This stupid "Rustic" fad has got to go


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We have a glass kitchen table in our eat in kitchen, and have matching glass end tables in the living room.  Our baby girl is about 5 months old so before she gets mobile, I am to make new end tables and then a kitchen table to match.  I had found a design that I liked for the end tables, nice tables with a couple tusk tenons and I was going to make the top to drop a 12" floor tile into.  I bought 30 BF of cherry, more than enough for the two tables to be replaced.

Then tonight, the wife reaffirmed she wants a farmhouse table and wants the end tables to match.  She found some pictures that must be right out of the Ana-White catalog.  2x6's and all.

Really.  Not.  Interested.

I suppose I could use that design and just use cherry, but that'd be a LOT of 8/4 cherry.

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This is what she found, different picture of the same table.  That top is awesome.  And this is probably right after it was built.  Probably a lot worse now.  I guarantee all of the pocket holes are visible in better lighting, too.

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I think some simple Mission Style tables are close enough.  At least it's something I haven't done before, which is my main interest.  I've graduated beyond my pocket hole, call everything rustic to explain mistakes phase...for the most part anyway, lol.

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It's funny, people who normally have good taste, get trapped in fashion trends, and their taste and common sense just disappears!  Rustic, is for backwoods folks that have been displaced by society or government!   Guys, that wasn't meant to be political, it's just an observation!

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43 minutes ago, RichardA said:

It's funny, people who normally have good taste, get trapped in fashion trends, and their taste and common sense just disappears!  Rustic, is for backwoods folks that have been displaced by society or government!   Guys, that wasn't meant to be political, it's just an observation!

Also good for second homes.  

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Try educating your client a little, see what conclusions she will arrive at. 

Take the wife to Lowe's or Home Depot and show her the fingernail test on a piece of framing lumber, then have her do it, and be sure to point out all of the twisted lumber. 

For the style she wants, alder might be a good option. 

 

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23 minutes ago, vinnyjojo said:

 

 

I wonder if people said that about glass top furniture in the 90's. emoji6.png

 

13 minutes ago, gee-dub said:

Or Paul McCobb in the 50's - 60's.  I agree the Pottery Barn and Waterbed Warehouse style furniture are not on my radar.  The wife and I have different tastes but, I find it very difficult to build something I am opposed to even if the price is right. 

I really wouldn't want to spend my time and effort building something I didn't like and then be forced to look at it every day.  Enduring yet another "Oh, my husband made that" announcement while standing next to something that looks like a school project; that's cruel and unusual punishment.  Talk things through and try to find a compromise.

Excellent points for sure!

 

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I have mixed feelings on the framing lumber furniture movement. 

My first feeling is that I am repulsed by it. But I realize that I am further along on my woodworking journey, and it is very appealing to those that are just getting started out, and we all have to start somewhere.

It is very attractive to the public at large because the material is so accessible, and this alone seems to demystify the process for so many. Compare the Lowe's or Home Depot shopping experience to how intimidating it felt to get started out going to the lumber supplier that caters to contractors and cabinet shops. I can remember being intimidated by what seemed to be this mysterious, esoteric knowledge that was required just to get started. 

The designs are attractive because they are uncomplicated and they feel down-to-earth, which goes along with the whole movement of making it by hand. This is not unlike the the attraction of Craftsman or Shaker style furniture.

Many will get involved with the framing lumber projects and, over time, realize the issues inherent to using this material. Their interest will most likely take one of two routes: their interest will wane in building their own furniture, they will toss out their softwood framing lumber projects, and go buy something from the furniture store. Or, they will be hooked on the euphoria of building their own furniture and see what changes they can make to do it better.

This is their journey, so they will grow and mature in their experience just like we have done.

So one hand I am repulsed by it. On the other hand, I support those that get out in the shop, build something, and enjoy the creative life. Even if it is not with materials that I would choose. 

 

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First of all, what's your first name?  My NSA system is down.

We have 6/4 cherry at the yard right now for $6.00.  Nice big boards, clean.  Probably on the thin side for a huge dining table, but plenty thick enough for a kitchen table.  Then you could make the matching end tables out of the cherry you have.

Compromise.  It's nice of you to let your wife tell you how to spend your time (not how it works in my shop)...but I'd draw the line somewhere.  Perhaps, "I'll build in that style but only with this material."

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Build one of the end tables with your cherry in the Arts and Crafts or Mission style. Then make another with construction lumber in the style she showed you. Put them next to each other and make her decide. Hopefully she chooses wisely! If not, well then you still have one nice end table you can put somewhere else.

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You're spot on Todd.

To be fair, Ana White specifically got me into woodworking.  My first project was a pine night stand held together with a few pocket screws and finish nails (which I hand nailed) A matching headboard and shelves followed.  They're still in our guest bedroom today.  The night stand still looks OK, that was only 3-4 years ago.  Very rustic though...

Had it not been for the simple directions from And White and the pre-dimensioned lumber from HD, I never would have got interested in woodworking.

My wife knows about hard vs soft wood, but she doesn't know by looking at photos where that wood falls.  I don't think she realizes the table she likes used thicker boards than I intended to use.

I'm gonna go with my original design or the Mission style.  I think I can explain why, lol.  I'm supposed to get started on the today.

 

 

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I'm going to be controversial here.. I've only been married two years. We've lived together for 4. But we have a relationship where we talk about what we want in the house and come to agreements. For instance, I am indifferent towards wall color and almost any decoration, so I'm happy to leave that to her. She likes "rustic" but I hate it, so we compromise there. For instance, our dining table is relatively high grade veneered fake wood. It's well built, but at $800 - not gonna be 100% real wood. And it has a few dings and holes in it to make it look older. But it's good enough that I am not embarrassed to have it, and it's rustic enough that she is happy.

I think I give her enough freedom in the rest of the house that when it comes to the actual furniture, she is more than ready to meet me halfway.

In other words, I don't buy into this "make whatever she wants or you'll pay thing."

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24 minutes ago, Eric. said:

First of all, what's your first name?  My NSA system is down.

We have 6/4 cherry at the yard right now for $6.00.  Nice big boards, clean.  Probably on the thin side for a huge dining table, but plenty thick enough for a kitchen table.  Then you could make the matching end tables out of the cherry you have.

Compromise.  It's nice of you to let your wife tell you how to spend your time (not how it works in my shop)...but I'd draw the line somewhere.  Perhaps, "I'll build in that style but only with this material."

I'm Frank.  I'll be back up for material for the kitchen table when I get closer to building it for sure.  Your place has become my go-to shop.

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8 hours ago, toddclippinger said:

I have mixed feelings on the framing lumber furniture movement. 

All good points, Todd, and well spoken.  Allow me just to throw one twist into the mix:

Construction lumber varies widely across the fruited plain.  Up here in the north, the wretched whitewood stocked by the big box stores most certainly is repulsive.  Take a drive south, however, and it's a whole other ball game.  Often while visiting friends south of the Mason-Dixon, I'll stop at a home center and pick out one or two of the best 2x12's in the pile.  Rip out the pith, let them dry, and you've got beautiful, quartersawn, non-pressure treated southern pine on either side, perfect for secondary stock such as drawers or shiplap backs.

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Do like what was said early, make a real nice end table, go find the wettest 2x4's you can at lowes and build it that day you get the stuff allowing for no wood movement and take it inside.  Just make sure to tell her it could end up looking bad because it's construction grade lumber, then put a fan on it inside and let magic take over then let her decide haha.  Of course, she might think the twisting and all that just adds to the rustic look haha.

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Do like what was said early, make a real nice end table, go find the wettest 2x4's you can at lowes and build it that day you get the stuff allowing for no wood movement and take it inside.  Just make sure to tell her it could end up looking bad because it's construction grade lumber, then put a fan on it inside and let magic take over then let her decide haha.  Of course, she might think the twisting and all that just adds to the rustic look haha.

That's brilliant. I agree. In the spirit of William Tecumseh Sherman, if it's ugly junk she calls for, give her the ugly junk that will make her howl. If it's fine furniture she wants then share your last cracker and put an end to the nightmare.

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11 hours ago, Eric. said:

 

Compromise.  It's nice of you to let your wife tell you how to spend your time (not how it works in my shop)...but I'd draw the line somewhere.  Perhaps, "I'll build in that style but only with this material."

Thats just It..I dont understand the wife is the boss stuff now..Dont tell the wife what to do and she dsoesnt tell me..Been working 31 years for us..Just saw no and do what you want.

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