Why Is Log Furniture So Popular?

Can you explain what makes a simple log table more appealing to many of us than a finely carved mahogany table? Is it just a matter of style or a matter of taste? To be precise, some log or rustic furniture pieces don’t go well with every decorating theme, and few of us place an Adirondack chair with a Chippendale knee hole table, but log furniture has no equal in many settings.

In the traditional sense, most furniture is made of wood (nothing more than “domesticated” logs). However, log furniture is the antithesis of most traditional furniture. While traditional furniture makers prefer pristine wood planks that are free of knots or stains, log furniture makers emphasize knots, diseased parts and even bark.

Oftentimes, traditional furniture has elegant lines and slender legs, while log designs feature thick, strong verticals and diagonal elements. Billet furniture manufacturers often rely more on hand tools than machines. The draw blade and spokes are the basic tools used for stripping and mortising logs. Hand saws, chisels, axes and other hand tools are available in every log furniture craftsman’s workshop.
Log furniture is practical and makes us appreciate human genius and resourcefulness. Unlike traditional mass-produced furniture, log furniture is particularly distinctive because no two pieces look the same. The uniqueness of the logs and slabs ensures that each piece presents a singular appearance. Log furniture is a natural, handmade free-form art form.

This author’s view is that the bold and unique character of log furniture speaks to us so closely. Log furniture has a spirit that whispers to us about our past when people produce furniture from raw materials provided by nature. The early pioneers built their log furniture out of necessity, and it retains a romantic appeal that inspires bold thoughts as much as Westward expansion. Log furniture is bold and bold – yet warm and inviting. It can be massive yet elegant and gives us a way to bring nature into our homes.

The countless answers to the question “why is log furniture popular” are as diverse as the craftsmen who do these works. Simplicity, elegance, courage, history, natural beauty… There is a difference between style and character. This is why log furniture is so popular.