Design Stores
Forever Interiors
Trash is a subjective kind of thing. There are some people who think a broken, overused table is garbage. ("Some people" being me, a girl that nearly flunked shop class and couldn't transform a slab of wood into a teddy bear napkin holder.) And then there are those who see a discarded lamp and think "new cabinet." One person's trash can be another person's treasure (no matter how cliche that may sound).
This becomes immediately apparent when I walk into Forever Interiors, a three-year-old furniture store in The Junction. Specializing in creative recycling, Martin Scott has made a recent living out of transforming salvaged furniture, reclaimed wood, discarded doors and floorboards into gorgeous pieces of art (it just so happens they also double as furniture).
There are ornate custom-designed cabinets (perfect as a chic booze storage option). One-of-a-kind tables, cut, sized and varnished specifically to your liking. Gorgeous vintage coat hooks made from wooden roof boards (a nice alternative to stale bathroom fixtures). And cool antique lamps and gothic-looking mirrors decorate the walls. Pricing varies depending on the level of customization you're looking for.
The store's vibe is more art gallery than stuffy old furniture shop. Everything is well organized (even though, at first glance, the space can be a tad overwhelming; it's packed from floor to ceiling with soon-to-be-transformed finds). And walking through the store with Martin (as he points out his favourite pieces, explaining the story behind each as he goes), is more about exploring the store's treasures, than him giving you a sales pitch.
Like the kitchen table made exclusively out of discarded wood and metal from a now torn-down bowling alley. Or the light-mahogany coloured bench made from discarded side tables (brought to the store by one of several garbage collectors who regularly drop stuff off for Martin). Then there are the brightly coloured neon fish, piled on a table near the store's front door (they're made out of scrap pieces of wood and aluminum siding).
My favourite find? The amazing kitchen table built entirely from church pews that used to sit in the neighbouring Victorian Presbyterian Church (a building that is being revamped into artsy lofts). It's the kind of table you dream about serving a gourmet dinner on (and the kind you envision your friends exuding envy over). Now. If only I had an apartment space big enough to showcase all of these fabulous finds. Then, I'd be in business.
Writing and photos by Sarah Kelsey
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I found this store on the internet. Was really impressed with the concept, the creativity and the actual pieces. I particularly liked two cabinets, called the store, spoke to Martin and told him what I was after, but they were already sold. We talked about him creating a similar piece for me, which he seemed open to.
I then made the trek downtown the next day, with my measurements and specs as agreed, to get an estimate for the cabinets. I just have one word to describe this encounter. WEIRD. The entire exchange was unprofessional, off-putting and strange. I was down-right baffled.
He proceeded to show me another piece. More than once I had to politely say that I wasn't interested, that I just needed an estimate for the cabinets we talked about. He hemmed and hawed, hesitated, answered text messages in the middle of our discussion and carried on conversations with his assistant. I just sat there. I felt like I was invisible. Seriously? I was looking around for a hidden "candid camera" crew.
I then insisted that he go to his own website/blog, so that we could look at the the pieces I had called about. After I told him my measurements, he said they wouldn't work because he made these out of doors, and that the doors were typically taller than what I was after. OK. So then I came right out and asked, "how much did those cabinets cost?" He said, $1800. I asked (to clarify), "for both"? He disapprovingly replied, "No, just for one".
Then I said I was a little surprised by the price and asked what was making it that costly -- considering this was built using reclaimed / used wood. He then explained that he had used these old ceiling tiles at the back of the cabinet. So then I asked for the cost without the tiles. He then said "Oh no, they are $200 extra, so the cabinets would actually be $2000 per unit with the tiles". At this point the soundtrack for the Twilight Zone TV series started playing in my head.
I pushed back ... "but you just said $1800" .... no use. Then I asked what if i just bought the doors (which was the only place on the cabinet that really has the treatment I liked anyway). I could get the actual cabinet pieces made separately (of interest, he had other doors on sale in his show room). He scoffed at the idea saying he made whole furniture, not pieces. I said thank you and walked out ... in a daze, wondering what class of drug he was using.
In short -- in addition to ignoring me and avoiding answering questions directly -- I felt he was just feeling me out to see how much I would pay. But Ieven if I liked his price, I probably would not have worked with him.
My threshold for idiots is super low.