Home Décor: Recycling. Salvage. Reclamation. Sustainability. We're all very familiar with these words thanks to the buzz around eco-friendly lifestyle choices, but they're not words that usually inspire thoughts of beauty or luxury. Traditionally such words might turn one's mind towards granola and Birkenstocks rather than interior design or bespoke designer furniture. The tide is now turning however, and increasingly furniture designers and craftsman are using recycled and salvaged timber to fabricate their signature creations.
Naturally, the depletion of old growth rainforests for exotic woods has exacerbated this sea-change, but many designers are also turning to salvaged wood because of the wonderful patina and "soul" it gives to furniture and interiors that are constructed from it.
The myriad sources for salvaged wood offer designers and master craftsman many choices about how they treat, handle, or shape the wood before incorporating it into their design concept. Antique wood, usually harvested over 100 years ago, is known for its durability and beauty. Reclaimed or recycled wood from structures over 50 years old may not be as aged as antique wood but still retains its durability, though any wood once used for an exterior will show signs of weathering. Vintage wood is less than 50 years old and is usually scrap, either from industrial sources or reclaimed from pallets, crates, and even wine barrels. There are also increasingly timber merchants who deal in recycled exotic wood from sources close to where the tree originally grew and who import this salvaged wood for domestic use.
For the consumer the choices of salvaged wood available for inclusion in property development plans or refurbishing is nearly as broad as with freshly milled lumber. The different types of salvaged wood available can play into, and even inspire, interior design schemes. Custom-made furniture from salvage is always unique because the wood rarely has the homogeneity of newly milled lumber. For a rustic, weathered, lodge-type feel large beams taken directly from industrial sources such as barns, mills or old factories are ideal, either in commissioned furniture or in construction, for example as exposed beams. Nail and knot holes just add to the ambience.
Less aged wood can be refinished and manipulated very easily and incorporated into more modern design concepts.
The versatility and unique qualities of salvaged wood is what attracts furniture designers and master craftsmen. As artists they are inspired by the history and depth these materials bring to their designs. High-end furniture and cabinetry should be one-of-a-kind, and this wood delivers that. It's also good for the planet, so everyone wins
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