Dan's Papers - January 11, 2008

There is nothing quite as simultaneously cozy and elegant as wood, be it in the form of hardwood floors, wooden sculptures or furniture. Following the unfortunate crazes of linoleum and carpeting, hardwood floors have re-emerged as the best foundation for any room. And wooden furniture is as classic and beautiful a complement you can find. In fact, as I sit in my hardwood-floored apartment at my sturdy wooden table, listening to my old-fashioned wood-paneled record player swooning Lena Horne, I think wood is the ultimate material.

But then, my conscience kicks in. I spent six months working in the Costa Rican rainforest trying to reforest the thousands of acres that had been destroyed by deforestation. What was the point of all that work if I am going to come home and write an article about the benefits of cutting down trees? So, I did some research on alternatives. And the fact is, there is an environmentally friendly, attractive and affordable alternative to wood. It gives you the same homey feeling of warm wood, with all its delicate contours and lines, but no trees were harmed in the making of this product.

Faux bois, from the French "false wood," is not a new invention. In fact, it was extremely popular in the late 19th century, and its popularity continued through the 1940s. Faux bois is made of a combination of concrete, mortar and cement paste. It used to be applied to steel frames and other building materials to create the feeling of a wooden object. The intricate lines and rings of natural trees are certainly not easy to duplicate. As a result, those who did so expertly became quite well known for it. Several artists, such as Mexican artist Dionisio Rodriguez, actually made names for themselves through their use of faux bois. Rodriguez made large objects, especially for the garden, like birdbaths and planters. Of course, now those pieces are highly prized. Nowadays, there are still people who work in faux bois. One young artist, Ty Travis of the Stone Water Studio in Arizona, is currently selling his limited edition faux bois ceramic vessels for $75 each. They look like perfect sculptures of trees, and yet they are created with this historic material of faux bois. You can find these pieces on etsy.com, the eBay of handmade products.

Another contemporary artist who works in faux bois is Carlos Cortes, who creates large scale landscape pieces like furniture, sculpture, and folk art out of this concrete mixture. Upon perusing his gallery, the amateur eye would certainly think they were looking at real wood, but it is just the artist's expert articulation of what a tree trunk would look like as a tabletop. It gives that natural, rustic feel without actually using any trees. Mario Nievera, another artist who works in faux bois, creates giant planters in the shapes of tree trunks.

"I'm fascinated with faux bois garden ornaments," Nievera said. "The size of our faux bois planters allows for planting flexibility, symmetrical or asymmetrically balanced pot arrangements and durability in many climates."

Other smaller products made of faux bois can help bring the feeling of the outside indoors. Faux bois can make an excellent dinner set, or can be given piece by piece as special gift. Faux bois tableware, such as mugs and dishes, is crafted from ceramic and designed to look like twigs, branches or tree trunks. These lovely pieces give a rustic look to your table. Each item is handcrafted and incredibly unique. Such items can be seen at www.roomservicehome.com. A set of four faux bois dishes costs $82 and a large pitcher costs $38.

Faux bois is clearly not jut an item for the tree-huggers of the population. If contributing to the cause of rebuilding the Amazon means nothing to you, then you still might be interested in the aesthetic and monetary value of faux bois. Rooted (no pun intended) in history, faux bois of the early 20th century is highly valued by collectors. Its unique design, functionality and tree-friendly materials combine to make an excellent addition to your home. Whether you're adorning your patio with faux bois furniture or bringing the outside in with faux bois dinner sets, it's a great take on a natural inspiration.