For centuries, if someone wanted something they bartered for it, which meant you had to have a skill set, or you made do with what was available, or simply made it with your own two hands. Most people possessed skills (or had a neighbour that did) to build and repair their home and the stuff in it. If you ordered something from a catalogue, it read in bold "assembly required" – and NO, there was not a service available to pay for assembly. Granted, some things need a skilled trade person like an electrician, HVAC technician or a plumber. Whatever happened to generations of handy, do-it-yourself people? You can't say they had more time, ‘cause that's not true! We live in a time with paid vacations, stat holidays and 40 hour work weeks (on average, I know many work more). On top of that we have “Google University”, YouTube and goddamn CABLE TV!
Last year my wife and I bought a house in Parkdale, in Toronto. We had a smaller place before and a lot less furniture, so we started shopping. The more we looked, the more irritated I got. We are not hard up but the price of some things out there are outrageous, and the affordable stuff isn't made to last.
Now I know you’re probably saying “quality costs more” and you are right, but the price of a factory-built harvest table from wood older than my parents (or even worse, from new lumber made to look older than CANADA) is outrageous. I mean, come on, who's kidding who!? Unless it was made by a blind Amish man, completely out of wood and took him 3 weeks to make, then fine, I'll fork over five grand.
Anyway, back to my harvest table. I asked around and went to a few shops and got a truckload of barn board from a hermit for about $90. I visited a furniture store and looked at how tables were made, called a family member to get some help. I am not a fan of navigating the web when I can talk to someone. I have a wack of tools, and what I didn't have I got from the tool library... that's right!!!! A goddamn tool library!!!!! Now there is no excuse not to try TORONTO (and other cities with tool libraries). And so... I went to work. In two afternoons in some of my proudest moments peppered with foul language, I had a table that not only my wife loved, but one that a few people wanted to place an order for. Take that RH!
Shortly after, with the rest of the wood, I built a few other things and realized that if I was capable, than pretty much anyone is. It's amazing what you can accomplish with some tools, some raw materials, and a whole ton of patience (and a bit of Sailor Jerry). If you need proof, our house was featured in Apartment Therapy
I didn't do a Homer Simpson job, I took my time and made something I'm proud of. Our generation has lost some of this, but some are picking it up again and retuning to a more honest and authentic time. Stop buying things that you can make yourself. You will be happier for it... and hey, you might even make a living out of it.
