I receive catalogues from many different sources, for products that I have absolutely no interest in. Furniture vendors in particular. I guess I clicked on something one day and BAM, I was on their radar as a sucker potential customer. Now I do like (soft) contemporary architecture and furniture, but much of it just looks downright uncomfortable. Obviously (to me) whoever designed it placed form over function.
Exotic automobiles are often conflicted by this "form vs function" conundrum, too. Lamborghini's are decidedly gorgeous, sleek cars....
....but have you ever tried to get into or out of one? *groan*
The Amish, by contrast, don't even recognize the concept of "form".
Some people are impeccably stylish. You rarely see England's Prince Charles in anything other than his trademark double breasted suit, and then he's either wearing his polo attire or one of his dress military uniforms. Do you think he ever just puts on some shorts and a t-shirt and gets in a quick game of croquet out back with the guys?
Donald and Melania Trump's New York apartment is I'm sure considered by many to be Architectural Digest perfect, but if he invites Sean and his pals over to watch the game, where would they sit? You think he has a man cave no one ever sees where he goes to let his hair down? (pun intended)
Most of us fall somewhere in between. We like form, but we like function, and comfort, more. I can't imagine buying a sofa or a chair from a catalogue. I insist on sitting on it first. If it isn't comfortable, I don't care how good it looks, I'm not buying it. I have an old, decidedly worn looking oversized leather chair in my den. As I recall it had a pleasant "form" when I purchased it 20+ years ago, but since then it has decidedly conformed nicely to butt, making it's original form almost unrecognizable today. It will probably join Archie Bunker's chair in the Smithsonian some day. *snort*
As I look around our apartment I'd have to say I lean 90% +/- toward function. I own very little that anyone would consider "stylish". Not our furniture, not our "art", and certainly NOT my wardrobe. My car, a Mazda, is currently parked in our garage between a Mercedes and a Maserati (no joke). I wonder if either of those people ever say to themselves, "Doh....I coulda had a Mazda!" (They probably do, actually, when they're looking out the window of their respective dealer's service departments and see me puttering by.)
How about you? I'm not saying there's anything at all wrong with being stylish. To some it's worth the effort. How would you rate yourself....be honest now....on the "form vs function" scale?
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How about you? I'm not saying there's anything at all wrong with being stylish. To some it's worth the effort. How would you rate yourself....be honest now....on the "form vs function" scale?
S
No Form in either of us. We go for function and keep whatever it is until it no longer functions. That was a major contributor to our being able to quit working at age 52. I do not have class either but that is another issue.
ReplyDeleteFunction is the most important thing.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we have to make a choice; I think it's a false conundrum. Architecture: Frank Lloyd Wright, for instance. Fly Rods: many bamboo, fiberglass and graphite rods fit both categories. I have a 80 year old bamboo rod of my dads I use carefully a couple times a year, it casts beautifully, and is gorgeous. Other things are not so easy....cars, as you mentioned. I think a '55 Chevy is one of the most beautiful cars ever, it's as aerodynamic as a brick wall. Good post, questions. Thanks for the diversion. Mike
ReplyDeleteI agree we don't ALWAYS need to make a choice, but IMO more often than not we have to pick one or the other. Often designers are charged with making something "pretty" to mask an otherwise plain vanilla product.
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