Making someone else's piece

[JohnnyNoName]

Guys... I have a BIG question.

I am having a moral dilemma. A potential interior designer/client contacted me about making a "custom" bed. The design that was sent over was a photo of a four-poster bed that is already made by a company. The difference in the design is that they want a large headboard in between the posts. I would like to take it on, but I don't want to steal the design.

What do you guys think? Is this ethical? Do I make it and not have it in my portfolio? Do I say screw it and make it and put it in the portfolio?

Jonathan

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[Timberwerks]

Guys... I have a BIG question.

I am having a moral dilemma. A potential interior designer/client contacted me about making a "custom" bed. The design that was sent over was a photo of a four-poster bed that is already made by a company. The difference in the design is that they want a large headboard in between the posts. I would like to take it on, but I don't want to steal the design.

What do you guys think? Is this ethical? Do I make it and not have it in my portfolio? Do I say screw it and make it and put it in the portfolio?

Jonathan

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I wouldn't worry to much about it. It sounds like a commercially available piece that was perhaps inspired by another design. Put yourself and your vision into the piece and make it yours. Most of my work is Nakashima inspired, many makers focus on Krenov inspired, Maloof inspired etc. We all borrow from someone. If you copied detail for detail that's another issue.

[jimmykx250]

Dont worry about it. Sounds like you will have your own twists on it anyway. It will be a one of a kind when your done with it.

[adamking]

Hey Johnny,

Design is simply a set of borrowed elements from all of our influences and inspirations, like DJO mentioned. I think what needs to happen next is to sit with the designer and discuss the project a bit further. In my experience, anytime I was approached by someone with a magazine picture, there were some misguided expectations. Especially around price and quality.

It would be a good time to sit with them and explain the dilemma a bit and let them know that you could work within those style parameters, but only with the freedom to add your own signature to the bed. It's important to make your working preferences very clear in the beginning with designers and clients before any work is committed to. This eliminates any confusion and headache further down the road.

Hope this helps and fire any other questions at us.

[LordLQQK]

I would have no qualms about copying production work using hand crafting methods. First you are going to do it better than a cookie cutter machine, and second you are not going to be able to copy it exactly from a photo.

The way I see it no one has ever made anything truly new.....they have only made variations of things that have been done in the past. Coves, fillets, dados, rabbets, dovetail, grooves, roundovers, miters, etc.....all of these have been used in more ways than can be cataloged in more projects than can be used.

And I stand by this in the way that all of my plans, once finished and that I need to use SketchUp to make, go out on the 3D Google warehouse. Only thing I ask is that you give as FREEly as you take.

LQQK

[bois]

I find there is rarely a moral dilemma in instances like this because as a craftsman you are almost never put in the position where you are trying to build a commercially availably piece for less money. The economics simply don't make sense. Where I would draw the line is if someone came to me and asked me to reproduce a Moser for less (because I probably actually could) but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. In this case, the designer likely can't find exactly what the client wants, and the slight variation is significant enough they are willing to go custom and pay a premium to get what they are looking for. The manufacturer of the piece in the picture can't produce what the client wants, even at a higher price, so have at it. As for the portfolio question, I tend to only highlight my own designs in my portfolio. That's where I want to highlight my design capabilities, not my entire resume.