Rustic
Furniture Information
Why is log furniture so popular?
By Tom Heatherington
http://www.logfurnituredirectory.com/articles/why_is_log_furniture_so_popular.htm
Can anyone explain what makes a simple log table
more appealing to many of us than a finely carved mahogany table?
Is it merely a matter of style or taste? To be certain, some log
or rustic furniture pieces do not blend well with every decorating
theme, as few of us would place an Adirondack chair with a Chippendale
kneehole desk, but in many settings log furniture has no equal.
In the traditional sense, furniture is made from wood (which is
basically logs that have been "tamed").
However, log furniture is the antithesis of most conventional furniture.
Traditional furniture makers favor pristine wood planks without
knots or blemishes, while log furniture builders emphasize knots,
diseased patches and even tree bark.
Oftentimes conventional furniture will feature graceful lines and
delicate legs, while log designs boast thick, powerful verticals
and cross members. Log furniture makers often rely on hand tools
more than machines. The drawknife and spokeshave are essential tools
used to peel logs and make tenons. Handsaws, chisels, hatchets and
other hand tools are found in every log furniture crafter's workshop.
Log furniture is practical and it stirs our appreciation of human
genius and resourcefulness. Unlike conventional mass-produced furniture,
log furniture is particularly distinctive in that no two pieces
look the same. The uniqueness of the logs and slabs ensure that
every piece presents a singular appearance. Log furniture is a form
of natural, hand-made freeform art.
It is this author's opinion that it is the bold and unique character
of log furniture that speaks to us so intimately. Log furniture
has a soul that whispers to us about our past when people produced
furniture from the raw materials nature provided. Early pioneers
built log furniture out of necessity, and it retains a romantic
charm that inspires thoughts as daring as that Westward expansion.
Log furniture is bold and gutsy - yet warm and inviting. It can
be massive, yet graceful and it offers us a way to introduce nature
into our homes.
The numerous answers to "why log furniture is popular"
are as varied as the craftsman who produce these works. Simplicity,
elegance, boldness, history, natural beauty... there is a difference
between style and character. And that's the reason log furniture
is so popular.
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