Week 5, Wood

For this week I thought I would start off with some great applications of wood in interior spaces, furniture, and even emulated in leather.  Wood seems to be a heavy hitter everywhere in both interior spaces and in architecture.  Maybe that's why it so strongly influences the industry.

Image taken at DC design center at Holly Hunt

 This is just a well made solid wood coffee table at Holly Hunt in the design center.  I included this picture because of the fact that this was one of the few pieces of wood furniture I found that was not covered by a wood veneer, this is a solid wood with a glossy natural stained finish.

Image taken at design center basement, design display, designer unknown

 Ok, so this is the mecca of wood.  We are talking wood bar, wood cabinets, wood paneling, wood cieling, wood shelving, wood decorations, and wood trim.  It was pretty much wood overload, but in an effort to highlight the material, this is the ultimate ode to wood as a finish material.

Image taken at DC design center, designer unknown

 Great wood writing desk.  This piece was also a great example of a solid wood desk free of any vaneers.  I really like the designer's use of metal and wood together, in an older shape.

Image taken at DC design center, designer Holly Hunt

This chair is really more sculptural than chair.  this is hand carved wood, notice how there are not any joints? That is because not only was this chair hand carved, but it was carved out of one piece. WOW.

Image taken at DC design center, table by Holly Hunt

Not wood, ceramic, but with a wood pattern on top to just make a little not to wood.

Image taken at DC design center, table by Holly Hunt

Rosewood vaneer, matched to create triangular pattern with distinct center point. Creates a sort of star effect.  Very classic.

Photo from Edelman's Leather DC Design Center

This was so unique I had to include it here.  This is laser cut suede, with a wood pattern.  So here wood grain was the design inspiration for a leather manufacturer.  I am not sure if I would ever use this, but I am happy to know it exists.

This is a Barbara Berry buffet table.  I included it here because of the two-tone wood use.  I confirmed with the sales associate that this was not a wood veneer, but a solid wood with a high gloss poly-coated finish.  She gave me some sales pitch about the special lacquer finish on those white drawers and how that justified the obscene price tag.  While I appreciated the information I just kept thinking that I hoped I would never sound like that lady when I try to sell something for a client.

Unique wall art here, a bunch of dart boards stuck together, just thought it was pretty innovative.

Wood veneer panels separated by solid core wood doors, pretty interesting.

I know it is a strange story, but these are some pictures I snapped at the men's changing room in Nordstrom.  To make a long story short, my fiance was jean shopping and all I saw was how unique the design of the dressing room was.  All of the walls in the men's changing area were treated with this wood veneer.  Unlike most wood veneers I have seen this one was matte, most usually have some sort of sheen to them.  I thought the overall aesthetic gave a funky, retro, masculine vibe, which is probably what they were going for.  I also think this designer was probably given a pretty strict budget and really made the best of it, at least from a value engineering standpoint.