I've had the occasion to buy Chinese made furniture twice recently from this shop in Shanghai China. The first was a dining table with six chairs. The second was two bedside tables of elm whitewood, unfinished. Both products appear to be of good quality, good materials, and at prices no Australian manufacturer could hope to compete.
What struck me about the beside tables, in particular, was the quality and sturdiness of their construction. Solid wood throughout, reinforced corners. They were also meticulously packed away in cardboard cartons – fully assembled – and well sanded.
In the past I have bought a number of pieces of Australian made whitewood furniture, and the construction was nearly always substandard, with numerous corners cut (metaphorically speaking!). I used to spend ages reinforcing these items, sanding and finishing. Only then did I get a reasonable bit of furniture.The difference between good and bad furniture was often the effort that is put into sanding and finishing.
On the other hand, I recently ask easterncurio to make a base for a queen-sized double bed. The quality of construction is first-class (of course!), but I could have bought a brand new assembled one for less than the price I payed for the materials! Making your own furniture no longer pays off in strict money terms, but at least you get what you want.
I am somewhat saddened by Australia's inability to compete in manufacturing, nowadays. This could come back to bite us in the future. On the other hand, I am pleased to be able to buy good furniture at such reasonable prices at Royal’s Furniture shop To see more furniture, please visit web-site www.easterncurio.com