Scandinavian Modern furniture is often associated with teak, the ultra-durable hardwood from Southeast Asia. Before their discovery of teak, Scandinavian furniture designers used softer woods, like pine, which is native to the region. Teak is considered by many to be an ideal material for furniture because it’s one of the strongest woods, and at the same time relatively light. Its inherent color and oil gives it a soft, natural sheen, which mirrors the Modern emphasis on truth to materials and functionality.
Elephants Piling Teak, Burma, Courtesy of the University of Glasgow
Reclaimed Wood, Part I
When early American colonists begun penetrating the thick interior of the North American frontier, they discovered that the vast, untouched forests extended much deeper than previously imagined. About 1 billion acres of heavily wooded land stretched from the Atlantic to well past the Mississippi River and promised settlers a wealth of useful raw timber.
Lumber Worker in White Pines, Circa 1958, Courtesy of Sierra Nevada Logging Museum
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