Furniture Modding- Modded
From Mod Mania
Please Note- Text in Itallic is from Furniture Modding
Since there has been furniture, people have altered it to suit them. Starting as word of mouth, furniture alteration became commercial in the 20th century through handy hints in magazines and TV shows. These mass media publications have provided the public with information on how to modify furniture since the boom in DIY principles after World War II. The concept of furniture modification has recently taken off in an even bigger way with the development of the Internet. Mass media publications such as Magazines and TV have been largely unable to create an environment in which furniture modders could create an active community. The Internet has provided the necessary infrastructure for such a system of communication. With such global exposure, the trend of ‘furniture modding’ has the strongest presence in a network of weblogs such as Design*Sponge, Craftyness and IKEA Hacker, and has an international following. Follow the links to experience this phenomenon for yourself.
Media coverage of furniture modification in media publications boomed after World War II due the new social and economical state. “Mend and make do” and DIY became popular principles out of necessity during and after the war due to tighter home budgets, restrictions on the consumption of resources and a lack of professional tradesmen available. The media embraced these principles by providing advice and tips in a number of forums. For example, in 1946 'Women’s Hour' a British radio program was created to give women advice on the recycling and mending of products including furniture as well as other homemaking tips. In America, the popularisation of the ‘suburban ideal’ and the post war building boom furthered these trends. With this came the launch of magazines such as 'Practical Householder' from around 1950, and after the popularisation of TV from around 1956, DIY and home improvement television programs such as 'Barry Bucknells Do It Yourself' became popular. These outlets for DIY tips throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s were cantered around the concepts of money saving, and as such usually dealt with large scale projects rather than furniture modification. For example the first issue of Practical Householder in 1955 included the first instalment of a series called “Build your own Bungalow”, with the only furniture modification article being on making couch covers.
Furniture modification gained new importance and coverage from the 1960s, when a shift came from DIY as an economic need, to DIY as a leisure activity. As economic stress lessened, the focus of DIY mass media industries changed their focus from one of necessity, to one of aesthetic decoration as a hobby. The enjoyment of DIY projects is greatest for participants when they are challenged, but not overwhelmed. Therefore smaller, more accessible home improvement projects such as furniture modification began to gain greater coverage in the mass media. By the ‘60s manufacturers had created products aimed at beginners, such as easy to use tools and pre-mixed paint colours which were advertised in on TV and in magazines.
Furniture modification remained a popular topic in magazines and on TV through the ‘90s. An increased amount of leisure time and a larger disposable income for the average person accommodated furniture modification to be undertaken as a hobby. The manufacturers of DIY supplies, and producers of DIY mass media had created an industry from these hobbies which they continued to advertise as desirable. Some theorists suggest that modification of furniture provided a solution for those who wished to continue the consumerist lifestyle while also retaining individuality, which may have also contributed to its sustained popularity. From the ‘90s to the naughties the internet joined the mass media coverage of furniture modification.
Although coverage of furniture modding in the media had gained a large following by hobbyists and professionals, there was not a great deal of communication between modders through TV and magazines. The internet provided a community setting in which those who modify furniture can interact. Magazine coverage of furniture modification usually comes in two forms: As part of a broader lifestyle or home improvement magazine, or in a specific format suitable for those modifying furniture professionally or semi-professionally. An example of a furniture modification magazine for professionals is the 'Upholstery Journal'. This magazine outlines current trends in textile design and upholstery and issues such as workshop safety and “the art of wood finish touch-ups”. 'Upholstery Journal' creates a means for those in the industry to be informed about the upholstery work and experiences of others. This is through articles which inform about the achievements of others. While it therefore could be said that the 'Upholstery Journal' creates community, it is a community which is closed and one sided. This journal generally does not give DIY advice for beginners seeking to gain access to this Upholstery community. In addition to this, 'Upholstery Journal' does not provide a platform for interaction among its readers directly, further than naming upcoming conferences and events.
Other magazines often do provide a platform for communication between readers through Q&A articles and letters to the editor. Both of these are common in magazines with more general topics. Some popular magazines of this type include 'Better Homes and Gardens', 'Style at Home' and 'Martha Stewart Magazine'. In addition to giving information of furniture modification, this genre of magazine also often include style tips, interior decorating and renovating information, and sometimes gardening advice and recipes. Although these magazines often provide a platform for interaction among readers, the lack of specificity to furniture modification means that the space dedicated to this interaction is shared between the various disciplines covered in the magazine. The conversation between those interested in furniture modification is therefore minimal.
TV shows related to furniture modification most often cover similar content to this genre of magazine. An obvious example of this the similarity of content is the 'Better Homes and Gardens' TV shows relationship to the content of the 'Better Homes and Gardens' magazine. TV shows of this type, like the magazines also must share the time available to discuss furniture modification with other types of home improvement and lifestyle projects. TV shows such as Better Homes and Gardens and Domestic Blitz sometimes include an element in which community members ‘win’ or are selected to participate in home improvement projects often including furniture modification. Although these shows often directly engage with the community in this way, it is done as example for disconnected viewers, rather than as an act which links community members together.
The internet provides a mass media outlet for furniture modification communities in which community members can engage and interact with each other more fully. With far smaller publication and production costs, websites can be produced which address furniture modification more specifically and link community members through live forums.
A weblog (also known as a blog) is a site where contributors post regular information on topics of their choice, from writing a journal of their life to focusing on black and white photography. Design*Sponge is a blog dedicated to home and product design, with daily posts on, and links to, products for sale, artists, other blogs and craft ideas. Written by Brooklyn based Grace Bonney, the site has a world wide following, and was a pioneer of online interiors with it’s launch in August, 2004. It remains a leader in its field with commendations from Vogue magazine, Good Morning America and The London Times, and named one of Time Magazines “Design 100s” for 2008.
The blog has ‘Do It Yourself’ (DIY) tutorials every Wednesday, with projects including furniture mods such as draw dividers and mirror stencils. DIY is the largest presence of furniture modding, appearing on blogs, websites, home expos and television shows. These tutorials explain how you can make the most of your space by using benches as shelves or how you can bring new life to an old chair by reupholstering it.
There is also a ‘Before and After’ category (example above), where readers (often other bloggers, artists or craftspeople) can send in photos and discussions on a DIY project they have done. This is often reupholstering furniture, but interesting ideas on how to give old furniture new life in an unexpected way are also common.
On Design*Sponge, readers can comment on posts (see below image), typically: A closed comment on how they like the project A suggestion on how it could be improved, that they have been inspired to do the project, or A question clarifying something (what paint was used, how the nails were hidden etc). Rarely are there negative comments, partly because the blog author restricts posts she deems “do not contribute constructively to the conversation at hand…” This creates a healthy environment for modders and fans to relate to the project and each other.
To increase awareness and help readers develop connections, if a blog author leaves a comment, their name appears as a link to their page. As a blog writer myself, I have previously left comments on high traffic blogs and have afterward noticed a significant increase in traffic to my own blog.
Surprisingly, there are very few posts on the readers’ experience of doing a project after reading the tutorial. I believe that this is because this blog exists as a place to dream up your perfect home interior, and acts more as inspiration and encouragement than suggesting that you should undertake projects exactly as they appear. Readers may also feel they do not have the time, motivation and especially materials to embark on them.
This limited interaction between the reader, the project and author is due to furniture modding being a very new concept. Of the six or so bloggers I contacted in my search for specialised online furniture modding communities, not one could point me in the direction of one I had not already found. The trend does not have the history and experience that other modding communities do. It is also quite different to long standing mods such as car, bike and game mods in that factors change as different furniture is used and material availability varies with every state and country. It is therefore hard to work on a group project that would have readers and writers from across the globe gaining a sense of unity, as other online groups do.
The online furniture modding community appears to be split into two groups- the ‘crafters’, and the ‘readers’. The crafters write the blogs, invent and undertake the projects and write in with ideas and tips. The readers are more passive, they love to be awestruck by the posts and leave comments to show their admiration and in this, you feel that they are wishing for the creative genius of the crafters, or even just the time, resources and motivation to replicate DIY tutorials. In this way, the crafters are satisfying a desire in the readers, who in turn admire and inspire the crafter. This supply and demand allows the online furniture modding experience to retain the momentum to keep gaining followers and exposure.
A younger, smaller and more furniture specific blog also reflects this observation. Launched in June 2008, Craftynest is the brainchild of Monica Ewing who aims, “to share practical and pretty DIY ideas for the home.” She posts one project per week, ranging from replicas of products seen in stores to reviving thrift store finds, her focus remains on making the product as cheaply as she can in an environmentally friendly way. The post includes materials, tools, suppliers, step-by-step instructions and lots of photos (see below), making them very easy to do.
The recent creation and consequential success of this blog is evidence that the trend of furniture modding is becoming more recognised in the already popular online craft world. Interestingly, it is also a trend driven largely by women, who are defying the tradition of furniture construction being a largely male field.
IKEA Hacker is an even more specialised blog, focusing on ways to use IKEA branded furniture in a way not intended by the designer. Having been around since June 2006, the site has evolved to be extremely encouraging of conversations between readers. This is done through comments, like Design*Sponge and Craftynest, but the site goes one better and shares a forum (image below) with IKEA Fans, a site with similar content. This allows much more interactive discussions between a larger range of readers. They can start threads looking for answers to a question, or just a conversation. The forum is very active and blurs the line between aforementioned ‘crafters’ and ‘readers’. Making the most of every available and popular technology, there is even an [IKEA Hackers Flickr group] that supports the trend.
Thus, the IKEA Hacker is the most advanced of the furniture modding websites, as it does not rely entirely on the author, but more on readers writing in with their own mods, and discussing their own experiences. This is made easy as the materials required are easily obtained at any IKEA store worldwide. IKEA has not taken any action to stop the activities, as it is quite good publicity for them, encouraging sales and brand awareness. It is a positive relationship for all those involved.
The online world of furniture modding communities is a young, but swiftly growing one. This can be attributed partly to the lack a mass media type able to link those specifically concerned with furniture modification. Since the growth in popularity of DIY during and after the second world war, furniture modification has become a fashionable hobby with a large following. Learning from experience and the precedent of other modders, the trend is taking advantage of available technology and becoming increasingly accessible. It’s a great job or hobby for today’s society, encouraging creativity, innovation and material conservation and reuse, for this reason picking up fans left, right and centre.
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