Natural Furniture

The word ‘Natural’ is not often used in the context of furniture. Something natural, our instincts tell us, is something that hasn’t been touched by humans, something that hasn’t been manufactured.

But, here’s the thing. We have found that it is possible to make something using entirely natural components. When you think about furniture, one probably doesn’t consider the provenance of what we sit on. The sofas or chair that furnish our home are often full of synthetic materials, like plastic, which can be hidden away under the velvet or cotton that cover them.

So what is natural furniture?

To us, it starts with traceability. The traceability of components in Natural furniture is very important. For instance, even luxury furniture can use soft, or plywood, sourced from all over the planet, to create the frame of a sofa. Sometimes, the foam that goes into more expensive sofas is made from a plastic called Polyether. Polyether is a material that has revolutionized furniture production but can be harmful to people, and the planet in two importantly different ways. Our oceans (and forests) are blighted by the plastics that never degrade. Polyether is also a known carcinogen.

“Hygge” is a danish word. The most literal translation we have found for this word is “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being”. We believe that entirely natural furniture lends itself beautifully to ‘hygge’. By creating something that is totally natural and delivers complete comfort. This feeling of comfort we can find also promotes mental and physical well-being. And this, perhaps, is the most modern thing about natural furniture.

Materials and decorative style

The materials that adapts to the use of our furniture are more advisable. There are harder materials, either wood or upholstery, and there are more delicate materials. A lacquered table is a luxury not suitable for a daily dining room in a family with children. In this case a hardwood is the best option. Something similar happens with fabrics. An ecological leather is suitable for a chair with a lot of use and allows washing, while artificial fabrics are more delicate and suffer more wear and stains.

Natural materials also relate directly to the decorative style. If you integrate the warmth of the wood or the coldness of the marble into the concept of the overall style of the project you will see a different result. The materials and their textures speak for themselves. You should take into account the planning of your house decoration, by looking at the integration and combination of various materials (including floors, walls, fabrics, curtains, etc.).

What To Look For

Some manufacturers like Maker&Son, have prioritized the comfort of customers over quick manufacturing processes. This means that they also prioritized the sustainability of the furniture and the future of our planet over high profit margins.

The benefits of making furniture in a natural way are salient. Creating springs from a natural material may cost the producer more but this will make the end product last longer and, crucially, will make the product itself much more comfortable to sit on.

And really, that’s the whole point. Natural furniture may take longer and more money to produce (and, of course, to buy) but the level of both comfort and longevity of the piece will make the extra investment worth it, for both the consumer and the environment.