Romancing the wood
It seems SpaceCraft Joinery, 35° South Building Company and James Howe Furniture Design are all tapping into a growing desire for direct and authentic connections between buyer and maker. It’s a movement born of buyers’ increasing interest in the story behind the product; in the designer’s skill in crafting a product, their ethical approach, and the origins of the materials used. They’re looking for high quality, unique, innovative products and services with low environmental impact that reflect their chosen lifestyle – and they’re increasingly prepared to pay for these characteristics.
The reasons for engaging a designer/maker often go beyond appreciation of a particular expression of a craft. For these three designers, values are also important – both the designer/maker’s and the customer’s. One of these shared values is community; in a world of escalating uncertainty, customers want to shop and support local, and they connect with the strong sense of place and community that
