Modern Vermont makes minimalist modern furniture using environment and health friendly materials and finishes.
modern
Mirriam-Webster Definition 1 a : of, relating to, or characteristic of the present or the immediate past : contemporary b : of, relating to, or characteristic of a period extending from a relevant remote past to the present time 2: involving recent techniques, methods, or ideas : up-to-date 3 capitalized : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the present or most recent period of development of a language 4: of or relating to modernism : modernist |
There are three primary factors that determine what designs become Modern Vermont or don’t. And there are many that don’t. #1 of course is Looks. It’s got to look sharp. It’s got to be Modern (please see definition of Modern at right). #2, It’s got to be built efficiently. We are trying to minimize waste and cost here for the benefit of the environment and your wallet. #3, If we couldn't afford to buy it ourselves, what is the point? We want other people to enjoy quality modern furniture too!
affordable quality
No, our furniture isn’t cheap. You can get modern furniture at IKEA for much less. MV furniture is handmade, built in Vermont, and built to last. The designs are one-of-a-kind and suitable for sophisticated modern interiors. Shop around, you won’t find such qualities at these prices! If you do, please tell us! We like to buy other folks’ stuff too!!!
How is it done? First by doing more with less. The plywood we use isn’t cheap by plywood standards, but compared to similar furnishings built of solid hardwood, it is a clear winner on price. MV designs are conceived from square one to use materials and time efficiently to produce the best product with the least cost. Minimalism rules!
waste not
A major goal of every piece is to maximize the use of material. In the case of plywood, the standard size (96x48) is taken into account at the beginning of design. As a design progresses, the pieces are layed out onto a virtual piece of plywood. Every coffee table you see here uses Exactly 1/2 a sheet of plywood. plyChair #1 uses 1/3 sheet. And the dimensions are consistent throughout so the remaining 2/3 sheet will work for another project (like 2 more chairs!). In the rare case there are scraps, they DO NOT go to landfill. They are all saved for other projects, such as picture frames or kitchen untensil dividers.
The only thing lost from the shop is sawdust. Unfortunately with the mix of wood and glue dust there isn't anything currently to be done with it. Being obsessive about reducing even this waste, every saw blade in the shop is a Thin Kerf design, meaning it is 30% thinner than standard saw blades. This turns 30% less wood into sawdust than a conventional blade. Another benefit is reduced power usage as the thinner blade requires less energy to cut thru wood. Thanks to the simplicity of our designs and the planning that goes into cutting, there are very few cuts to make. This further reduces waste! It is a never ending quest to be perfect. We aren't there yet but trying very very hard!
honesty of materials
Everything that goes into an MV furnishing has been exhaustively thought out to be the Right Tool For The Job and to be used in the best way it can. Honesty of Materials is critical to MV furniture. Plywood is Plywood, not Hardwood, so why should it ever masquerade anything but? Plastic that looks like wood? Plaster that looks like concrete? Not at MV! If it's plywood it stays plywood. Cardboard stays cardboard. We like these materials and hope you will too!
Mies van der Rohe
"God is in the details"
"less is more"
