Do you have big box furniture store dread? Would you be less aggravated with putting your furniture together if the instructions included, you know, words? Do you think to yourself, “If I could just afford it, I wouldn’t have to decorate with the same temporary particle board furniture everyone else seems to have…”? I’m here to let you in on a notso-secret I wish I’d known about sooner. You can afford it, and you don’t have to go hunting for it either. The answer, my friends, is Furthur.
Furthur, the glorious furniture and lifestyle haven built by Clarkliving friends and clients Michelle and Raymond Arias, has been a mainstay on Sunset Blvd in Silverlake for more than two decades. The store is composed of beautifully displayed tile and glass mosaic tables, pristine table settings, iron and wood furniture, hand selected pieces, and thoughtful, rare gifts. The whole store is a unique and blissful treasure trove, but the undeniable main draw is their mosaic work.
Furthur evolved organically and, as such, has strong, solid roots. Co-owner Raymond taught himself how to do tile work and then began working with stained glass to make religious art pieces. He and Michelle sold his stained glass pieces at flea markets around Los Angeles, and the religious pieces gave way to wooden altars, and the wood work led to furniture, and the furniture led to experiments with iron, and everything grew together into the unmistakable style for which Furthur is now renowned.
Mosaic work offers unparalleled creative potential and an historical resilience. This seems to be the ideal medium for one of a kind furniture; it can endure whatever you or the weather can throw its way, and it will only become more elegant as it ages. The folks at Furthur genuinely want their mosaic pieces to go to good homes, and they’re priced accordingly. There’s very little sticker shock when shopping at Furthur- like true artists, they just want their work to be out there.
“If no one can afford it,” Michelle says, “what’s the point?” It’s a simple attitude, and wholly uncommon. She’s right, of course. Keeping prices reasonable is incredibly important at Furthur, because it keeps the client range wide and diverse. The bottom line doesn’t triumph here. It’s a tiny company where everyone is actively involved and invested in the integrity of the work, and the work is truly remarkable.
Furthur is located at 4312 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles 90029. You can reach them by phone at (323) 660-3601 and also shop online at www.furthurla.com.
