Reclaiming the Edge

One of my favorite materials is wood. Its natural warmth is an important element in the aesthetic I try to create in my home. I've been thinking through what kind of kitchen table I want. We do have a kitchen table currently, but it was left here by the previous owners. I restained the table top and painted the legs, but it's not my "forever" table. I like reclaimed wood for its ecological aspects, for its weathered appearance, and also because I love having pieces with a story and a past life. I also like wood pieces with a natural edge. A raw edge of wood tells the story of wood's past life as a tree. I did some searching on Etsy to find pieces that inspire me. Barnowlfurniture has this beautiful salvaged cherry dining table. The cherry planks are from a hay loft floor from an 1886 barn. Woodfromthehood has this walnut table with natural edges. I love that the top is one solid piece with the natural craggy parts of the wood. This reclaimed wood dining table is closer to square, and has steel legs. Found at surthrival. lorimerantiques has this great farm table with contoured edges above. The grain and finish on this harvest table from dreadnaught gives me visions of the 100 year old barn it came from. chicbycristinia has this lovely, solid farmhouse dining table. This time of year I would scatter leaves around the place settings. Check out the great color on this reclaimed oak and cedar table from greenfootfurniture above. I want to pull up a chair to this farmhouse table from blackberryfurniture. I'm swooning for this walnut table above from rerunzvintageshop, and the family history of the piece makes it even more special. But let's say we're not in the market for a large, family dining table, but we still want reclaimed or natural edged wood to warm up our indoor spaces for Fall.

The natural edge on this oak side table from project2501 has great knotting to run your fingers over.

Above, TRUECONNECTION has this cute little reclaimed cedar end table, as they say - it's perfect for your book and tea.

I need something like this mulberry hall table from Finewoodworks behind my couch, but I could never hide it behind a couch!

Love the exquisite wood grain on this butternut side table from 60nobscot.

Maybe we're not all in the market for a big table, but there are plenty of options to bring home beautiful wood pieces in smaller forms. Woodswise has this ash live edge mirror with some of the bark retained. I think it would fit in perfectly in my foyer.

Reclaimed = cool. Reclaimed fencepost = incredibly cool. Fence post bowl by Underwoodturning.

I'm falling in love with this cherry wood natural edge server I found at sowabisabi. Malachite fills some of the natural cracks in the wood.

MarkMay's recycled timber frame is a perfect touch of warm woodgrain for your home.

This cherry bottle stopper stops my heart. Find it at dfuss.

There is spectacular wood grain on this oak bowl from holzfurhaus.

Digoto has great pencil cups, like the one above with a natural edge and made with maple.

This cherry root bowl's raw edge demonstrates exactly why I like all of these pieces - just look at the richness of the bark left on the wood. Found at ddwoodcreations.

ADrauglis has live edge shelves like the one above in apple wood. I'm already arranging vignettes in my head...

I've been working on this post for a few weeks now, never quite having the time to pull everything together. But then earlier this week I saw the bowl above at Target. I have to believe that it's the Etsy artists who are on the forefront of interior design, and not me. But it is funny when I feel like I'm noticing a trend on Etsy, and then I see it in the mainstream retail world.