Whether I'm flipping through my favorite home decor magazine or browsing online, a great room always makes me pause and study how it is put together. Visually dismantling a room piece by piece is the only way to learn how to create compelling spaces.
A technique that I find intriguing is skillful use of alternate materials. Designs that include something beyond traditional wood and upholstered furniture are more interesting.
Alternate materials come in many forms -- metal, wicker, stone, ceramic, plastic and glass, to mention a few. Incorporating a well edited selection of these materials is the glue that holds a room design together and sets it apart at the same time.
Kenneth Cobonpue's Noodle chair fuels the imagination. With handcrafted loops of rattan placed as randomly as an idle doodle, its spontaneity is matched only by its versatility.
Embracing furniture made of alternate material is not a new concept. I have been collecting vintage design magazines and books for years. I am always thrilled when I rediscover a trend that today's reporters are describing as new and inventive. Great designers have always known the value of incorporating the unexpected alongside the norm.
Working with alternate materials allows manufactures to create pieces that can move with ease from indoors to outside. Global View's Studio A collection includes the Eiffel Park bench and love seat. Both are inspired by the French iron bench.
The delicate lines allow them to fit into a room without overpowering or taking up too much space.
Alternate materials are often used in occasional chairs, offering an opportunity to introduce new elements in a room without a major investment in dollars or space.
The Spinnaker chair by Studio A takes its name from a wind-filled sail. The shape gives motion to a sedentary room. The hand-woven, gray-washed faux rattan chair was inspired by an old technique.
Looking for a small end table? Consider a garden stool. These are modestly scaled round ceramic stools that make wonderful, versatile tables. They come in a variety of colors and metallic finishes and work beautifully indoors and out.
Furniture pieces made from alternate materials help to create rooms that give us pause.
Designer and home improvement expert Vicki Payne is host and producer of For Your Home on PBS, Create TV and in syndication. Reach her at ForYourHome.com.
HomeStyle on 01/17/2015