Coffins are cool. Or they should be.
By paul May 18, 2010 Re-Tweet This Share
They say funerals are for those left behind. And they are. But they’re also a person’s last gig. At least that’s the way I’d see mine. And I’d want it to reflect my love of good design… none of those mournful coffins in mahogany with elaborate silver or gold handles and chintzy satin lining. Because they’re usually made from MDF with cheap veneer, plastic handles plated with artificial silver or gold. And who knows if the satin is real? I mean, they’re going to be burned or buried six feet under aren’t they?
You see, I’d prefer the real thing. Use of sustainable materials that are beautiful and light in colour, feel good to the touch, down to earth. Where we’re heading. I’d love friends and whanau to write poetry and nice things on my coffin. Or paint a quick work of art or doodle something funny. I could have all this in one of these award-winning TenderRest caskets by Andrew Hubbard called NextGen… an eco-friendly casket made from renewable bamboo or good old pine plywood. Perfect to touch, write, paint or doodle on. And good looking too.
And what’s really cool I can get to use it while I’m still here… for my wine, with this winerack/bookshelf conversion kit. And like the wine, it’ll improve with age. And I suppose everyone can enjoy the wine, or what’s left of it, at my last gig.
I suppose coffins aren’t things we like to think about in Western Society, sort of taboo really, they make people uncomfortable and definitely aren’t something I would think of as in the realm of art and design! But these are really, well, cool and clever that you can use them while alive! I suppose you might as well go in style right? Definitely makes you think about where art and design fits.
Ahhhhh what a wonderful “why didn’t I think of that” moment thank you. These are really cool and clever and very very stylish indeed. I keep saying I want to fly into my coffin with champagne glass in one hand and chocolate in the other and with one of these I could be sure the champagne was ready and waiting………
So cool ….
Having just been through an unexpected death in our whanau and with it a struggle to find the right casket in this remote neck of the woods, if only we’d known… Luckily a friend made us a beautiful simple, stylish, totara casket. BUT now we know where to go to plan ahead (highly recommended after this recent experience) for our own departures! These are works of art and I just love the idea of using it to store vino…exceedingly clever.