Rising Cost Of Metal In Furniture

The LA Times today writes about the rising cost of metal in furniture and ways manufacturers are getting around the costs.

Don’t be surprised if prices for home furnishings rise in the months to come — the result of not only higher transportation costs but also rising prices for metal.

Steel prices — up 300% during the last five years, experts say, and 50% in the last nine months alone — have already affected industry players such as Leggett & Platt, which makes furniture swivels and coil springs. The Missouri company has had to raise prices on some recliner mechanisms three times in as many months.

One of the ways of coping is to use alternative materials.

L.A. designer Bernard Brucha’s Mash Studios has shifted from steel and aluminum to wood. The firm is crafting outdoor furniture out of ipe and teak, and instead of using welded steel to frame some pieces, it is using plywood.

The LA Times reports what we’re seeing is more wicker made from abaca bark, sea grass, dried hyacinth and other natural fibers.

The materials are … a reflection of the rising cost of metal and consumers’ tightening budgets.

Here’s an example of using alternative materials without giving up strength:

Here, Crate & Barrel’s 16 1/2-inch-tall rattan ottoman ($139) looks airy and light but is sturdy enough to use as a stool.

Thoughts??? Email me at landfair3554@comcast.net