Has furniture lost it's value?

'Back in the days' when my mum and dad were 'wee bairns' furniture was seen as something more of a practical form rather than a design statement. Weeks sometimes even months was spent saving for furniture and even then it wasn't always new. Now we can go into IKEA and come out with furniture that can fill almost an entire house. Ask anyone back in the 60s about flat pack and their response might be a load of wolves run over by a tank... Not what we would think of when asked what flat pack is today! Why is it now then that we are filling our homes with 'cheap' and wasteful furniture? Has furniture lost it's meaning?

We can spend pennies on furniture now but is it just as good as before? Well no, in my opinion, it's not. Planned obsolescence is an important factor for designers now who intend for the furniture to last only a few years rather than a lifetime. Old furniture grew up with the family and it was never replaced - it in turn was almost part of the family. We are now leading a very disposable life! It's all fine that we have taken a stance to cut our carbon footprint and recycle paper and cans but how can we really try and help when we still being wasteful with our furniture consumption? Furniture in my opinion no longer has meaning - it is just something that fades into the background and is there for the short term until a new trend comes around and we replace it again...a vicious circle?

With thanks:
Photo: http://www.kitchenandtabletop.com/img/ikea_urban_chair.jpg