***   Reminder...... Our next CFDA meeting is February 10, 2004......guest speaker Jan Sopoci will present metal furniture fabrication.... ****

- CFDA member Barry Newstat has been working at the Hinsdale Center for the Arts from Jan. 11 to Feb. 21. His morado and wenge hall table can be seen on p. 83 of the Feb/Mar '04 American Craft Magazine.

- Jan Sopoci will present a program on Fabricating Steel Furniture at the February Meeting. When the time comes to make a product from it, steel is every bit as tricky as wood. Jan will take us through the labyrinth of decisions and trade-offs that must be made when trying to realize a design in steel.
     - March--Ross Fiersten on a metal furniture topic yet to be specified.
     - April--Sean Scott on his experience designing for Niedermaier, a fashion sensitive furniture and display firm.
     - May—Lee Weizman, Chris David and David Orth on their experiences at the High Point furniture show.
     - June--Barry Newstat on his finely crafted wood furniture.

- A Chicago woodworker has shop space available..........Soon to be available wood working shop. Irving and Cicero Location in 1,200 sq. ft. stand alone building w/ 9'-6" ceiling and wood floors. Current rent $ 600.00 per month. Looking to sell the mechanical build out i.e. dust collection w. keyless remote. Air compressor system with plumbing, filters and regulators. Alarm system, Two phone lines. Unit heater. Air conditioner unit, Exhaust fan system. Light fixtures. Contact Michael Mellon 773-619-4237

Meeting Announcements

Antanas indicated he would contact Mahendra and check on the portfolio progress.

Pete Radecki, Treasurer and Web site manager reports that after thirty hours of work he has our web site redesigned and working and that the newsletter will henceforth be published only on the website. He asked for any suggestions to improve the FAQs. It was suggested that bios of new members be included in future editions.

Tor Faegre mentioned that a few days remained for the deadline of the "Curv-iture" show sponsored by the Furniture Society.

Matt Speers reported that he and Tim Cozzens have spoken with marketing officials of the Merchandise Mart who are interested in having CFDA designers represented in showrooms in the Mart. If you are interested in being so represented please contact Matt.
Matt also mentioned the Mart decided to discontinue the Chicago Design Show
There may be a different show created in its place.

During the Chicago Design Show Jan Sopoci was interviewed for a feature spot on the "Starting Over" TV show. Airing schedule will be announced.

Matt Speer reported that the Landmark Gallery is again seeking designers who wish to exhibit their works at a show in February. He also reported that his work stored at landmark was badly damaged.

Presentation

Chris Brandel provided an informative and thought provoking presentation on the sustainable movement. Thanks Chris!

The impetus for the show came from a book I discovered that explained how several park and forestry departments in this country are taking the mature urban trees that they eliminate in the normal course of business and converting them into lumber instead wood chips. By using this material we could serve a ‘green’ cause while building serious, sophisticated furniture. Instead of having to work with recycled plastics, salvaged architectural beams or some other alien or limiting materials, this lumber would enable us to design as an extension of what we already do.

Some of us might want to merely convert our existing products into ‘backyard exotics,’ like locust or catalpa, while others would want to explore new directions appropriate for the event. The recycling theme might not be any barrier to the metal workers, as so much recycled steel is suitable for use with only minor inconvenience.

Any Cultural Center Show requires a long time line, and that requires a commitment from the members who will participate. We will not likely be able to accommodate spontaneous, last minute entries. Before we pitch this show to the Cultural Center, we need to know that the membership is behind the idea. Please let me or Matt Speer know, either at the next meeting or by e-mail. Matt’s e-mail is matthewpaul@covad.net and John’s is Kriegshauser@iit.edu.

How far do we have to go?
Well, that really depends on how far we want to go and what resources we have to achieve that. It certainly isn’t productive nor practical to make or design something simply because it can be broken down into something that is completely 100% biodegradable or recyclable, but we should make the effort to try and make our designs as close to this ideal as possible without sacrificing our original ideas for it’s functional purpose and aesthetical considerations. The idea of Sustainable design in the furniture and architecture markets are still developing as new materials and methods are also designed and tested. The more we designers incorporate these ideas into our objects, the more our suppliers will look at providing materials and services which meet these ideals.

Why does this apply to us as furniture Designers?
Besides this being the right thing to do, we as designers are in the best position to inform our clients and suppliers of the alternatives and to implement these new ideas into our concepts.
Sustainable design practices can also help in the creativity of the design process by forcing us to look from another perspective. As we explore these ideas on a case by case basis, we will build up an inventory of new ideas and solutions which can be used on current or future projects.
The question of whether or not the individual designer making one or two pieces of furniture can make a difference, or if this design practice relates only to big companies which produce thousands of objects is a valid question. The answer to an individual making a difference is that by his or her self, probably not, however we are not just individuals. We all belong to a large number of people who share the same practices.
In order to provide an example of how we as a group make an impact, I have compiled a few statistics.
Based on year 2000 figures, there are approx 492,000 designers in the United States alone. Of which there are approximately 50,000 commercial design jobs, 46,000 interior design related jobs and 12,000 exhibit design jobs.
These numbers are expected to grow by approx 21-35% by the year 2010.[2] That’s approximately 108,000 people today making some kind of furniture or furniture related object.
Now, if each one of us 108,000 individuals makes one solitary piece of furniture in a year that’s an impressive number of individual pieces, even for a small sized furniture manufacturer.
Now, let’s say that we all use one pint of finish on each piece of furniture. We have just consumed 13,500 gallons of finish this past year, about 36gallons a day just as individuals.
How much wood have we used? If we use an average of 15bd/ft per piece of furniture that equals 1,620,000 bd/ft of lumber used each year. If we use the estimate of 261bd/ft per tree or 15,000 bd/ft per acre[3] we have consumed 6,207 trees this past year and deforested 108 acres of land. This is just by us as a combined group of individual furniture designers and makers. How much does a company like Steelcase use, who owns their own forests to manufacture their products? Not mentioning all the other related processes, waste material and raw materials it seems that these numbers are big enough to think about how we can minimize them.
Sustainable design practices look at these issues and try to find solutions which would replace the slow growing trees or toxic finish as a material source with one that is renewed at a quicker rate, can be recycled, or is less toxic, without creating a bigger impact on the environment. These impacts can be varied along with the way in which they are measured, but generally, a negative impact is something which creates a disturbance in the natural cycle of life.
Another reason to consider this design practice, for example, is if you are doing work for an architect and they want you to design for some furniture that will be placed into public buildings. Since it is a public building, they may be trying to gain credits for the L.E.E.D system created under the U.S. Green Building Council. If designed with Sustainable practices in mind, there is a good chance that the furniture you have designed will help them gain points under the following sections: MR credits 3.3, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6, 7 and EQ credits 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 & 4.5. [4]
As furniture Designers, we are part of a process which creates waste and pollutes the environment by way of chemicals and energy consumption. We use many resources such as wood, plastics, metals, inks, varnishes and many other toxic chemicals which are required to turn the raw materials into our end pieces. The future is a byproduct of our decisions[5] and each of these new things we create can have a significant impact on the earth’s ecosystem. It is our individual decision whether it is positive or negative.

What can we do to incorporate ideas of Sustainability into our designs?
When we have reached the point in the design process where our product is now a serious idea of something that can be made into an actual product, we need to start analyzing the product by asking questions similar to the following:
What is the products’ function?
Can it be made to be multifunctional?
What materials are used in it’s creation?
Are they clean?
Are they Renewable?
Are they Recyclable?
Are there alternatives which have less of an impact?
How will it be produced?
Can the steps be simplified?
Can production waste be reduced or reused?
Are there less energy consuming ways to produce it?
How it will be distributed?
Can the weight be reduced?
Can the shipping volume be reduced?
Can packaging material be reused/recycled/removed?
How will the product be used and repaired?
What kind of consumables are needed?
i.e. electricity
Can it be assembled using hand tools?
Can it be disassembled by a layman?
Are parts replaceable?
Can parts of the product be easily repaired separate from the whole?
Does it have a classic design promoting long product life?
How will it be disposed of?
Can the components be reused?
Can the end pieces be recycled?
Can they be safely incinerated?
The above list is a derivation of one found in the EcoDesign manual[6] which lists more specific questions to ask and is an excellent resource for all aspects of creating a sustainable design practice within an organization.
By asking these questions and acting on them with creativity and innovation, we can find ways in which to reduce our consumption of resources and energy so that we may create not only a singular products but also create a better quality of life.
The majority of the products we as designer’s make and produce will eventually be disposed of in some fashion. It is our responsibility to recognize this fact and to look at ways in which we can reduce the impact these products have on the environment at the beginning and the end of their lives. We must begin demanding and using less toxic materials to help prevent the release of harmful chemicals into the air and groundwater. We must close the “loop” by specifying and creating recyclable and reusable materials in our products so that when there primary function or aesthetic beauty are no longer seen, they can be newly appreciated as raw materials for another functional and aesthetically pleasing product instead of becoming a contributing factor in the height of the local landfill.

[1] Originally from: Ecological Design , Sim Van Der Ryn and Stuart Cowan, 1996. http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/faculties/EV/designresearch/mdp_abstracts/id/id01_wissner.htm
[2] http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos090.htm
[3] http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/components/DD3025-06.html
[4] http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/leed_interiors.asp
[5] http://futureproofed.com/core.lasso#why
[6] http://design.ntnu.no/fag/ecodesign/

What are market-niche color trends ?
By definition, a market niche is composed by consumers with enough and precise purchasing behavior parameters in common to make them belong to the same, distinctly unique marketing niche. Color, as described above, strongly affects the characterization parameters of such niches. Consequently, no color is "good" or "bad" or "so-so" by itself. It all depends on the market niche perspective and the color’s capacity to unleash or trigger-off the correct valorization reaction. No color is "dangerous" or "classic", for that matter. For example, "blood-shot" red, currently not part of any mainstream color trend, is ideal for "gambling loving" consumers. To them, blood-shot red does not recall sad war experiences but rather the winner’s power of money. Cassinos know this and take it to their advantage, and although conservative people and young nerds would most probably not like blood-shot red, they rarely go to Cassinos. Theme-furniture designers should also take advantage of these and other color-related facts.

What is color development good for ?
T he development of spanking new colors allows to differentiate theme furniture through specific "value differences" niche appeals, thus being able to recall specific things in some peoples minds, and nothing (or negative things) in others. Furthermore, if the new color or hue is complex enough, it may very well eliminate the possibility of being copied by others fast enough or well enough. Manufacturing techniques many times can mean a competitive edge in un-thought of ways.
Furthermore, color perception is what really matters in theme furniture applications, which in turn is also affected by age-dependent color sensitivity.

color perception = material + color + texture + special effects + matching

Color: The introduction of an innovative color can be the "make it or break it" factor under today’s marketing environment. Remember how successful Heinz’s bright green (rather jurassic) Ketchup was? Or the shocking pink margarine for a young girls’ "healthy" diet ?

Material: Reflectivity and finish.

Texture: tactile feel, rugosity/smoothness.

Effects: Degradé, pearlescence, glitter, metallics, iridescence, glow, fluorescence, "layering",lighting conditions variations, temperature conditions variations, transparency, holographics, translucency, lacquered effect, suede effect, etc. Undefined color perceptions may arise from different combinations thereof.
Matching: "Metamerism" may cause two supposedly different colors to be perceived as identical depending upon the lighting source under which they are seen, and then turn back to be ‘different’ again as soon as lighting conditions vary. These "surprises" are due to the different chemistries and corresponding reflectance curves of the coloring agents used.

What are today’s mainstream color trends ?
2003 was dominated by tranquilizing watery and atmospheric blues, with lots of metallic and pearlized hues, thus confirming that color no longer has a single dimension, which makes it difficult , if not impossible, to classify colors with obsolete denominations such as "reddish brown". Good examples of this are "silger" car paint, a rare overlay of silver and gold, or the burnished pewter hues and the glamorous "champagne beiges". The tech-look fad pushed the "liquid silvers" and the vivid fluorescent colors. (Source: Color Marketing Group, Virginia, USA.).
Furthermore, by post-modern impact, today’s mainstream color trends also tend to be ever-more varied, with overlapping and simultaneous, niche-dependent sub-trends.