COLOR STUDY: URBAN NATURE
It seems only fitting that woodgrain has found its way into the popular aesthetic once again. With design being so cyclical and reactionary, we find the comfort in our old friend - wood. Overwhelmed with bright colors, translucent plexiglass, bold geometric stripes and techno/futuristic shapes, it should come as no surprise that many designers have ultimately become bored and have instead started looking to natural, more organic themes. Jonathan Lo at J3 Productions had this to write about....
Wood is Good.
My fascination with faux woodgrain began out of desperation. I had just moved into a new apartment and needed to do something about a really dark bathroom. I prefer my bathrooms to be bright and cheery and this one had dark 70's faux wood formica particle board cabinets. Since i was only renting, I couldn't do anything drastic.
While strolling through the local Home Depot, I came across the shelving section. A few steps into the aisle and there it was -- faux woodgrain contact paper in a miriad of faux finishes (specifically a light blond fake pine). Needless to say, I went into a contact paper frenzy, re-covering the cabinets, my table, my shelves, and various surfaces throughout my place. It was such a wonderful marriage of function, cost-effectiveness, and beauty...
The irony in contact paper is that it provides the "old soul" of wood, without the labour and cost of using real wood. Designers of the past used wood veneer, which had been around for a while, but found its hey-day in the 70's.
The idea of faux wood allows anyone, anywhere, to appreciate the beauty of nature - on anything. For me, it was the use of contact paper to enhance my cheap decor. But designers today are rediscovering wood veneers, laminates, as well as the graphic shapes of the grain as a pattern- and putting it on clothing, accessories, home furnishings, and there's even a rubber stamp you can find at craft stores that allows you to "paint" wood on your walls. Of course, if you can afford to go with real wood, that is ultimately the way to go, but in case you can't- Faux is fresh and fabulous.
For more information about Jonathan Lo at J3 Productions visit their website at http://www.j3productions.com
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