HIGH POINT, N.C. — Whether dressing up a dresser, covering a cabinet or embellishing a bureau, furniture makers are adding layers of interest with digital images and natural fibers such as linen, seagrass, paper and metal.
In showrooms this spring, consumers will see storage units, tables and consoles with enough panache to become the focal point of a room.
At the Fall Market, Thibaut delivered several variations of casegoods covered in raffia, linen, grasscloth and paper. It’s all made in the United States, including custom creations with more than 200 Thibaut fabrics. The company’s Paperweave in White cabinet has contrasting pink doors made of extra fine sisal, and the Regatta side table is wrapped in navy raffia.
Also using natural fibers to build heirloom pieces is Bungalow 5, which pumped up the appeal of its lacquered grasscloth-covered four-door Janak large chest with diamond-patterned brass nail heads. It comes in navy or white.
Currey and Company’s Cadena three-drawer chest also uses textural elements to get the most bang for the buck. The wood frame is enveloped in black linen, which becomes a backdrop for solid-brass drawer pulls and drawer collars.
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams introduced its multipurpose Weaver chest, which is wrapped in a gray raffia and outlined in dark-stained mahogany. The inside of the drawer is red lacquer. The chest can be used in a bedroom, entryway or as a media cabinet because there are cutouts in the back for cords. It looks great with the Weaver mirror hanging above it.
Bernhardt and Selamat, meanwhile, managed to enhance and entrance with skins of metal. The Barcelona Sideboard is hand-carved reclaimed teak covered in German silver, which is not really silver but a silver-white alloy of nickel, copper and zinc. It’s also found on the Essen cocktail table.
“German silver has been used in architectural structures and decorative elements for more than 2,000 years and has many of the same characteristics as brass and bronze. We add a protective topcoat to prevent oxidation,” said Tammi King, Bernhardt’s marketing coordinator.
Selamat’s Milan Bar cabinet design comes from the Florence Broadhurst archives, which the company has accessed and repurposed. Ms. Broadhurst’s Milan Tapestry pattern was carved into the doors, and the entire cabinet is clad in brass on a black steel base. The interior has a mirrored back and glass shelves surrounded by a walnut veneer. Ms. Broadhurst was murdered in 1977, and her killer was never caught. However, her visionary designs live on, continuing to capture the imaginations of consumers.
Going digital is John Strauss Furniture’s Lake Shore Watercolor console, which is adorned in a painterly palette. The doors of the lacquered piece are covered in digitally printed wallpaper for dramatic impact.
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SOURCES
Thibaut: thibautdesign.com
Bungalow 5: bungalow5.com
John Strauss Furniture: johnstraussfurniture.com
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams: mgbwhome.com
Selamat: selamat.com
Bernhardt: bernhardt.com