The state of American design innovation.

Among the small and mid sized manufacturers in the US, truly innovative design is hard to find.

Not necessarily non existent, just difficult to promote on a small scale, and thus difficult to locate.

Is this perhaps the result of a constellation of cultural peculiarities? America believes that big is better, safer, more reliable - but where does that leave the specialist, the boutique and the craftsmen.

Also 'new' is always a bit challenging (emotionally speaking) for people. Some cultures or rather sub cultures, orient themselves to this newness as if it were a personal growth opportunity, a way of expanding one's horizons.

Good new contemporary furniture design is no different, it makes a statement, communicates that the owner of this home is ALIVE, living in the present, enthusiastic about now. Of course there are markets for the traditional, the tried and tested familiar aesthetics of ages past, and no doubt there always will be. The question is not whether this is right or wrong, good or bad, the question is why, on balance are their more stylistically courageous people, per capita in Europe than in the US?