#FurniturePhilosophy: Volume 4
Sometimes I imagine what it would be like if Plato walked through our showroom .
The ancient Greek philosopher was certain: Everything we see is only an image —a shadow of the real thing. According to Plato, for every armchair, every table, every chair, there is an invisible ideal that is perfect. Our world, on the other hand, consists only of approximations of it—sometimes more successful, sometimes less so.
That might sound sobering at first. But Plato offers a comforting thought! The idea of the good always touches on the idea of truth and beauty —and vice versa. Beauty, truth, and goodness form a unity. And the best part: even our "earthly" things share in these highest ideas. A particularly beautiful chair, for example, embodies something of the idea of beauty. The idea itself remains invisible—but it reveals itself in the form , the material , the expression .
In a way, this also applies to our work at Revive: When we refurbish a piece of furniture, we see it not just as a thing, but as an idea. A potential . Something that—when viewed correctly—extends beyond itself. It's not just about something looking beautiful. It's about the right proportions, inner coherence, valuable materials , and useful functionality . It's about something that touches our senses and, at the same time, reminds us of something deeper.
Perhaps that's precisely the purpose of good furniture: to show us how close beauty can come to truth and goodness—if we just look closely. Thus, in the circular economy, beauty is combined with goodness and a piece of eternity.
Below this blog post, you'll find pieces of furniture that remind me of Plato's ideas with their clear form, authentic materiality, and harmonious proportions. Perhaps there's a piece there for you, too.
My platonic highlights
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