In a recent post on Facebook, I asked readers to name their favorite piece of furniture by Greene & Greene. In a sense, it's a silly question, a variation on the "What's your favorite [movie/song/band/...]" discussions many of us had in our youths. And that's probably where such discussions belong -- in the lives of the young. Youth allows for a degree of certainty that becomes more difficult with age. The black and white, so clearly delineated years ago, become grayer with time. Absolutes are harder to come by.

So, I don't know if I have a favorite piece of Greene & Greene furniture. As with movies and songs and many other things, I have a set of well-loved examples any one of which could serve as favorite. While a teenager might consider this indecisive, I think it is sensible. How can one compare God Only Knows with Like a Rolling Stone? The Godfather with Lost in Translation? Lasagna Bolognese with aloo gobi? The Thorsen living-room table with the Freeman Ford dining-room chair? Why choose one favorite when many will do?

Then again, I'm the one who posed the question so I should have the decency to answer it. And answer it I did. The problem is that I could have named any one of several other pieces without being even slightly disingenuous. Had I made my choice on a different day, in fact, the answer would likely have changed. Thus, in the interest of full disclosure, I feel compelled to list other pieces in my set of favorites. I'd make it a top ten list but ten is an arbitrary number and even as I type this I don't know the size of the set.

In no particular order:

• The Gamble dining-room table: The organic shape and the amazing, sculptural extension mechanism make this piece an easy choice.
• The Blacker living-room bookcase: A wonderful design that includes many details particular to the Blacker house. The brackets on the leaded doors are wonderful.
• The Ford dining-room chairs: A design packed with elements that somehow mingle effectively to create a cohesive, impressive whole.
• The Gamble entry hall table: I like this piece so much that I made a slightly scaled-down version for my home. I never tire of seeing it.
• The Thorsen living-room table: Fantastic details, including the rose inlay on the top and the carved details on the legs and at the leg/drawer-rail joints make this a favorite.
• The Robinson dining-room chairs: The armchair is particularly beautiful. Based on Chinese designs, the reverse arched crest rail and arms are very pleasing.
• The Bolton gate-leg table: I've seen only photos of this table but the wonderful way in which the gates are accommodated make this a special piece.
• The Blacker living-room armchair: The ebony pegs on the heavily sculpted crest rail appear to dance. A view from above reveals how artful this design is.
• The Thorsen dining-room chair: The back of this chair makes it a masterpiece. The delicate splat arrangement and ebony detailing are a highlight.
• The Pratt octagonal table: Very inventive detailing such as the way in which the drawer is hung and the wave pattern on lower rails distinguish this piece.
• The Culbertson living-room secretary: Quite distinct from the other items listed, this piece demonstrates Charles Greene's versatility. The art deco escutcheons are a favorite feature.

That's a long list, one that could easily be longer. Much longer if lighting was included. But that's a category that deserves its own list so it is excluded here. For the exercise (in futility) mentioned above, I chose the Thorsen table as my favorite. I can't argue with that choice. Nor could I argue with any of the other pieces on the list. I am quite content with my uncertainty. The 20 year-old me would get to enjoy one favorite; the middle-aged me enjoys many. Anyone for lasagna with a side of aloo gobi?

Feel free to add your favorites in the comments.