Faux-Bois (Faux Wood) is, shall we say, "ingrained" in the design community right now, from
ceramic and resin logsto woodgrain
sunglasses and
pillows. I wanted to find out more on this seemingly eco-friendly and cool trend that is popping up, and found out from
this article on danshamptons.com that it was very popular in the late 19th century and continued into the 1940s. In its truest sense, it refers to the architectural or sculptural application of concrete, mortar and cement paste onto a steel frame, which is then manipulated to look like wood grain or rings. Now, it can also refer to any "fake wood" piece, whether that be a woodgrain-printed fabric or a plaster log.
I found a fantastic blog called
"It's (K)not Wood"which showcases all things faux-bois. These bloggers have been devoting themselves to this trend since December 2005- their earliest post! Really worth checking out, I think you'll be surprised at some of the applications.
1stdibs.comhas exquisite examples of the finest in faux bois, which I have included pictures of below. There's a
great set of concrete french faux-bois planters from the 1920's and, the obvious winner, a pair of Italian murano glass
faux bois chandeliers!!! Check out pictures of it below, and admire how "natural" the many looks of faux bois can look in interior spaces.
Enjoy!
-Genevieve at Swank
