Call for better furture design

Press, 12 February 1986, Page 9

Call for better furture design

Consumers should demand more from New Zealand furniture designers, says a visiting expert on furniture design, Mr Jim Swartzman. Mr Swartzman is a partner in an Australian design firm and has a weekly column in a Sydney newspaper. He is in New Zealand for two seminars on furniture design. Demanding more from manufacturers not only improved the product for the consumer, it helped the manufacturer, he said in Christchurch yesterday. “The consumer has to say, 'We want better design, better colour and better fabrics’.” / Mr Swartzman is ac-

companied in New Zealand by Messrs Robert Lang and Tony Master (Australian furniture designers) and Mr Brian Blacklock, an Australian furniture manufacturer. Nev? Zealand had talented furniture craftsmen but needed better marketing techniques, they said. “New Zealand designers are reliable, they have a high standard of work and they use good timbers, but they are not marketing oriented.” Furniture designers had to start taking export seriously and build a confidence in their craft, said Mr Swartzman. “You have got an industry and a country to be

proud of, but it is isolated and lacks expertise in presenting itself.” Mr Swartzman said it was important that New Zealand and Australian designers started working together. They had a lot in common, including the same “enemies” — countries able to produce furniture cheaper. New Zealand designers also had to work in concert, he said. “You have very talented people and it is time they worked together.” Italian and Swedish designers were invading the world with their designs which included lacquer and “bubblegum” (bright) colours.

“The look is very young, vibrant and exciting.” Mr Swartzman said the reaction of New Zealanders to these ideas at the seminar on Monday was one of culture shock. The visitors spent yesterday morning looking at furniture in Christchurch shops and their reaction was that most of it was very expensive. “The average home is going to cost $4OOO or $5OOO to furnish.” Because furniture was seen as an investment and a luxury item, many people would be reluctant to buy furniture in a “new” design or bright colour, but it was important to remember that to-

day’s furniture had removable covers, said Mr Swartzman. “In the past, covers were on for ever. Today you can have two or three covers.” Mr Swartzman said he was not in New Zealand to give manufacturers and designers an “American hype” but to give encouragement and try to help New Zealanders break in to the Australian market and vice versa. He believed that if New Zealand manufacturers worked together, they could take more advantage of the Australian market than the Australians would ever able to take in New Zealand.