|
 In cabinets, flooring and mouldings,
buyers usually choose a species by first considering the wood's hardness and
durability, as well as its grain and color. And sometimes, they even want to
know if it is sustainable. So, what is the prevailing trend in consumer-driven
wood preference? BUILDERnews readers want to know, so we solicited the input of
kitchen designers, architects, manufacturers, distributors and forest
certification consultants in addition to consumer studies to bring you the
latest research on marketplace trends in wood and wood alternatives.
Eco-Friendly
Elegance
With growing environmental consciousness, there has
been a call to seek alternatives to harvested wood. From salvaged or repurposed
timber, to replacement materials like bamboo, there exist options. And
consumers love choice. In fact, bamboo, the evergreen that is a durable,
water-resistant and stunning woody perennial, has never looked better as it
finds a home in interiors. Consumers are ripening to recycled, sustainable and
East-meets-West building materials.
 Sunken redwood millwork
by Redwood Salvage Sales, some cut before 1900s, is the result of 100+
years in the mineral-rich water of Big River in California. This redwood is
beautiful with its tight grain and unusual variegated shades of blond, burgundy
and rich cinnamon brown; it repels termites and resists rot. A Green resource with salvage documentation.
[Photo courtesy Jay Graham; see larger
image of paneling]
 Reborn Countertops by Craft-Art utilize
reclaimed wood. Choose Antique Heart Pine, Sinker Cypress, Antique White/Barn
Oak, Pickle Vat Redwood, Barn Red Oak, American Chestnut and Tobacco Barn
Beech. Craft-Art is recycling wood from old mills, barns, river bottoms and
swamps for this new series of countertops. Visit
craft-art.com.
 ABOVE:
Quarter-sawn old growth salvaged curly Redwood, clear all heart. Dimensions,
8/4" (full 2") x 10", 12", 14", 18", 19" all x 8 1/2' long; plus leg stock.
Bookmatched.
LEFT: Tight-grained quarter-sawn clear all heart cants.
Shown here 24" x 22" x 16' and smaller. At least two vertical grain sides.
Orders custom milled.
|
