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photo credit: Jonathan Adler
After a glorious past as a protagonist in the homes of our parents and grandparents, briarwood furniture has come back in recent years and has conquered with its unique and elegant grain. In fact, it has never really disappeared: whether dark walnut or light birch, it has been able to adapt to ever-changing styles and needs, going from the eccentric glamour of the Art Deco period to the clean silhouettes of Milo Baughman and Willy Rizzo in the 1970s.
Burl wood is obtained from the roots of trees and comes in many varieties. However, it is quite rare to find on the market, which contributes to its exclusivity, as well as the difficulty of processing it. Depending on personal taste, briarwood can fit into a more minimalist environment or a more eccentric one, the secret being in the combination.
With its kaleidoscopic marbling it can give an almost chaotic effect, but combined with full, solid colours it can give a touch of originality to the environment, without losing linearity and elegance. Black, white or brighter colours combine perfectly with the decorative richness of briarwood, whether for furniture or decorative elements. For example, you can combine briarwood chairs with a black, white or even crystal table: as long as their surroundings have a solid colour, they will be the stars of the room. Other elements such as briarwood coffee tables were a must-have in the 1970s and today, combined with more modern sofas and consoles, they give that timeless classic flavour.
If, on the other hand, you like to layer rich materials to create a structured space, briarwood also lends itself to more kitschy combinations, when combined with pop and colourful elements. In this case, you can take advantage of the highly decorative pattern and choose briarwood with eyes or flames, with swirling veins and irregularities. The pattern can vary a lot, not only depending on the type of wood but also on the cut and the specific history of the tree. For example, a trunk with many irregularities is more likely to conceal a briar with varied and sinuous lines, which in some cases take on a flame or eye shape.
And what about 'modernising' antique furniture? At intOndo we always promote the mixing of eras: on the one hand, critically combining antique and modern allows you to make your own style original and unique, and on the other hand to reuse inherited furniture considered too retro. A beautiful antique briar chest of drawers, perhaps inlaid or embellished with bronze elements, immediately gives class and royalty to the environment, as well as being an excellent investment for the future. It is ideal to place it in an environment with uniform tones, so that it can play a leading role.
Antique or modern, linear or rich: briarwood suits all tastes, you just need to know how to balance the desire to dare with the need not to exaggerate.
