Sometimes buying furniture can seem like a minefield. First you have to decide whether you want your latest purchase to be made of plastic, metal or wood. Simple enough, until you start wondering whether iron, aluminium or stainless steel would work best in the kitchen, and if you should go for a leather, Perspex or wicker armchair – but would that work with the pine floorboards and the oak coffee table?
Lounge chair fashion
One of the most problematic factors when deciding which material to go for is the issue of longevity and sustainability. Nobody wants to buy a designer Perspex dinner table that will be out of fashion before the first dinner party opportunity, so is there any way to avoid that? Unfortunately there is no quick cheat to deal with this issue – however, if you are a pre-purchase worrier, my advice is stick to wood.
Wooden furniture has been on the design scene ever since our ancestors chopped down their first trees, and it is here to last. The most crucial, appealing and inspirational quality about wood is its antiquity. Even if you are buying a brand new piece of wooden furniture, it will always have a rustic or slightly traditional look to it – which is why we love it so much. Each piece will always be individual, even if is manufactured in a factory along with a thousand other identical ones. Its indentations ensure that it will always be a unique addition to your home.
This season, white oak is the wood to go for, and my favourite item is this bench from Fashion for Home. It is made from solid white oak, and is available with a choice of natural or dark-stained finish. The bench is multi-functional in that it can be used as a chair, bench or even an impromptu table.
Dark shipwood Lounge Chair
If you are looking for something more rustic, go for Logan Komorowski’s Shipwood lounge chair made from antique pieces of recycled ship wood, from trade boats used in Southern China – some of which is as old as the Qing Dynasty (click here to view). This is a sustainable, environmentally-friendly addition to your home – and the salvaged wood will work with any décor, making it a no-stress buy.
