The rustic interior design trend has proven to be a timeless one. With a dedication to distressed finishes and a bespoke, artisanal feel, it’s an aesthetic concerned less with sleek perfection and far more with natural beauty.
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Rustic interiors evoke a connection to a simpler past as well taking us beyond our walls towards nature’s sweeping wilderness. There is perhaps no better place to lend a touch of this natural charm than the serene haven of the bedroom. A reclaimed wood, rustic headboard can instantly transform the bedroom into a warm, cosy and inviting retreat.
Reclaimed wood feels honest and organic, its design celebrating the art of repurposing and respecting the natural qualities of nature’s riches. No matter where in the world your home’s roots are, be it urban condo or suburban abode, adding a touch of rustic charm can sweep you away to quaint, lakeside cabins and lush, Alpine mountain cottages. There are a range of design trends that allow the rustic style to be beautifully incorporated into any setting, from the crisp and the modern to the warm and traditional.
Rich, dark wood in delicious earthy tones can turn any bed into the focal point of the room, particularly when placed against a soft and neutral backdrop. This traditional American Barn Wood Oak, reclaimed from old, Southern barns and mills, perfectly captures the rustic essence with a folk-inspired twist, combining home comfort with traditional craftsmanship. For a more refined antique finish, these 19th century French oak panels add a sumptuous touch. Traditionally waxed, yet retaining their original characteristics, this understated elegance is the epitome of rustic, urban style.
Using a lighter wood will instantly transform the look, adding a much simpler, more delicate quality to the bedroom. This makes for a calm, pure and airy headboard style, drawing attention to the wider room and its furnishings. Reclaimed wood in soft mocha browns, white and grey tones are perfect for creating this gentle rustic charm. Our Victorian Pine wood, complete with pale caramel and coffee colour shadings, is perfect for creating a traditional, nature-inspired headboard, while this White Victorian Pine offers a cool and dreamy tranquillity. You can even go one step further and embrace a lush, Scandinavian feel with light, beam oak panels such as this Nordic wash.
Both styles of reclaimed wood headboards can be extended the entire length of the wall, running from floor to ceiling to create a dramatic statement piece of interior design. This can even be brought out across the ceiling to complete the look with a quirky, faux-canopy finish.
Multi-coloured painted oak panels, complete with a gorgeous weathered and worn texture, add a romantic finish to any reclaimed wood headboard. Blue, white and dovetail colours exude a relaxed seaside breeze, while pretty pastel hues add a Parisian touch of vintage shabby chic. Reclaimed woods that are weathered, flecked and distressed in rich browns, reds and blacks can be used to create a much bolder and more daring, urban look. This growing, “modern rustic” trend works best with metal-worked furniture and stone or slate embellishments.
Arranging wood planks vertically at different heights creates a much more playful and contemporary, rustic style. Length can be added at will to create a fun, jangly and truly alternative reclaimed headboard that is guaranteed to be unique.
You may know his work from the extension to the British National Gallery of Art’s neoclassical building on London’s Trafalgar Square (1986). Then again, perhaps you’re more familiar with the Seattle Art Museum (1991).
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Regardless of whichever form of his architecture you are more knowledgeable about, there is no denying that Robert Venturi (now retired) produced work which was daring, unique and incredibly talented – making him one of the most influential individuals in modern architecture today.
Equally as well-known for his writing as his designs, Philadelphia-born Venturi has picked up many accolades during his lengthy and acclaimed career, including the Pritzker Architecture Prize (1991) and the Vincent Scully Prize (2002).
Each new Robert Venturi design was innovative in its own right
‘Futuristic’, ‘unconventional’, ‘eclectic,’ ‘idiosyncratic’ – these are all words which have been used to describe his architectural style over the years. Conversely though Venturi, the son of a grocer, has strived to have no signature style in that every design he has created was accepted for being innovative in its own right.
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His designs – which deliberately juxtaposed architectural elements and systems – all have one thing in common though: each is spatially intricate.
Vanna Venturi House – the first postmodernist structure?
His Vanna Venturi House, created in 1959 and which took six years to complete, challenged the rigid formalist norms of modern architecture. Aged just 34 and working as a teacher at the time, he nevertheless took the decision to shun the great Corbussie’s ‘Less is More’ philosophy for his own: ‘Less is bore,’
Built for his mother the design reinterpreted and made a statement of the archetypal American suburban house, to the extent it is credited as being the first Postmodern building.
You will find that a study of the house shows Modernist architecture used by Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright (horizontal ribbon windows and a simplistic rendered façade) but also includes ornamentation. For instance, the Arch has no function, the stairway is smaller than those of the time and the pitched roof with its over-sized chimney was viewed as elaborate for the time.
Of the building Venturi is quoted as saying: “Some have said my mother’s house looks like a child’s drawing of a house – representing the fundamental aspects of shelter – gable roof, chimney, door and windows. I like to think this is so.”
Another renowned Venturi design was the Episcopal Academy Chapel, also in his native Philadelphia and built in 1960. It combines aesthetics and simple functionality but with an obvious medieval charm:
The spectacular Seattle Art Museum, which sits downtown in the centre of this seap port city, boasts a shimmering steel façade and a very dramatic interior (and where you will also find some world class art works). Again it is creative, but at the same time, very structurally sound:
Across the Atlantic to London where Venturi’s name was already well-known in architectural circles worldwide. Here in the UK he was commissioned to design the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery in the early 1990s – a controversial and changing time in architecture. Again, this extension, which houses a collection of Renaissance paintings, is very ornamental and stylish:
Freedom Plaza in Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC which is mainly built of stone and sits above street level, commemorates Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. It was the result of a design competition hosted by the local development corporation, and won by Venturi:
Here at the Reclaimed Flooring Company we provide wood for various projects and invite you to take a look through our website today.
Wood is a fantastic primary decorative source. For too long now it’s been used as an accent feature but here in the following article we would like to show you how this fantastic natural resource can prove to be the primary focus in a room – and how!
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Open floor and warm wooden walls
The following photograph is of a modern sitting room with a highly- polished wood surface. The wood adds light and warmth well as texture to the space while the lights enhance the natural brightness and warmth of the wood:
Monochromatic colour scheme
A colour-scheme of light neutrals – or a monochromatic background (as seen in the following photograph) is a great way to show off the unique texture of a wood. It works by giving a ‘soft, organic’ feel to this sitting room which otherwise displays contemporary furniture with a smart aesthetic:
Rustic Kitchen
Wood used in a rustic kitchen doesn’t necessarily have to be of the old, distressed variety (although that works too, obviously!).
Lumber, regardless of its origin, always adds warmth to a room – and together with bricks, vintage appliances and an old worlde fireplace, reclaimed timber can bring a room together like never before. Take a look at this rustic, rather weathered-looking, kitchen as a fab example; it adds warmth and history simultaneously. In addition, every inch in this kitchen has been utilised to best effect:
Rustic Bedroom
This ski chalet in the very popular French Alps boasts seven en-suite bedrooms and an indoor pool – in addition to a Hamm am steam room. Who cares about the wood? No, but seriously, this chalet with its beautiful natural wood ceiling, walls and doors surely must serve to make one feel cocooned in what appears to be a forest of natural wood:
Colonial Style
No-one’s a pioneer these days (maybe an entrepreneur) so the idea of using primitive hutting seems a bit bizarre. Or does it? This beautiful elegant room with its crown mouldings and wooden panels – not to mention the authentic window shutters and mahogany wood furniture – could easily sway one’s mind….
External wood
Whether it is internal or external, wood can always claim a bit of fame as regards our designer aesthetic. And this gorgeous Pittsburg home of a local architect is a case in point. He replaced concrete with wood and softened the exterior by not just introducing wood, but also a curved element:
Levelling Change
The wooden levels in the following photograph help to distinguish spaces ie there’s no wall between the dining area and the adjacent space; just few steps. This sunken living room creates a relaxed and cosy atmosphere, regardless of the lack of any womb-like walls:
Round room
The following room doesn’t have wood as a primary feature – but rather the main distinguishing mode. It gives it a rustic element which nicely sets off the old-fashioned fireplace and Tudor-style textiles. And that rounded ceiling is simply incredible – thanks to the wooden beams:
Country Style
When it comes to wooden interiors, no-where is it more defined than country-style and this kitchen cum dining room is a case in point. A cross between English country and Tuscan this look is unpretentious and homely. There’s definitely a bit of a farming traditions look here, we’re sure you’d agree:
So which particular wood filled room appealed to you most? Whether it’s traditional oak, reclaimed pine or oak or simple distressed wood in general, there is no denying that wood lends a certain warmth and aesthetic appeal to a room – regardless of whether it’s a sitting room, kitchen or dining room. Personally we’d opt for any of the above rooms in our home.
Imagine a world where a manufacturer is happy to replace a product after 10 years, and not because there’s anything wrong with it, but simply because a better version has come on to the market.
It may sound far-fetched but this is a serious idea proposed by some of construction’s soberest minds. It’s part of a concept that has become known as the “circular economy”, in which the link between economic prosperity and resource consumption is severed. In a circular economy, the traditional linear process of “take-make-dispose” is transformed into a closed loop where no resource is wasted and everything is reused or recycled.
On one level, “waste not want not” is far from a new idea. Swiss architect Walter Stahel first propounded the economic benefits of a closed loop economy in the mid-1970s, and terms such as resource efficiency, life cycle assessment, cradle to cradle (C2C) and the blue economy have since become familiar, to sustainability specialists at least. The construction sector has steadily been reducing the waste it sends to landfill for over a decade, and many manufacturers already operate take-back schemes for products at the end of their lives. But is this enough?
Working towards a virtuous construction circle
But the circular economy goes further than reducing waste to eliminating it altogether, extending the life of products, enabling them to be reused over and over again, and “upcycling” them to increase their value each time.
Something about the circular economy seems to have captured the popular imagination, and there are signs that it is making the leap from deep-green niche to mainstream concern. As one of the world’s heaviest users of resources and producers of waste, construction is in the front line. But is a genuinely closed loop for building materials possible? Can construction products really be reused as easily as cans of coke or cars?
Unlike many ideas about sustainability, the circular economy appeals because it responds to a pressing concern for all industries: the increasing competition for resources. According to a report by management consultant McKinsey & Company — Towards a circular economy – rising commodity prices since 2000 have wiped out the real decline in prices that took place over the whole 20th century. With the global population continuing to grow and urbanise, and 3 billion new middle class consumers expected to enter the market by 2030, high prices and volatility will be here to stay unless action is taken, says the report. On the other hand, the European Union could save up to US$630bn each year by implementing circular economy principles, it says.
Applied to construction, the circular economy would demand nothing less than a radical shift in how buildings are designed, maintained and even owned. Buildings would be designed to be more adaptable and durable, and eventually to be disassembled into components which could be reused or recycled. Rather than selling products, manufacturers might undertake to provide a guaranteed level of service, upgrading components as more efficient ones become available and taking back the old materials.
With the construction industry responsible for 32% of all landfill in the UK alone, some 120million tonnes of material waste a year, the imperative nature of disrupting the norms of construction practices and applying circular-backed deliverables to the entire industry can not be left to the passing of legislation or laws to come into practice.
Enviromate risen by two UK entrepreneurs whose interest in sustainable construction methods, and the waste produced of the vital reusable materials within the whole industry. This led the founders to look at the industry through the lens of innovation and change – Looking at the waste hierarchy and the commonly used 3R system of Reduce, Reuse & Recycle, seeing great advances in the Reduce and Recycle elements a compelling opportunity to enhance and accelerate the Reuse of decommissioned and surplus material section within construction.
A marketplace with a mission to enable reuse of materials at all echelons of the industry. An innovative platform that would enable and encourage the reuse of materials by local tradesmen through our classified site, right up to larger developers donating to community projects to reduce landfill and promote a circular economy.More Can be found here
More Can be found here: www.enviromate.co.uk
Making furniture and sculpting household functional objects such as coffee tables and headboards from reclaimed wood has kept sculptor Ariele Alasko incredibly busy for the past few years – to the extent it takes her around three weeks just to reply to an email.
Understandably, her love of sculpting from wood and selling the results from her Brooklyn Studio means her working hours are already crammed full. Then again, she also has to go and source the wood in the first place.
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Dumpsters, second-hand shops, throw-aways from friends – if there’s wood there it doesn’t go unused. Instead, it’s magically transformed into stunning items such as this beautiful chevron headboard with its eye-catching mix of stains and a rainbow of browns:
After she’s gathered her wood she cleans it and simply relies on the wood’s natural colour and patina to create the intricate patterns in her work. Every strip of wood is individually cut to ensure a perfect fit – that the end result is level with no gaps. As a result it can take her days to complete the one piece, or even weeks if it’s a large item she’s working on.
Originally from California, Alasko grew up with reclaimed wood – her father built her a gorgeous tree house bedroom in their home and which was surrounded by oak trees.
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After leaving college, having gained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, she worked for other designers, having no idea what she herself wanted to do. It was only when she had her own apartment and needed furniture that she started sourcing dumpsters and began to build it from piece of reclaimed wood. Seeing her first hand-crafted living room unit storing her possessions was her ‘light bulb’ moment. It gave her the idea to sculpt ‘functional furniture’ and she hasn’t looked back.
Her creations include cheeseboards, spoons, tables, lamps (vintage moulds make excellent shades) and wall art. Right now though her favourite thing work-wise to do, she says, is carve functional but artistic spoons from the likes of reclaimed walnut, sycamore, cherry and maple wood.
Her first major project involved outfitting the entire interior of her father’s new Italian restaurant back in California. She picked up materials in the form of reclaimed wood and discarded bits of scrap en-route from Brooklyn to her West Coast Pacific Grove destination. By the time she arrived she had a truck full.
It was in the restaurant that she learned her trade in handcrafting frames, tables, boards and bars and, at the same time, developed that exquisite eye for detail she undoubtedly has.
Alasko has been featured in interior design bibles such as Elle Décor in the UK and America’s Design Sponge. It’s her love of ‘chaotic geometry’ and her ability to put together textures and patterns in clever ways that has brought her to the attention of the design community both in her native America and across the pond here in the UK. And you can see why from the following images.
This wall, in the restaurant, for instance is a wonderful mix of colours and textures and comprising planks for old barns. You have to agree it blends in beautifully with the lampshades, tables and the reclaimed chairs:
The beautiful honey-coloured reclaimed flooring in this next image co-ordinates beautifully with the earthy tones of the paper chandelier, wall sconce and wooden partition on the back wall. The while painted walls are the perfect backdrop:
The following lamp was produced from reclaimed timber, an old mould, industrial whisk and pipe fittings. The result is not only an incredibly innovative wall light, but one that’s also pretty stunning. And it all came from either dumpsters or demolished buildings:
This quirky lath-style wooden table top is totally constructed from reclaimed wood. We love the varying textures and shades of brown – as well as those cute little green/blue pieces to add even more interest:
The following incredible 20-feet long window was built using reclaimed wood from abandoned homes in the Mid West and gives a lovely vintage feel to the restaurant:
Thinking of treating yourself to a new kitchen next year? Lucky you! There are so many fabulous kitchen trends out there to choose from, such as Shaker, minimalist, modern that it can take months to make a decision on even the cabinetry – never mind all the clever, innovative inbuilt appliances around. To narrow things down a little we’ve done a list here of what kitchen trends are already being touted for 2016:
Porcelain surfaces
Also known as ‘sintered compact surfaces’ these are striking to look at and incredibly easy to keep clean since they’re comprised of high-density, low-porous ceramic. They’re also fab. when it comes to heat and stain resistance.
Thin benchtops
The chunky look is out. It’s all about thin, slender island counter and benchtops in 2016 (some as thin as just three millimetres in diameter). The thinner the surface, the more the texture of it stands out, say designers.
Rose gold
For 2016 colour gurus Pantone have chosen two shades – serenity (a calming blue) and rose quartz (a warm pink). Rose gold fits in perfectly with that outlook. Brass and copper finishes on appliances and gadgets have already been around for quite a while now and rose gold gives them an even warmer look:
More Islands
Goodbye old-fashioned dining table; the kitchen island is taking over. These are no longer a square in front of the cabinetry, but a feature in their own right – to the extent there’s now no longer a need for a table in your kitchen. Islands in the near future will have work surfaces on one side, seats on the other and storage all the way round:
Hi-tech cabinets
An iPad holder attached to your kitchen cabinet to allow you to work hands-free and built-in IT charging stations on benches are just two of the ways the look of our kitchen furniture are changing and, at the same time, incorporating IT flexibility.
Peacock Blue
One of the colours tipped for kitchens next year, peacock blue – a rich blue-green shade – is pretty dramatic and looks terrific with white or silver appliances. Alternatively twin it with orange or yellow for a funkier, more individual, look.
Contemporary country kitchens
Contemporary with a twist of vintage, the contemporary country kitchen is sleek with modern-day hues of grey, white and duck egg blue. Cabinets often have warmer woods such as walnut or mahogany or even shaker style benches:
Super Storage
We have so many ‘time-saving’ gadgets in our kitchens these days that storage is still big news. In 2016 cabinets and drawers will open at the touch, cupboards will probably be hidden and rotimatic appliances will have more than one use.
Sensational sinks
Maybe you’re desperate to make-over your kitchen next year but can’t afford to re-do the whole room? Then consider swapping a few choice items – such as the sink, for example. Coloured sinks are ‘in.’ This green, yellow number really brightens up a neutral kitchen and makes the sink more of a focal point, especially when the backsplashes are in the same shade.
Sensational Ceilings
Statement ceilings are about to make themselves heard (or rather seen!). Whether it’s knock-out lighting, bulkheads or stunning embellishments, the ceiling will start to become a more important part of kitchen décor in 2016:
So, which of the above do you fancy incorporating into your dream kitchen for 2016?
Wood on walls is back in a big way! We have patiently been waiting to see these pictures from The Ubiquitous Ad Agency, and here we are. Once you know your interior theme and the end result is firmly set your mind, why complicate matters? Natural Oak Wall Cladding, Rustic Solid Wood Wall Cladding, Real and Solid Oak Panelling- call it what you will. The fact is that wood on walls is back in a big way whether rustic and reclaimed or not. We believe in the benefits of wood for wall cladding so much that we will be dedicating a whole section of our website very shortly to this sole purpose, with all the options we have available we expect there to be up to 10 unique cladding products.
Cladding a wall with wood saves on extra costs such as plaster boarding, plastering and painting. Not only this but its faster to fit, requires minimal aftercare and the final result offer more creative solutions to interior wall solutions.
Painted wall cladding has really taken off, we see feature walls made from wood cladding and painted cladding in restaurants, bars, retail and private homes. But do you know what the real design dilemma is with reclaimed painted wall cladding?
The dilemma is that up until now you could not control the colours, which is a nightmare from a designers perspective. Normally, a client would have to take what comes, which would be a mish-mash of what is available. This presents no problem in some cases but if you require more colour control – then you will love these.
Imagine a new shop where three brand colours are red, brown and green for example. We are now able to create a unique layering effect for these colours and so create instant nostalgia and history for what would normally be a new shop, store or company interior colour set. Because of our new painted cladding designs, any colour can be layered and weathered to any degree which gives full design control to the designer or client.
We have one well know secret client/brand that has experimented successfully with this idea and they are in truly impressed by the results. What can we do for you?
Thank you for everybody who came to see us at 100% Design this year, it has been an even bigger success than we had hoped for – lots of compliments on our stand. The idea for our ‘Look Closer’ interactive exhibition was to help clients appreciate the delicate nature of oak on a microscopic scale. Many of our specialist patina creations are only possible because we have a deep understanding on the of the effects micro changes in the woods surface can make to the final depth of colour.
Through changing the pore structure at the oaks surface, gently wire brushing or deeply wire brushing the surface will allow the colour and natural chemical reaction within the oak become more or less potent, thus deeper colour tones manifest and natural patinas develop.
We cater for large scale commercial projects, high end domestic and bespoke, creations such as our geometric floor panels. We will never sacrifice on quality, while we aim to keep our prices competitive within our market. We invite you to ‘Look Closer’ and discover why we are still the most innovative wood flooring company in the UK.
Another inspirational designer we have been paying attention to recently is Rose Uniacke. In terms of simplicity of style, we share a good deal of appreciation for raw materials and reclaimed wooden floors. The ‘Rose Uniacke’ wood floor is a style we are often asked to supply, this is antique oak in it’s most beautiful and natural state.
As the design face of London, Rose Uniacke oversees three different design areas that include interiors, furniture, and antiques. Known for her unmistakable style that is rooted in her approach to creating a stunning, sublime, and tasteful interior. Not surprisingly she started her career with furniture restoration and went on to becoming a paint specialist before she finally plunged into antiques and interior designing.
Her individuality lies in her passion for interesting antiques and fine furniture. Uniacke is someone who understands and appreciates classic art and architecture and draws inspiration from it to create a warm, luxurious and simple interior. She has ascended to the being the elite interior designer of London and has recently landed herself one of London’s most prestigious residential project – Beckham’s new Holland mansion.
A career that emerged out of her love for antiques has come to a point where she is regarded as London’s top interior designer. Her sprawling design studio in Pimlico features a classic blend of the old and new which come together to create her signature relaxed and organic ambience. Combining design and art with culture and class, this interior designer and antiques dealer has adorned many family homes and private estates with her elegant designs.
Rose Uniacke was bestowed with the Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year award in 2013 for her fresh and opulent aesthetic sense and her ability to utilise light and space in the most innovative manner. Her designs convey a harmonious balance of simplicity, affluence, and sophistication. Her work became known to the world when she designed the leading Jo Malone Flagship store in London and from there her career soared sky high.
Her work goes way beyond the conventional elements of home decor and delights the residents with its winsomely fascinating charm and bespoke beauty.
She beautifully transforms abstract thoughts into appealing visuals for an all true opulent decor. We bring you a glimpse of this famous designer’s former projects which reflect her strong preference for reclaimed wood floors. While timber remains consistent in most of her designs, the other elements change from calm and soothing to stunning and stylish.
The arching doorways and a grand-looking staircase convey her refined taste which is further enhanced by the timeless charm of reclaimed wood floors.
