Green furniture growing in popularity, though prices are still steep

Whether you're a design junkie who obsesses over every piece of furniture in the house or a low-maintenance IKEA type, there's no question that the surfaces on which you sleep, eat and lounge are a big part of your everyday life. And like most choices we make, the furniture that fills our home not only affects our comfort levels, but also has an impact on the environment and our health.

There are many good reasons to seek out green furniture: Keeping excessive manufacturing waste out of landfills; saving endangered forests; and improving indoor air quality by reducing the use of toxic chemicals are a few of the big ones. And as innovative designers become increasingly tuned in to the desires of the consumer who is as style savvy as she is environmentally conscious, options abound for outfitting your pad with supremely cool gear that doesn't forget the planet.

Sound too good to be true? Economically, it may be. Though rapidly growing, green design is still a relatively small segment of the furniture market, which often results in hefty price tags for even simple pieces. The solution? Start slowly.

Just as it's impossible to instantly transform every piece of your wardrobe into organic cotton, it's unrealistic to quickly fill your home with furniture crafted from sustainably harvested wood. While you're saving up for the big-ticket items like the Isabella Bed from RC Green — made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood and natural latex — you can score furniture that is eco- and wallet-friendly by seeking out previously owned pieces. Reusing is always the greenest option as it doesn't require new materials or the energy required for manufacturing, and it keeps another item out of the landfill. You can go the craigslist.org or freecycle.net route or you can hunt for vintage and antique items.

But if you've got the green to purchase new green pieces, keep these tips in mind as you shop:

• Look for furniture made from reclaimed materials. Houses, kitchen tables, pianos, baseball bats — think of all the wood that is used to make things each day and then think about all the scraps left over from construction and manufacturing and the landfill waste from discarded wood items. Instead of using new wood to make dining room chairs and beds and bookshelves, some green designers are turning to wood that's already in play. NYC-based RG Furniture Design turns lumber from historic buildings under demolition in New York City into striking tables, benches, shelves and lamps.
• Seek out furniture made from FSC-certified wood. We need trees. Lots of them. They produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, and help to keep the planet cool, among several other very commendable attributes. Purchasing furniture made from wood sourced from sustainably harvested forests helps to ensure that many trees will be with us for a long, long time. The Forest Stewardship Council is the biggest certifier. Look for its seal of approval before investing in an eco-friendly piece of furniture. Check out Woodshanti's stunning FSC-certified computer desk.
• Purchase furniture made without toxic chemicals. Your couch may look harmless, but unless you know exactly how it was manufactured, there's a good chance that it's off-gassing (emitting substances into the air) harmful chemicals into your home. The most common off-gassed substances are VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, which actually sound as scary as they are — they've been connected to cancer and birth defects — and can be found in substances like formaldehyde, flame retardants, finishes, adhesives and foam cushions. Check out the Brave Space Hallow Coffee Table with low VOC adhesives and a nontoxic finish.

You don’t have to break the bank on furniture

10 Tips: The economy may look bleak, but your home doesn't have to

By Laura T. Coffey

TODAYShow.com contributor
With gas and food prices rising and the economy stalling, it can be hard to keep up with routine bills and expenses, let alone expenses that are extra or unexpected. But what if you really need to furnish a room or section of your home at a time like this?

It’s easy enough to find yourself in such a predicament whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been established for years.

Don’t worry, though – the following tips can help you consider your options and save some of your hard-earned cash.

1. The Internet is your friend. Rather than blow hour after hour of precious weekend time visiting furniture stores on a potentially fruitless search, do some shopping around online first. You could compare the prices and details of similar pieces of furniture at 10 to 12 different stores in a matter of minutes.

2. Reflect on ways to spend nothing, or almost nothing. Don’t necessarily turn your nose up at the idea of scoring free or low-cost pieces of furniture from other people who live in your area. You could find exactly what you’re looking for via Web sites such as Craigslist (check out the “free” link under “for sale”), The Freecycle Network, Sharing Is Giving, Freecycleamerica.org, ReUseIt Network and FreeSharing.org. Here’s something to remember, though: When visiting all of these Web sites with the exception of Craigslist, try to have an eye toward giving as well as receiving. Also, don’t try to trade or swap through these sites; the idea is to give stuff away with no strings attached.

3. Check out the goods in person. As convenient as it can be to shop at home, it’s still important to be careful about buying furniture solely on the basis of a tiny thumbnail image on the Internet. If at all possible, try to inspect the actual furniture before you buy so you can see its overall finish and appearance. Another benefit of examining the furniture in person: You could avoid exorbitant shipping fees that way.

4. Remember warehouse stores. Places like Costco and Sam’s Club aren’t just for bulk purchases of dog food, diapers and artichoke hearts, you know. You often can find surprising deals on high-quality furniture at warehouse stores and literally save hundreds of dollars on the purchases you make.

5. Be alert for deals. If you’re in the market for furniture, get in the habit of scanning the ads in your Sunday paper, in your mailbox and in the windows of stores in your area. Stay on the lookout for going-out-of-business sales and same-as-cash financing deals with zero-percent interest for six to 12 months. (Note: If you finance a furniture purchase in this way, be absolutely sure to pay it off in full in the time you’re given to do so.)

6. Think ahead before you buy. You may fall in love with the look of a certain piece of furniture, but take a moment to read the care instructions. Reflect on how the piece will hold up after a few encounters with your small children or pets. If it’s likely to be trashed in mere days or weeks, don’t buy it.

7. Examine the construction. For units such as bookcases, tables and entertainment centers, determine whether the items are prefinished or made of unfinished wood. Bear in mind that sanding and finishing a shelving unit can take a great deal of time and effort. Also think twice before buying “wood grain” laminate or particle board that looks fake, and watch out for sloppy corners on moldings and doors that don’t align properly.

8. Measure, measure, measure. Before you do any shopping – and certainly before you bring a piece of furniture home – be sure to measure the area where you want the furniture to go so you can be confident that it will fit well and it won’t overwhelm or underwhelm the room. With shelving units, remember to write down the dimensions of the items you want to store on the shelves.

9. Plan ahead for transportation. Make sure you have the capacity to transport big, heavy items home or have the store deliver them for you – hopefully for a fee that isn’t too hefty. Also, if you decide you don’t want to keep the item, will you have to lug it all the way back to the store yourself?

10. Eyeball the warranty carefully. Make sure you understand what it does and does not cover, and get the details of any agreement in writing. For instance, if a salesperson verbally raves about a fabric-guard guarantee that sounds fabulous, make sure the details of that guarantee are clearly spelled out in writing.

© 2009 MSNBC Interactive. Reprints

Furniture in Indonesia

Once the long search for a home or apartment has been successfully completed, your next challenge is to furnish your new home. You may have shipped your entire household of furnishings from home or your last posting or you may be coming to Indonesia with a small air freight shipment or even with just a few suitcases.

Your home in Indonesia may be much larger than in your home country. You may be expected to entertain for business purposes and therefore may require additional furniture pieces.

If you are in need of furniture to furnish your new home, you are in luck. A wide variety of locally produced as well as imported furniture is available in Indonesia. From tropical favorites like bamboo, rattan, teak and other hard woods, to antiques, to knock-down bargain furniture, you'll undoubtedly find what you require within your price range.
Teakwood Furniture

Indonesia has for many years supplied teak wood to some of the premier furniture manufacturers in the world. Now, much of this beautiful furniture is actually made in Indonesia! When choosing teak furniture, be sure to ask if the furniture was made with plantation grown teak wood to ensure that the teakwood was not sourced from a no virgin rainforest. Enjoy beautiful teakwood patio furniture, teakwood dining furniture and more !
Rattan

Many expats enjoy the versatility of rattan furniture. With colorful tropical prints covering the cushions, rattan furniture is great for the patio as well as the living room. The lightweight nature of rattan makes it very easy to move around.

One thing to look out for are the infestations of small bugs in the rattan. If you find sawdust near your rattan furniture, you will probably need to take it out into the yard and give it a good overall spraying with bug spray. Ask the manufacturer what they do to the rattan to guard against insect infestations and what guarantees they offer that their furniture is bug free.

A full range of quality is available, so ask other expats what shops they recommend for quality rattan furniture. A manufacturer's claim of 'export quality' doesn't necessarily mean that they actually do export the products, just that they think that it is good enough to export.
Bamboo furniture

A bit heavier, but very sturdy, is furniture made from bamboo, mostly preferred for patio furniture. A long-term expat resident of Bali has been cultivating bamboo and researching many new bamboo products. We have her, and many other designers, to thank for the proliferation of different styles of bamboo furniture and other furnishings.
Upholstered furniture

Good quality upholstered furniture is also available. A comfortable sofa is probably one of the hardest things to find in Indonesia, as the motto goes ... the harder the better. seems to be the norm. Fortunately, there are some manufacturers who know that most expats are taller than most Indonesians, so the sofa is built at the proper height and width.

If you're looking for a sofa that matches your ideas of comfort, a wide variety of styles are available. Good manufacturers of sofas will offer you a choice of cushion firmness - from those that you can comfortably sink down into to ones that are extra firm with little give. Upholstering can be done with local batik or ikat (woven cloth) or imported fabric. Needless to say, the imported fabric is more expensive, an average price is about $50/meter.

Sofa beds can be found, though they don't utilize the heavy metal framework of a typical sofa bed from the west. Instead they use thick foam padding which folds out of the sofa onto the floor.
Antique furniture

True antiques are hard to come by and the authenticity is difficult to prove. However, there are a lot of antique reproductions, sold off Jl. Ciputat and in Jl. Kemang Timur, that are often just as beautiful as the real thing. 'New' furniture is often left out in the rain and sun to 'age' the piece.

Popular too in recent years, is the furniture that is made from antique wood. Old furniture is taken apart and the old wood is used to make 'new' furniture. One advantage of making furniture out of old wood is that it is much less likely to crack or be infested.
Custom-built wood furniture

It is possible to utilize the skills of master craftsmen to create pieces of furniture to fit your specific desires or needs. Finely detailed carving, beautiful woods and veneers with manufacturing to your precise specifications will ensure a piece of furniture that you can treasure for years to come. Reproductions can even be made from pictures. You can inset copper batik stamps into furniture or have specific motifs carved into furniture according to your design at The Cap Man.

Tropical hard woods are used to construct quality furniture in Indonesia. Teak, mahogany, ebony, even tigerwood burl and rosewood, and many other tropical woods are made into beautiful furnishings. Much of the teak is now plantation grown.

Be sure that your precise requirements, including measurements, are clearly communicated to the craftsman. Request a drawing, when possible, from the craftsman so that you can be more certain that you're going to get exactly what you've asked for.

Of course, not all carpenters are master craftsmen, so it's best to have good recommendations for the craftsmen before you hire them. Ask for references from other expats that they have done work for recently. Every tukang kayu (carpenter) will tell you that he can make furniture, but that does not mean that his standards of quality will match yours.

The biggest danger with the construction of new furniture, is that the wood has not been adequately kiln dried. In these cases, you will soon find your beautiful new piece of furniture with a split right through the wood. Find a furniture manufacturer that will assure you that the wood has been property kiln dried. Laying a log in the sun for weeks is not adequate to the task.

It may be difficult to obtain a guarantee against split wood from a furniture manufacturer. Be sure to get in writing whatever guarantee they offer for the furniture. Ask other expats who they recommend.

The furniture may be in good condition during your stay in Indonesia, but a crack may appear soon after your return to your home country where the humidity is much lower. Guarantees won't do you much good when you're on the other side of the world.

Check the completed furniture at the workshop, before it is delivered to your house. It's much easier to refuse delivery at the workshop, until your specifications are met, than to be faced with the delivery men trying to carry your new sofa in your front door.
Other furniture

Wrought iron furniture is also available, in a variety of styles.

European designer furniture and even La-Z-Boys are available, but at a very high price tag. Most expats opt for locally produced furniture.

Knock-down furniture is available and provides an inexpensive alternative to solid wood furniture. Made of pressed wood and wood veneers, the styles are simple and practical. It's especially practical for children's rooms.

Leather furniture is also available, some of export quality.
Closets and wardrobes

One distinctive feature of Indonesian homes is their lack of built-in storage space. If your new home features bare walls throughout, you will probably want to have a wall unit or other cupboards constructed for each bedroom as well as an entertainment unit made for the living room or dining room area. Some homes that are leased to expatriates already have these lemari in many rooms. When you tour prospective homes, ask if the furniture stays, or if the landlord can make closets for each bedroom.
Bedroom furniture

Mattresses with springs are called 'spring beds' in Indonesia. They feature an all-in-one mattress with coil springs underneath the mattress. Separate mattress and box springs aren't available. One caution about mattresses - they are not necessarily made to standard international measurements. If you decide to buy a bed in Indonesia, but bring your sheets from home, you may find that the sheets don't fit. In that case, it's better to bring flat sheets so that fitted sheets can easily be sewn up from them to fit your new beds.

Also, most spring beds in Indonesian will not accommodate very tall people. If a family member is over 6 feet (2 meters) that person may feel more comfortable in a bed brought from home that will accommodate their length.
Second-hand furniture

Used furniture is also available from expats who are about to leave Indonesia. Check bulletin boards in community organizations and other places where expats congregate for what's currently available for sale. You can get some really good bargains that way!

Modern Furniture

"Get used to inexpensive quality!"

KMP furniture is committed to exceed your expectations of quality and good service, with a variety of Contemporary and Modern Furniture. We carry a wide selection of modern furniture for your living room, dinning room, bedroom or any other part of your home. We strive for the best in modern sofas, lounge chairs,dinning chairs,coffee tables,bedroom furniture, sectional sofas. Have you visited our Earth collection? You can find there our contemporary furniture, that can add a zen feeling to your home-a calm home retreat you have always desired.

Designers of the Month

HERZOG & DE MEURON – Olympic Size Talent Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron are Swiss architects born just three weeks apart in 1950 and perhaps best known for their creation of the Beijing National Stadium, host to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Read more...

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A Signature of Modern Design-Vladimir Kagan Vladimir Kagan is most handsome in appearance and art. The name Kagan is more than well known; this name is a signature of modern design. With a career greater than sixty years, Mr. Kagan’s ingenious style is a part of the American fabric. He began designing in the year 1946, and a few short years later his original sculptured designs fashioned a new look in American furniture. Read more...