Hello all!
Quick question – When is it worth it to stand by your (fill in blank)?
i.e. – customer wants a simple shaker style mirror w/beveled glass to hang over a shaker sewing table that I made for her. Just doesnt resonate. Suggested some other form of glass but no go. What to do?
Chris
Replies
Chris,
I share your pain. The way to a resolution probably depends on why you make furniture.
If you do it to work purely and faithfully within the Shaker tradition then you shouldn't do it.
If you do it to make money then you need to ask yourself if you need this person's money and continued business if they won't go along with your view.
John White
Hi Chris ,
When we are building for a client it's my advice not to let the client tell you how to join the pieces or have any other technical involvement , that's why they hired a pro .
When they tell me they want it stained Purple or want beveled glass or chrome knobs , whether I would also make the same choice is irrelevant , I charge accordingly and make them happy .
With custom work , expect different taste and desires to be the rule , when you make it and then try and sell it , your in charge of all the choices .
dusty , the client pleaser with Purple stain on my hands and more orders
What's to stand by. You can give your opinions, but the customer wants it purple with yellow polkadots? then I'm headed to the paint store.
Chris,
My boss in a previous job was asked to build a piece that he described as "a monstrosity". He got a call back after it was delivered, telling him that he'd forgotten (he hadn't) to put his label, "Built by XXXX" on the piece, and would he please come and do that? So he did. Under "Built by XXXX" he wrote, "Designed by Mrs. ZZZZ"
As an aside, I've read that 18th century mirrors were typically bevelled, although the glass itself was much thinner than todays bevelled glass. I wonder at what point in time, it became standard procedure to not bevel the edges of mirror glass?
Ray
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