FURNITURE

Fast Furniture Can't Compete with a Custom Approach in Interior Design

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Fast Furniture Interior Design

Fast Furniture Shouldn’t Be a Part of Luxury Interior Design

First, there was fast food. Then, there was fast fashion. And, now there's fast furniture.

What do they have in common? They're all inexpensive, easy to find, and have environmental consequences.

Though fast furniture is the newest addition to the group, its environmental impact is substantial.

photo Custom Furniture Lisa Gilmore Design

The Consequences of Convenience

Furniture sales increased dramatically during the pandemic. Sales of desks, chairs, and patio equipment alone increased by more than $4 billion from 2019 to 2021. Many of these pieces, purchased from mass-production companies, aren't made to last.

The EPA says that each year, Americans throw out more than 12 million tons of furniture, an increase of 450 percent since 1960. Often, fast furniture pieces are made from materials that are hard to recycle or repair.

An Interior Design Perspective on Fast Furniture

Fast furniture also makes a less-than-ideal impression when used in a home.

Mass-produced furniture is sub-par from a design perspective – lesser quality and easily replicated, which is why we do not use it at Lisa Gilmore Design.

That's why we source our furnishings in three ways:

  • Placing Custom Orders: We collaborate with independent craftsmen and artisans to create unique pieces.

  • Custom Upholstery: We order custom upholstery from carefully selected partners, as made-to-order pieces create less waste.

  • Restyling Antiques: We revitalize carefully selected antiques and vintage pieces to give them new life.

Lisa Gilmore Design Furniture Selection

When we are shopping or custom-ordering a piece, we ask ourselves these questions:

  • Where was this item made?

  • What material is this item made of?

  • Does this item have a history?

  • Is this a piece that will still be relevant in 20 years?

Here are a few examples of our process in action.

Vintage Dining Chairs Tampa Florida

Teal Repainted and Reupholstered Dining Chairs

We painted and reupholstered our client’s existing vintage dining chairs to give them a completely new look.

photo Original Look Lisa Gilmore Design

Teal Repainted and Reupholstered Dining Chairs

The Finished Look

When we needed additional chairs to fill the space, we looked on Chairish for chairs similar in style. To make the chairs look cohesive and intentional, we painted them the same color and used the same fabric on all of them.

photo Finished Look Lisa Gilmore Design

Custom TV Cabinet Tampa Florida

Custom TV Cabinet in St. Pete

This custom TV cabinet was made by a local carpenter, and all the upholstery featured in this room was made in North Carolina.

photo Lisa Gilmore Design

upcycled reupholstred vintage sofa in mid-century home

Reupholstered Sofa and Custom-Designed Ottomans

This vintage sofa was reimagined after being reupholstered, and the ottomans were designed by Lisa. Both were created by local partners.

photo Lisa Gilmore Design

Vintage upcycled furniture idea side chairs with gold and animal print

Vintage Furniture Gets a Fresh Look

This space features antique finds mixed with newer pieces. We chose an antique rug and revitalized vintage furniture with new, custom upholstery fabricated in North Carolina.

photo Lisa Gilmore Design

Mid-century Upcycled Vintage Yellow Dining Chairs

Restyled Dining Room

This dining area features mid-century dining chairs that were restyled and repainted locally for a pop of color. Most of the upholstery in this photo was made to order by a partner in North Carolina and the rug is made of natural textiles.

photo Lisa Gilmore Design 

FAQs: Fast Furniture and Interior Design

1. What is considered fast furniture?

Fast furniture refers to mass-produced, inexpensive pieces you can easily find in big stores. They're quick fixes for your home, but they come with a price.

2. What are the issues with fast furniture?

Well, fast furniture may be cheap, but it's not eco-friendly. It ends up in landfills, and it's not built to last. Plus, it's kinda like having the same outfit as everyone else at the party—no fun!

3. How long does fast furniture last?

Don't count on it for the long haul. Fast furniture tends to wear out quickly. It's like buying a car and expecting it to last forever. It won't.

The Lisa Gilmore Design Difference

The spaces Lisa Gilmore Design creates include locally sourced and custom elements. While some fast furniture pieces are beautiful, they are still cheap reproductions in comparison to the one-of-a-kind pieces we include in our clients' homes.

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Lisa Gilmore Design is a full-service interior design firm based in St. Petersburg, Florida that provides luxury design services to busy professionals. We create hand-curated, exclusive spaces through the use of artisan-crafted pieces, antique elements, and custom designs. Lisa Gilmore Design serves homeowners in Clearwater, Tampa Bay, Hyde Park, South Tampa and worldwide.

DESIGN PROJECT:: THE PENNY HOARDER HQ

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Every once in a while, we get really lucky! We meet really fabulous people who invite us into their homes to design the perfect environment for them, then they ask us to do their workspace. This project was nothing less of that. A while back we completed the private residence for the CEO of The Penny Hoarder (photo tour of that beauty in the near future!). So, without question, I was more than thrilled to accept.

 

This space is a really cool space, earlier in the year, it was rehabbed and brought back to life by Boyd Construction. The building was on it's last leg (and rumored to once have been a brothel.) They took it to it's bones and made it shine, without loosing it's character of being a 100 year old building. It was a widen open blank canvas. That's where the LG Design team got to work.

Kyle, CEO of The Penny Hoarder, explained he wanted an open work environment. Places for people to collaborate, brainstorm and feel creative. He also wanted to incorporate cozy little spots for people to relax and have conversations. He believes in a healthy balance of work and play, to produce top knotch work. All while having a modern tone.

So we got to work... 

A bright and sunny conference room overlooking Central Avenue. 

An open writers area with individual desks. We decided to design the space with half walls to house all of our electrical needs while creating separation. We finished them off with old brick to bring in that 100 year old building vibe. 

If you know me, you know we are going to try to sneak some wallpaper in somewhere! This time we decided to dress the long hallway with a plum/purple geometric pattern. I absolutely love how it looks with the copper accents throughout the space.  

We also lined the hallway with tourqouise chesterfield sofas, the art was inspired by what started The Penny Hoarder -- couponing! So we had custom acrylic boxes made and filled them with millions of coupons. Okay, maybe not millions, but a lot! You get it... 

While working in an open space is fun, we understand that sometimes you need some quiet spots to get your ideas out and pen to paper. That's where these glass "pods" came into play. Sleek, simple and efficient.  

We mentioned Kyle likes to have a healthy balance of work and play, right? Well if this isn't proof enough... A shuffle board for those much needed breaks! 

Just what would The Penny Hoarder HQ be without some fun with pennies? We love this coffee table featuring Lincoln made out of nothing other the copper pennies! 

More creative writing and collaboration areas throughout the space...

A modern kitchen and break room featuring a stainless steel backsplash in the classic subway style.  

 

Aren't these copper chairs the coolest?! 

Last, but definitely not least, we had some fun in the bathrooms with a bold wallpaper and paired them with funky mirrors. 

So what do you think? Isn't The Penny Hoarder HQ such an invigorating space? I feel like my creativity would constantly be flowing.  

Tell us your thoughts below! 

 

All photography by Native House Photography.  

LIVING COLORFULLY

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There is just something about a colorful environment that makes my heart so happy. Combine that with pattern and other fun elements and I am one happy designer!  

Sometimes I let my imagination run wild and just create spaces to feed my design cravings.  

 

A colorfully chic entryway  

I personally love the idea vibe of this space. Black and white stripes, paired with leopard print and floral, pops of bold color, including the ceiling. Regal furniture pieces mixed with more modern elements make this room exciting and not too traditional or too modern.  

So what do you think? Would you ever dare to live this colorfully? Share your thoughts!