Tor Clausen, an artist based in Olympia, Wash., started Musical Furnishings with intent to succeed, but some thought he was nuts. At a glance, this sleek, Scandinavian-style furniture appears to be just that...furniture...until it plays music when little Johnny walks over and plays it.
Clausen has worked as a photographer since high school. This occupation allowed him freedom when he was in college, allowing him to go out on a limb with projects that had a less immediate payback.
"Let me say, telling your family that you are building xylophones after a four-year degree and thinking of doing that for a living can prompt some neutral encouragement at best," Clausen says. "On hindsight, the main component to why I have succeeded with musical furnishings is the simple concept being bantered around quite a bit recently. The entrepreneur can see what others cannot. My designs were marketable. I knew it, yet I was required to prove it before I could move ahead."
He believes the tradition of music making within the home is a forgotten art that should be revived. "A piano used to be almost as standard as a TV is today," Clausen comments. "Sadly, I feel this is the continued direction - families as receivers of music, not makers. There is a healthy, rebellious subculture that I rely on. They will be the ones we all will listen to on our CD players."
His instruments rarely sell to the child. He describes his buyers as “folks with a mortgage,” parents or grandparents. Although people often want to see furnishings on the floor before purchase, Clausen is selling more and more via his website, an indicator that Internet marketing is taking a much stronger hold on the retail business.
Children exposed to music perform better at academics. Clausen stresses entertainment over education.
"While the background knowledge of wholesomeness and better grades is dandy, fun wins in a landslide," he remarks. "I do offer music books with each piece, which somewhat implies a studious air."
Clausen´s choice to specialize in children´s music captures adults as well. Contact with past sales has convinced him that parents have as much fascination with his furniture as their kids.
"I have a personal interest in humans of all ages enjoying music, but a vast majority of Americans have delegated music making to those under the age of 3 or people with names printed on CD labels," he says. "I feel I have been forced into the younger market to reach this crowd, but I am reassured that, with the prominent location my pieces take in these households, Mom and Dad are going to get into it as well."
Imagine playing a table, a bench, or a chest?
