minus 20%. Salesman said it was the only piece they had left of the collection. Good thing I didn't see the rest of the collection!

The room had adequate light but furniture was pushed together and piled everywhere. We won't know the exact color until we get it into the house. Both my husband and I looked it over carefully. If I wanted good wood--I got it! Beautiful inlays! Contemporary--not. But simple and elegant enough to enhance a contemporary home. Let's hope so.

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Comments (5)

mogator88
19 years ago
I feel your pain. I sell contemporary and there has never been a worse time to be in this business. There just isn't enough decent product being made. I'm glad you found something, I'm sure it will work out.
pammyfay
19 years ago
Mogator: Wow. I'm glad I wasn't crazy! Went to a contemporary store near College Park, Maryland, recently (just down the road from an Ikea!), and there was not a single dining buffet that appealed to me. They looked cheap--as if the delivery company was supposed to have taken them to Ikea!

I guess contemporary's become a niche market? One that is easily tossed aside in a tight economy.

I ended up buying one through eBay (long, nice glass top, glass doors, but the sides and the basic "cabinetry" are MDF. But it doesn't look terrible.)

The loss of the Storehouse chain was a big one (you saw how fast Rowe sold that off). At least Room & Board's still going strong (although there was a complaints about the quality of their wood product here lately).
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beachlily z9a
Original Author
19 years ago
Well, Pammy, I wasn't willing to settle for MDF and high style. Silly me. I wanted real wood and high style!

My husband and I keep furniture for decades. Maybe 20 years from now we will find something else to add to the furniture collection! By that time, we may not care!
steve_a
19 years ago
pammyfay: You do know about Scan don't you? (In Rockville and other locations in the area.) It used to be mostly Scandinavian as the name implies, but now they carry a variety of styles from many countries. We've been buying furniture from them for 25 years now, and have yet to be disappointed. Check them out if you haven't already. Steve
mogator88
19 years ago
I guess contemporary's become a niche market? One that is easily tossed aside in a tight economy.

Not sure what that means, but, the recent trend of making furniture in China means that intricate designs can be made for low cost. So, most factories have gone that route. Contemporary usually doesn't have intricate design, so that's been left behind. All this was happening before the economy (furniture or general) got tight.