Decorations
Embellish and adorn wood's natural beauty through a variety of techniques |
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Show off an arrangement of colored glass bottles.
| Throughout history, wood's natural beauty has been embellished and adorned through a variety of techniques. Here are a few of the most common forms of decoration:
Veneers
A veneer is a thin layer of high-quality wood which is attached, generally with glue, to a frame of less expensive wood. This gives the furniture piece the look of the expensive wood, which may be too soft or impractical for use throughout the piece. Veneer is real wood—it is not simulated wood nor is it a laminate made out of plastic or paper. Veneers are also used in decorative work, like marquetry or inlays, or as a way to get the most impact from rare or very expensive woods such as tiger maple or rosewood.
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Inlays
Like a wooden jigsaw puzzle, inlays are pieces of wood fitted together into a decorative picture or pattern, and glued down to create a smooth surface. |
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Marquetry
This technique may use any of a number of materials including wood, tortoise shell, metal or mother of pearl, in the creation of an inlaid pattern or picture. The pieces are generally glued down, and the finished surface should be completely smooth. |
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Carving
A three-dimensional design created by cutting away parts of the wood's surface. This is best done by hand, although machine-carving is common and increasingly good. Less distinctive is die-pressed material that is added on to look like carved wood. |
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| Embossing
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A three-dimensional design created by the application of heat and pressure to a piece of wood. This is a less expensive method of decoration than carving.
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Paint
Paint can be used to create elaborate decorative finishes such as marbleizing, graining, stenciling, sponging, figuring and trompe l'oeil. |
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