Wood is a classic finish whose versatile aesthetic can be credited both to the breadth of species available and to the array of preparation options—from rough-sawn oak to crisp, airy ash. These five products explore such variation, using the standby material to enliven interiors with natural grains and rich textures on the floors and walls, and in hand-crafted furnishings.
Rising Table, Robert van Embricqs
Dutch designer Robert van Embricqs created the Rising Table with the goal of altering the original material as little as possible. Fabricated from a single sheet of pressed bamboo, the table’s latticed base folds back on a series of hinges to render the unit flat again. It measures roughly 45" square and 12" tall.
Reclaimed sugar and coconut palm provides texture in DecoPalm, a collection of raised wall paneling from San Francisco manufacturer Smith & Fong. Suited for use indoors, the panels are Class-C fire rated and contain no added urea-formaldehyde. Each 6" by 48" plank is 3/4" thick.
Made of FSC-certified solid American ash by Bainbridge Island, Wash.–based studio Grain, this suspended luminaire hides its LED light sources in the canopy to subtly illuminate nine hand-blown glass diffusers. Circlet is 5.75" tall with a 24" diameter, and comes in a natural or black-stain finish with clear or gridded diffusers. Other fixtures in the series include pendants and sconces, all made in the Pacific Northwest.
TerraMai takes an eco-friendly approach to tropical hardwoods, sourcing its material from a submerged forest in Panama rather than cutting down live trees. Low-oxygen freshwater conditions preserved the sunken timbers, which the company works with the local community to remove. Zebrawood (shown), one of five water-reclaimed hardwoods offered by the TerraMai, gets its name from its distinctive striping. The 5/8"-thick planks are 5" wide and 7' long. Suitable for flooring, decking, and paneling.
California furniture designer Jory Brigham’s streamlined Hank lounge, which took four years to develop, lacks a single right angle and instead features a sweeping, bent-wood back and angled legs. Offered in walnut and white oak with either a standard four-legged or rocker base, the chair is 27" wide by 27" tall and has a seat height of 17".
