Seeking Perfection

Recently we did a morning local delivery where the customer put on a head-mounted inspection light and told my delivery team "It better be perfect".

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Folks, I have to tell you - nothing is going to withstand that close of an inspection in the furniture business, it's not happening. In an era when a CNC machine can make a metal part to 0.00025", the furniture business is still done by hand, not by machine. It's saws, hammers and nails, staples and screw-blocks. Wood and metal and natural animal skins and foam. Leather that is pulled, tucked and put into place by human hands stretching it and doing the best they can. The guy that puts the brass nails on your sofa has a little tack hammer, pops about 30 of them in his mouth (still trying to figure that one out), and goes like a house afire one-at-a-time using only his eyeballs as his guide. Every cushion core is stuffed by hand, try doing it sometime and you will see how hard it is to do perfectly. Seams are sewn by ladies on sewing machines. Finishes are hand-rubbed, not machined..so you may see a little edge burn through. If you go looking for flaws with a high-intensity light, you will find them, I guarantee it.

If you are Perfectionist, then the best thing to do is to talk to me about it ahead of time, so you can know what to expect and the limitations of the build. If your standards are such that you can accept no tool marks, alignment variances, and other nuances then it's just best for you to not place an order with my store as neither I nor the manufacturer of the piece won't be able to satisfy you when the pieces arrive. I do not order multiple pieces one after another hoping one will meet your standards. It's One and Done - Good Luck - Hope you can find it elsewhere. I would prefer to decline your order rather than put you (and I) through the anguish of a perfection inspection. Perfection is unobtainable in this industry and always will be.

Wow that's a bit much, I do look over things to make sure nothing is amiss but "better be perfect" is not what I look for, more it better be right. Right to means it sits right, no easily noticeable imperfections, it's the right fabric/wood color etc. A few years ago I ordered three custom made tables (2 end, 1 coffee) and they were exactly what i wanted BUT they seemed a much darker finish than I remember picking but I was told by my better half I was just imagining it. We get home and place them in the living room and they were just way too dark to my eyes, I gave it a few weeks before I decided I'm not imagining things and called the seller who agreed to check them out if I brought them back. Took them back and it was quickly discovered the sample they showed me was very off from what the table finish. Thankfully they admitted the error and let me pick a new finish and I got three new tables that worked much better in my house.

Now if they would of just been a tad bit off/darker I probably would of been a bit disappointed but lived with it.