If you are looking for highly sustainable and unique furniture pieces then consider furniture made from bamboo or chamcha. Both are made from plant species that grow extremely quickly and as a result can replenish themselves rapidly.
Bamboo is able to grow more than three feet in a day while chamcha, which comes from the Acacia Tree and is found in warm tropical climates, grows to be nearly 200 ft tall.
Many chamcha pieces retain the Acacia tree’s likeness such as the Chamcha Wood Console. This piece makes a big statement with its distinct wood grain and its heavy, tree-like appearance. It can be mixed into the decor of many different homes whether they’re traditional or modern. Other chamcha options make use of the wood in a more typical way, shaping it into standard sized and shaped furniture.
Unlike chamcha’s more spiraling, rich grain, bamboo is very geometric in shape and pattern which inherently gives it a very modern look and feel.
The use of bamboo for home decor took off in 1939 in San Francisco when architect William Merchant commissioned an entire room to be decorated out of the material. This look helped define the era’s decor and continues to have an influence as more and more items from clothing to furniture are being made from bamboo.
To keep bamboo furniture in tip-top shape, dust it regularly and keep it out of the sun. It should be washed occasionally using a soft cloth or sponge and gentle soap, lots of water and a bit of ammonia. Make sure after washing bamboo that you let it dry thoroughly. Rough spots can be treated with fine-grain sandpaper and then sealed with paste wax. To keep it shiny, polish bamboo with linseed or flaxseed oil. To care for chamcha furniture, keep it dust free using a soft brush or damp cloth.
Both bamboo and chamcha offer the durability and beauty of the natural grains found in many other wood species. As an added bonus, these products are highly sustainable, eco-friendly and they continue to gain popularity as homeowners and consumers in general become increasingly environmentally conscious.
Images courtesy of Phillips Collection, The Home Co. and Dida Home