Ron Roberts asked:


(NU) - A home featuring traditional wood crafts, folk art and hand-carved furniture exemplifies a unique style of beauty. Whether you proudly display family heirlooms or collectibles gathered throughout the years, the addition of wood as a classic backdrop throughout your home will set the stage for these historic treasures and enhance your home’s sense of warmth and style.

Here are some tips for adding wood decor to your home.

* Start with the entrance. An impressively detailed, hand-carved wood door will set the tone before anyone even takes a step into your home. A stately carved wood door informs those entering the home of your own personal style.

An elaborate wood entry system, like those available in the Jeld-Wen IWP Collection, features extraordinary details that emphasize the wood’s character. These doors are created by artisans who carefully craft each masterpiece to match and highlight a home’s architectural details.

* Include interior decorative wood pieces. From windows, doors and furniture to clocks and artwork, decorative pieces are available in the wood species and style of your choice. Many of these pieces are still being created by hand. Artisans utilize their skills to replicate the exquisite works of old-world craftsmen, as well as create new, original designs. Craftsmen construct each piece individually, often choosing and planing the lumber themselves to bring out the true beauty of the wood.

* Create your own style. Continue your wood theme throughout your home when selecting moulding, cabinetry and any additional woodwork. Using the same species all through your home creates a truly harmonious, classic feel. Or, use a blend of species by coordinating two or three different types of wood to create a varied, somewhat eclectic look.

From maple, pine and oak to mahogany and rosewood, these woods complement each other and promise an exotic design that will add interest and character to each room.

* Mix and match old with new. When decorating, match hand-carved wood items with factory-built accents, which are stylish yet economical. Handcrafted tables, cedar chests and armoires blend seamlessly with manufacturer-made wood picture frames, clocks and candlesticks. Mixing in your antique treasures will add that final touch, giving your home the individuality you desire and a proud display of your prized possessions.

Whether your home’s style is colonial, country or shaker, handcrafted elements instill a bit of style and tradition. Look for local craft fairs and galleries to find artisans in your area.



BLAINE

Karishma Roy asked:


The wood history Woodcarving is an art and India has been a traditional producer of woodcarving furniture for ages. Production of woodcarving is developed on a commercial scale, which is carried out by many Indian artisans from generation to generation. India has abundant collection of woodcarved furniture, out of which some has been explored and a lot remains to be discovered.

It has a rich old heritage to crown its head, which is believed to be the oldest heritage of the world. This has been adored and preserved by the Indians since time immemorial. The exquisite furniture range comes in various styles with varying designs, finishes, colors, shapes etc. The designs and the carvings may be etched on the back or front, which gives a remarkable and pleasing appearance. The use of high quality wood enhances the overall functional value and visual appeal of furniture.

In the beginning, shisham was the only wood used by handicraftsmen. Thereafter some ingenious craftsmen experimented with teakwood from Nepal and Assam, ebonite from Assam and rosewood from the South. Struggle for survival forced the wood carving industry to pass through many critical phases. Changing scenario of industry turned the craftsmen to many other varieties of woods.

Besides traditional shisham, wood craftsmen have now been using many other varieties of wood depending upon the suitability of texture, color, grains of wood for particular job. For deep under-cutting and sculptural effect teak, rosewood and walnut are preferred. For low relief, shisham and deodar is used and for incised design ebony are considered. Rohira, sal, babul, etc are coarse grained and hard wood used for bold work. Haldu and dudhi are used for special polychromatic effects.

The opulent Indian Wooden Furniture Treasure Chest Woodcarving industry is spreader in majority parts of the country with some of it’s main parts including Rajasthan, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and more. Woodcraft of Saharanpur is famous all over the world for its elegance and beauty. Saharanpur is known for vine-leaf patterns on Sheesham wood. Floral, geometric and figurative carving is also done here with wood inlay work. Woodworks industry in the North Eastern region is scattered and the production is confined to a few items only in a few states.

Gujarat has a rich culture for such carving and in addition to small chairs and tables, the swing, without which no traditional home is complete, is made. Wood inlay, which developed and flourished during the Mughal rule, is done with bits of ivory, plastic, horn, metal pieces or other types of wood into carved surfaces of wooden items. This kind is found in various parts of the country such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Designs of Uttar Pradesh such as the fretwork, jali or the anguri work are also very popular.

The wood carvers of Madhya Pradesh, with great sensitivity and skill transform different varieties of wood such as shish, teak, dhudi, sal and kikar into works of art. Madhya Pradesh is famous for painted and lacquered wood product such as toys, boxes, bedposts, cradles posts, flower vases etc. Kashmir is the only state in India, where Walnut trees and Fine Deodar wood are found.

The craftsmen here create intricate carvings on wood obtained from the walnut tree which is used to make furniture items like tables, chairs, stools, partitions, trays, book stands, wall decorations, fruit bowls etc that have rich floral and trellis patterns carved on them. Rajasthan has its own unique wood tradition, Barmer is well known for carved furniture. Some furniture pieces in Barmer like tables, low stools etc has miniature paintings on them. Carved wood items such as cabinets, screens, chairs, tables, almirahs, racks etc are also highly decorated over here. Also each region of Woodcraft in Punjab is into making carved legs of beds and manjis and boxes. Gwalior, Sheopur-Kalan, Rewa and Budhni are main centers of wood lacquering.

Uttar Pradesh has many craft centers engaged in making different items out of wood. Mainpuri is famous for woodwork on ebony or black sheesham inlaid with brass wire. Banaras is known for lacquered toys and miniature utensils for children to play with. India is the second largest supplier of bamboo and West Bengal is known for its creativity and artisans of the State specialized in creating everyday and fancy articles from bamboo and cane. Cane and Bamboo occupy a distinctive place in the life of Tripura too. Furniture made of cane; Baskets knitted out of cane and bamboo strips are some of the well-known craft produce from the Tripura, which are always on demand. Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu too, have their distinct wood carving traditions.

Karnataka is famous for carvings and decorative pieces made from sandalwood. Sandalwood items like, boxes, trays, key chains, small figurines are not only carved tastefully but they also give out subtle smell of sandal. West Bengal and Kerala are known for items made from the wood obtained from coconut tree. Great prospects for Indian wooden furniture in the foreign markets The Indian furniture industry is a non- organized sector with the production of Handicraft accounting to around 85%.

The furniture industry is estimated to provide employment to around 300,000 workers in India. As a rural and cottage industry, it provides employment to lakhs of people from the weaker sections of society. The skill of the wood workers of India is not only restricted to domestic use but has gain immense popularity in the foreign export markets. The industry has extended to the fashioning of panels, cabinets, doors, windows, temples and furniture. The taste of the people are moving more towards the antique kind of furniture and a variety of experiments are been carried out with designs by the Indian artisans to cleverly blend the traditional and modern woodcraft items suiting today’s decor.

Exquisite designs, attractive colors, unmatched workmanship and subtle elegance are the distinguishing features, which have put Indian hand crafted furniture on world map. Steadily climbing the popularity chart the market potential for furniture has reached approximately to US” 240,007.40 million in 2005. This sector has more potential for earning substantial foreign exchange. Low capital investments, higher value addition and highly labor intensive are highlights that make the sector significant for the country’s economy.

These items found good market in Central European countries, United States of America, England, Russia and UAE. Japan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar has also emerged as new consumers for the country. Central and State governments have been paying extraordinary attention to ensure high growth rate and development of this industry. They are also proving funds to many small businesses to help them flourish in the market. Also the Indian government is continuously taking steps to minimize entry-exit barriers for foreign companies. Liberal policies for foreign equity participation and foreign direct investments have given a further boost to the sector.

Woodcraft has played its part in making the Indian handicraft fortune wealthier and inspite of many environment prevention issues the prospect of the hand crafted furniture sector in India seems positive. India presents a favorable outlook to sell this kind of furniture and one expects this sector to grow further in the coming years.



ANTONY

ParvezAhmad B asked:


Exporters of walnut wood carving and furniture. Carved, semi carved and plain. also utility items like boxes, wall hangings, napking rings, cigrette boxes, serving trays, letter boxes, bowls etc.

PATRICK

RedDragon asked:


I love to learn wood carving. I found Balinese have the best talent in this area. I’ve been thinking spending 2 or 3 months in Bali especially to learn wood carving. Who can give me some directions? Any good school or homestay suggestions?

MOHAMMED

lsu tiger asked:


Where could I find a beginner wood carving kit? I was hoping to find it a a store like Lowes of Home Depot, or something like Hobby Lobby or other crafts store. Is this possible or will I need to go to a specialty hobby store to find it?

SHELDON

Chris B asked:


Trying to stay fairly cheap, but I know these sets can get expensive. Any suggestions?

ELMO

Shark asked:


Hey, I want to start carving things, (animals, mainly birds,) and was wondering what I would need. Thanks!

GREG

Sushmita Gupta asked:


Wood paneling is a wall constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components, which are traditionally interlocking wood but it, could be also plastic or other materials.

Wood paneling is used in architecture and design, ornamental treatment of the walls, ceilings, doors, and furnishings that consist of a sequence of broad, thin sheets called panels that were framed together by smaller, thicker strips of wood. It was developed in antiquity to make rooms in stone buildings to look more comfortable. The panels work to insulate the room from the cold stone.

In modern buildings, it is installed for decorative purposes. Wood paneling such as wainscoting and boiserie in particular, may be extremely ornate and is particularly associated with 17th and 18th century interior design, Victorian architecture in Britain and its international contemporaries. Wainscot is a paneling design used to the lower 900mm to 1500mm of an interior wall, underneath the decorative rail on the wall or chair and above the skirting board or baseboard.

This style is traditionally created from tongue and groove boards though bead board or decorative panel such as wooden door might have is also common. Wainscot is also referring to other materials used in similar fashion. Its original purpose was to cover the lower parts of the walls in which in houses constructed with poor or nonexistent damp proof courses are often affected by rising dampness but now it general purpose is for decorative use. Boiserie is the term used to define ornate and intricately carved wood paneling.

Some early examples of boiserie were unpainted but later the raised moldings were painted or gilded. Boiserie is popular during the 17th and 18th century French interior design and Palace of Versailles has many fine examples. Wood panels were not just confined to the walls of the room but were also used to decorate doors, frames, cupboards and shelves. Wood paneling has been popular for hundreds of years ago and indeed it a natural wood adds warmth and elegance but the only way the craftsmen of earlier were able to apply wood paneling was in frames or what they called wainscoting.

Now, wood paneling became so popular that it is used in homes everywhere, in the kitchen, dining room, living room and bedroom. Today, wood paneling in homes have a lighter and sleeker look. Those people who buy or own older homes with dark paneled rooms may be faced with the decision of keeping the paneling as in, removing or changing it and the easiest and most cost effective way to change the look of a paneled room is to add color by painting the paneling.

The wood paneling is often passed over as a quality building material. The images of the inexpensive imitation composite paneling the gained fame and fortune during the last half of the 20th century tend to dominate not to knock the cheaper alternative. Wood paneling can be a wonderful and economic addition to any other living space but many homeowners fail to consider the higher end wood paneling options available to them.

From a dramatically crafted raised panel accents to knotty pine tongues and groove walls and ceilings wood panels can convert any home from ordinary to extraordinary overnight. In wood paneling, you have many options to choose from that are available in the market today that will suits your tastes and budget. And if you are really fascinated in wood paneling, you can ask the help of an experience contractor, dealer or installer about what alternatives is best for you. And without a doubt, quality wood panels are one of the most beautiful and timeless investments you can make when it comes to enhancing the look and character of your home.



SHAWN

Jamie K asked:


My grandmother was born in, 1899, and she told my that her great uncle carved this. It is a 16 X 20 piece of 1/2″ wood with the Lord’s Prayer carved in unique script all the way through.

KEITH

Bee L asked:


any wood carving tips out there? I am trying to make a simple gift and need to engrave a name in a thin wooden paddle. Any advice would be so appreciated! I have gone thru most of my test & trial wood

IVORY