For more than a century, concrete faux bois furniture has been a unique and rustic addition to estate gardens, but how well can contemporary handmade faux bois benches, chairs and tables hold up when placed in an untamed “wilderness” setting where nature reigns supreme?
As a master faux bois artist, I’m accustomed to creating custom concrete faux bois furniture for clients with visions ranging from garden benches for grotto niches, to branch-style tree tables destined for verandas where they’ll be well used for dining and entertaining.
Lately I’ve noticed that more of my newer clients have spacious properties in the mountains or bordering on forests and nature preserves. Their settings are more natural and less formal. These clients are art lovers seeking unique, exquisitely made faux bois furniture pieces that will look at home among the flora and fauna in a wilderness setting. At the same time, they want these pieces to stand out as a compelling sculpture. They seek an elegant, low maintenance option that enables them to rest and enjoy the amazing views, rustic scenery and wildlife in the less tamed areas of their private havens.
How can a faux bois table or bench fit in with nature in while at the same time avoid being dwarfed by an epic and imposing landscape? The answer comes when I dig deep into the philosophy of how I design. Each piece is made with the vision of making it appear as though it was created with minimal or no human intervention. What does that mean?
With each piece of faux bois furniture I create, I ask myself:
- What would a faux bois seat look like if, over a long period of time, branches and vines had minds of their own and wove themselves into a bench or chair?
- What if each piece of faux bois furniture appeared to be alive and still growing?
- How can I make every faux bois chair and bench inviting and comfortable and have it feel like an embrace from nature?
- How can faux bois tables be made to appear as though they sprouted from the ground and you happened upon them while out walking in nature?
- How can I design with the intertwined branch aesthetic and make the backs of every faux bois bench and chair comfortable to lean back on?
- What are the most lasting high-tech cement materials available, so each piece of faux bois furniture can last for centuries (even in a wilderness setting, withstanding interaction with wildlife, insects and severe weather)?
Often customers say they are drawn to my faux bois garden benches, chairs and tables because they appear as though natural branches and vines grew into those unique furniture profiles. If a piece of faux bois furniture looks like something that grew from nature, it makes sense that it will always look at home in nature–even if the design is whimsical and elaborate.
To find out more about how contemporary faux bois can fit in with your special garden setting, visit Diane Husson’s website: https://fauxboisfurniture.com
