Reclaimed Resources 1 –Where to find Reclaimed Wood Furniture Online
As I mentioned earlier, Reclaimed wood furniture can be difficult to find.
The first resource I thought might interest you is a site "Great Rustic Furniture". They have some wonderful pieces, especially in teak, and while not all of their furniture is reclaimed, they do have a very good selection of environmentally friendly pieces.
Here's an example of their work:
Reclaimed Wood Furniture – It's pretty, It's sustainable, but it's HARD TO FIND!
Reclaimed wood furniture, I think I've extolled it's virtues enough for people to decide that it might be a good option. At least, I hope so!
But where to find it? How can we get our hands on it?
It is with great pleasure that I announce the beginning of a new series of feature articles for 'Reclaimed Wood Furniture Blog'
I'll be scanning the web to find anything that I believe will help you choose the right piece of furniture. Some of these resources may be stores, some will be articles on designers, and yet others will be information on terms and changes in the industry. It's all really very exciting!
So, please check out the steadily growing list of resources on the left hand bar. And remember, enjoy!
Ah, wood, wonderful wood! Reclaimed wood furniture, whether polished, smooth, or rough and saw, marked with the rust of hundred-year old nails, or looking as fresh as the day it was felled, nothing can match the beauty and versatility of a gorgeous piece of wooden furniture.
But how do you like it? Rough, scarred, stained and snarled? Or smooth, polished, and glowing with a depth unsurpassed by any other material?
Well, these days, the choice really is yours! Reclaimed wood furniture is not only functional, beautiful, and environmentally friendly, it also comes in a variety of styles that is unsurpassed by newly milled or felled wood.
You see, reclaimed wood can come from many different sources, and the various types of wood that comes from these sources can be treated in many many different ways; there's a style to fit any kind of home, and all of them a beautiful and unique.
If wood is taken care of -and sometimes even if it isn’t- it can last for ages. Reclaimed wood usually comes from old furniture, houses, or other built things that are ready to be torn down or burnt. It's even being harvested from wood that has sunk to the bottom of a lake or river (normally from the days when they floated logs downstream after sawmilling. It can also from flawed wood, or from scraps from industrial sources.
Now, once you've decided on where your wood has come from -Reclaimed, Recycled, or Reclaimed Post-consumer- it's time to decide what you want your new piece of reclaimed wood furniture to look like.
Do you want it to be modern, funky? There are many designers out there that take reclaimed wood, reshape it entirely (generally removing the outer layers) and then reform it into something new looking.
Do you want it to be classic, timeless? Then perhaps something made from reclaimed post-consumer wood is for you. A lot of furniture is being taken, broken down, and the parts re-used.
Do you want it to be weathered, with marks and scratches, even rust from old nails in there? Wood that has been taken directly from old barns, gristmills, or other industrial places is often used in larger-scale construction (for instance, roof beams look great if made from old, massive beams) but it can also be used for reclaimed wood furniture.
Of course, if you cut away the weathering and polish it up, some of this wood can have amazing texture and grain patterns as well.
All important things to think about!
Treehugger has written a great article on greening your furniture, and it can be found here. They don't focus specifically on reclaimed wood furniture, though. Mores, the pity!
Reclaimed wood furniture has long been available for a variety of construction applications. However, the unique style and beauty that reclaimed wood can add to a piece of furniture is often overlooked. Wood that has been salvaged from places such as barns, houses, or various post-consumer items not only adds an aged , 'vintage', look to a piece of furniture, but is also environmentally friendly.
Do it green, a blog, mentions that many companies now use three specific terms to classify their woods.
Antique wood: Wood originally harvested over 100 years ago, also known as “Old Growth wood”. This wood was originally used in gristmills and barns. Reclaimed wood taken from this source will be sturdy, beautiful, and ancient. Remember, reuse is good use!
Reclaimed or Recycled wood: made from wood over 100 years old, or reclaimed from structures over 50 years old. This probably isn't as aged as the Antique wood, and anything from an external structure will be heavily weathered.
Vintage wood: Wood that is less than 50 years old, and has been salvaged from scrap wood. If you are environmentally conscious, this is probably the lest friendly choice (however, it is still -far- better than purchasing new wood). This wood may well have been thrown away or burned otherwise.
These are simply the terms that some companies use. There are many wonderful manufacturers out there that create furniture from reclaimed wood, and they may not all be the same. Just remember to choose the type, and style, that you want, and you'll find yourself the proud owner of a beautiful, unique, and environmentally friendly piece that is full of rich history and heritage.
These days, Green is the new black. Green with a capital 'G', that is. And reclaimed wood furniture seems to fit the criteria for people looking for green solutions in their home.
But that's just it, isn't it? It'd sometimes -hard- to find green solutions. You want to do the right thing, reduce, reuse, recycle, and such...but actually putting it into practice -and looking good at the same time- that's tough!
I found a couple of wonderful resources to help you get started, however.
The first, Green Living Ideas, has some great tips, tricks, and innovations. I did a search for Reclaimed wood furniture, as well as furniture -by itself- and came up with 8 different articles, all dedicated to how to choose green furniture. Pretty awesome, eh?
