Not that we wouldn’t love to spend another week looking at RSS feed updates, but there is a question that only the venerable readers of BADG can help with.

My wife and I are both designers, and we both see design as more holistic than to simply refer to the “graphic” arts. We dabble in many things with both surprising and limited successes, with an eye towards interior design being one of her favorites. So when the need arose this week to find a suitable pedestal on which to place our forthcoming 46” HDTV (ooooooooh yeah), we decided that, as designers, it was our duty to both design and construct this pedestal. Some might call it a “TV stand,” but we choose not to for the sake of the project.

A few sketches into this foray and we’re both feeling the need for some further education in the field of furniture design. This, dear readers, is where we seek your help. If you have favorite links, stories, stores, blogs, or friends in the field, please post them below. And while we’re at it, we can all help decide if being a “graphic” designer is enough of a base to stretch into other fields.

Comments (15)

Adrian Hanft said:

We bought our TV stand from Ikea. Make a road trip and go pick it up at the nearest store. You won’t be disappointed

Posted on February 19, 2007

GcRaya said:

Talk to a custom cabinet maker or finish carpenter. That way you could design it yourself, to your liking. Granted it would cost a little bit more money, but it is going to be something your going to see a lot, depending how much TV you watch.

My brother is a finish carpenter. He loves doing stuff like that, but he lives in LA, not very close to you.

walkingstick said:

screw the stand. take the minimalist approach by purchasing a wall mount that hides behind the TV turning the TV into wall art when it is off, a kind of ode to modern technology and have one less piece of furniture to stub your toe on at night. my wife and i dig ours and always get complements. have a nice day.

Vonster said:

Find a good local carpenter and furnish him with a design of your own. I recently sketched out a bookcase/counter for my office and a local shop then fleshed it out. It was really simple. Of course this tends to be a little more expensive then buying an existing one but you’ll appreciate it more in the long run.

Damian Zannini said:

Just like Adrian said, Ikea is your best bet.

Bob said:

designspotter.com is a nice little blog type thingie for interior design.

It’s a lot of very conceptual work and I REALLY disklike most of it, but it’s great for inspiration and seeing new angles to look at things. I just browse the new additions every two weeks or so.

But I’m tending to agree with the IKEA posts… ;-)

tonepoems said:

For Ikea quality furniture at double the price you can always check out http://www.boconcept.us/Entertainment_units-62047.aspx.

Franco said:

Funny, we’re doing the exact same thing (looking for an entertainment cabinet that is). Oddly enough, Crate and Barrel had a nice one which utilized space and mobility very well and the price wasn’t bad either. Simple design too… the Elements Media Cart.

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1152&f=10257

Posted on February 20, 2007

Thomas said:

I built an end table out of legos one time.

Moral of the story is, don’t build an end table out of legos, Nate.

Mike Miller said:

We (my wife and I) picked up a piece of furniture at the local thrift store for $20, sanded it down, and painted it all in the one weekend. We got rid of a bigger entertainment center and therefore had to get a new TV (you have to, it’s a rule…).

Anyhow, we found what looked to be a top of older china cabinet that looked like it had potential – simple, clean lines; in good shape; real wood, not pressed. We got some new hardware for the knobs, painted it, and it looks great for the cost $20 and a half a weekend.

Drop me an e-mail if you want to see a pic.

fame is funny said:

Graphic designers can do interior design as well. I study and do (professionally) interior work as well and graphic design.

A tv stand is pretty basic, but we would have to know what your surrounding elements look like to judge what should go there. Ikea makes some good basic stuff. www.westelm.com, target, crate and barrel, etc make some decent mid-price stuff. I build a lot of interior solutions, but a t.v. stand/cart is one of those projects that ends up taking more time and money than just going and buying a decent one.

Posted on February 23, 2007

Scott said:

Wow! I’m surprised how many copouts are being offered here. If you want to remain engaged in this furniture design project, continue the challenge and enjoy it … In the end, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing YOU did it; an educational experience; and if all goes well, bragging rights too. Those who have been properly educated primarily as “Graphic” designers definitely have the wherewithal to design across disciplines. The principles and elements of design remain the same. The distinction separating one designer from another is experience. So the only way you’re going to successfully cross disciplines is through doing it, thus, gaining experience.

I am in the final week of production (painting and lighting) of my fully built in home studio. I spent about 3 weeks designing the interior space (cabinets, desk, finish work, lighting, hardware, doors, etc.), then I had a few trusted carpentry experts bid the production end of it. Through experience, I have discovered that as much as I love to design anything, I am not a good finisher when it comes to finish carpentry. The studio is looking great and I am REALLY glad that I chose to design it myself, rather than having a generic cabinetry installer do their thing.

I actually designed my own entertainment center about six years ago, primarily to house a 42in rear projection TV. It included shelves to hold the TV and other AV components that slid out on high capacity slide rails (two sets on the sides and one center) allowing me to easily adjust the cables in the back. The only problem, as stated above, is that it was not finished well … so I tore it out and hired a carpenter to rebuild it.

So, I say, design it; and, if you’ve got the time and ambition to produce it yourself … go for it!

Posted on February 24, 2007

shannon said:

yeah, nothing can beat this bad boy and i’m pickin’ one up this spring… check it.

Posted on February 26, 2007

Jeremy said:

If you want a distinct design, then design it yourself.

Target and Ikea might have some well designed stuff but do you want to spend $1500 on a tv and have a $150 tv stand made of poor quality materials? If you are going to buy, look for something that fits your style and is made of quality materials(solid woods and plywood-NO MDF or particle board).

If you are going to build it yourself(which can be a lot of fun and very fulfilling), make sure that your level of craftsmanship can do justice to your design. You wouldn’t make a kick ass print design and have it printed at Kinko’s would you?

If you can’t build it the way you want to, ask somebody to help or hire somebody to build it. Go to your local woodworking store and ask if they know any custom builders. Chances are every person working at a woodworking store could build it for you.

If you have kids or are planning to have kids, mount the tv on the wall at least 3 1/2 feet from the floor so it can’t be reached or accidentally knocked over.

Posted on February 27, 2007

Vanessa said:

I think that if you are a designer, you have to have a great sense of design for more that just graphics. I have taken this approach and design my own furniture (dining table, sofa table, and end table). If you saw an interior designer who dressed like a teen pop princess, wouldn’t you wonder about her decorating style? Your furniture reflects your aesthetic. Are you scandinavian and an undergrad student? Great, go to Ikea. Are you living in a warehouse in the “arty” area of town with 25 other friends? Go to the thrift store. Are you a designer with an innate sense of beauty and the artesian urge to create? Then create. However, executing the craft is a different matter. I agree with Vonster: find a local carpenter. I f you have a fine wood store (exotic imported woods) or a hardware store that sells really nice carpenter’s hand tools, they can probably recommend someone to you. The carpenter should be willing to look at your design, maybe even suggest some practical changes. Here are a couple of fine furniture links I find inspiring: http://www.finefurnituremaker.com/ http://www.theoldcornstore.co.uk/james/furniture_gallery.htm

good luck.

Posted on March 7, 2007

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