Your Newspaper - HomeStyle - Wood, Revisited

Posted on: August 15, 2007

Wood, Revisited

Homes are embracing a new generation of wood, full of endearing imperfections and solid character

By Bev Bennett
CTW Features

Image courtesy Leah Woods

Wood has the allure that draws you to gently caress a surface or take a lingering glance.

No wonder - after years of stainless steel, slate and other cold materials, wood, cherished for its warmth and beauty, is gaining a starring role in home dÃ©cor.

The wood that's showcased however, bears little resemblance to the typical furniture of 20 years ago. Instead artisans, along with major chains like Pottery Barn, are embracing wood in all its unique variations to create whimsical, sleek, gnarled or environmentally sound pieces.

"One of the charms of wood is that you can think of it in so many ways," says Leah Woods, assistant professor with the School of Art at Illinois State University in Normal. Woods, who instructs woodworking and furniture design students, describes her own work as studio furniture. "The genre refers to those who design and build their own furniture," says Woods.

She is gaining a national reputation for her pieces that combine art and function.

"Footloose and Fancy Free," is an example. The maple-and-cherry piece of sculptural art and shoe holder makes a statement about women's relationship with their shoes.

"My inspiration was 'Sex and the City.' High heels are funny but women also adore them. They spend lots of money on items they'll only use several times. This [piece] shows off high heels as objects while keeping them in an organized setting," says Woods.

By contrast, Scott Chambers, owner of Fine Woodworks in Chicago, looks to Japanese or Shaker pieces for direction. He's drawn to Japanese furniture because of the clean lines, contrasting style and asymmetry.

"George Nakashima, who is very popular now, broke ground in using trees and wood that weren't perfect. That's part of the asymmetry," says Chambers.

His own work, such as cabinetry, bookcases and sideboards, has a quiet strength and simplicity.

"One couple contacted me because they saw a piece I did for a friend; shelves that go horizontally, then stop in space," Chambers says.

Beyond the design and function, furniture makers and shoppers also are looking at wood for its sustainability and even its history.

"There's a lot more interest in natural products," says Kevin Fristad, with Langley, Wash.-based Functional Art Gallery, LLC.

In fact, some of the trendiest furniture resembles vertical tree slices. "The buzzword is 'live edge.' You take a tree and split it the long way, leaving the natural edge of the tree. The board has the undulating edge of the tree," says Fristad, a professional woodworker. He says that salvaged wood is also drawing attention.

"We have a new artist who specializes in using salvaged Northwest Douglas-fir. He salvages timber that's standing but dead and looks for twisted, knotted wood. He slices the wood two inches thick and makes conference tables with the imperfections, including worm holes, in place," says Fristad.

Another furniture artist reclaims antique pine from textile mills. "It's beautiful, hard yellow pine," Fristad says.

Even nature's mistakes can be appealing. "I've always believed that imperfections in wood should be used in my furniture, as it adds character to the piece," says Anthony M. Buzak, of Tonawanda, N.Y.-based Anthony Buzak Furniture Design.

These imperfections are what Pottery Barn is embracing in their New Naturals line - "the tradition of wabi sabi, the perfect imperfect," says Leigh Oshirak, director of public relations for Pottery Barn Brands.

"I enjoy using wild patterns and grains, freaks of nature, not found elsewhere and my customers have always been very receptive to that," says Buzak.

"If you want something that is all bland and without character maybe you should consider Formica."

Local Beauty

Go beyond the traditional furniture shop when looking for unusual wood pieces. Local craft galleries, specialty furniture stores and woodworking studios provide a wealth of interesting, often one-of-a-kind furniture.

Because pieces can range in price from several hundred to several thousands of dollars, learn how to select a well-made item.

Although styles and colors can change with trends, furniture that's skillfully crafted will hold up through years of use,

"Look at the craftsmanship, the precision with which something is made," says designer Leah Woods. Joinery, how the pieces fit together, is one of the first things Woods inspects. "The joints should be perfect with no gaps," she says.

If you're paying a lot, avoid pieces that use putty to fill in spaces. When buying a piece, make sure the wood being used suits your needs. For example, if you want a dining room table that's going to withstand banging and scratching, avoid pine, which is a soft wood. Opt for walnut or hardrock maple, suggests Kevin Fristad, of Langley, Wash.-based Functional Art Gallery, LLC.

If your piece is going to get a lot of use, say as a surface for cups of hot coffee, it should have a finish that resists water and heat. However, high-gloss finishes you can see yourself in are out, according to Fristad.

Doubling Up

If you want to introduce wood to your home, you may want to start in the kitchen.

After years of white cabinetry, people are looking for the natural warm of wood as they design or remodel their kitchens, says Rick Baumgarten, president of Lee Lumber & Building Material Corp., Chicago.

"The change is from white and oak to cherry and maple with the addition of some exotics, such as wenge [from Africa] which is very dark brown wood, like a coffee color," says Baumgarten, whose company specializes in windows, cabinetry, doors and custom moldings.

Although his customers aren't ready to give up stainless steel yet, the pairing of steel and wood is gaining interest.

"Stainless steel is still a hot look, which looks good with wood," he says.

Adding wood has practical advantages as well. It doesn't show fingerprints as stainless steel does. "You have a cleaner look with wood," Baumgarten says.

Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"