A Natural Haute Couture
Only 8 in 1000 Trees Make the Cut
We instinctively seek out ways to live closer to nature - often by bringing wood into our homes. We want to do this responsibly and in a way that leaves just the right amount of the tree’s personality in the room. Otherwise, the magic of the wood vanishes.
Our goal is to do this thoughtfully, consciously, through an approach that enables the use of wood that would normally be excluded - not because it is of poor quality or lacks beauty, but because knitting it into a beautiful fabric is difficult. It requires technical skill, artistic finesse, and a certain passion.
There is a lot tangled up in the sustainable use of wood. Scarcity is one vital thread that, if not treated in a responsible manner, can unravel the fabric of sustainability.
Our goal is to do this thoughtfully, consciously, through an approach that enables the use of wood that would normally be excluded - not because it is of poor quality or lacks beauty, but because knitting it into a beautiful fabric is difficult. It requires technical skill, artistic finesse, and a certain passion.
There is a lot tangled up in the sustainable use of wood. Scarcity is one vital thread that, if not treated in a responsible manner, can unravel the fabric of sustainability.
What do we mean by scarcity? The highest-quality portions of the tree - the parts we bring into your home - make up a stunningly small percentage of what's harvested.
Consider these facts:
Consider these facts:
Of 1000 white oak logs, only about 100 of them are likely to be ‘veneer grade’. The ratios for walnut can be even more challenging.
These are the straightest, clearest, and largest logs.
Of those 100 logs, only about 8 of them will produce the highest Grade-A wood that we use.
Once this material is in hand, it is our responsibility to use every inch of it we possibly can.
That’s why Henrybuilt embraces a singular approach that brings the seemingly opposing forces of sustainability, scarcity, and beauty to the same side of the coin. Why? To bring a more naturally elegant outcome to those who are seeking a just right feeling - and a different level of quality and performance - in their homes, while also doing right by the environment.
That’s why Henrybuilt embraces a singular approach that brings the seemingly opposing forces of sustainability, scarcity, and beauty to the same side of the coin. Why? To bring a more naturally elegant outcome to those who are seeking a just right feeling - and a different level of quality and performance - in their homes, while also doing right by the environment.
Above: Trees turn the events of their lives into unique variations of texture and color. Attributes we celebrate – rather than eliminate in the quest for 'perfection'.
It is easier and cheaper to create wood panels that favor uniformity and ignore the beauty inherent to the tree. Instead, we turn variety into part of the makeup of what is often a more cohesive overall feel than what you get with standard, commodity selections of even the highest-grade woods available.
It is easier and cheaper to create wood panels that favor uniformity and ignore the beauty inherent to the tree. Instead, we turn variety into part of the makeup of what is often a more cohesive overall feel than what you get with standard, commodity selections of even the highest-grade woods available.
We begin with a definition of specific combinations of tone and pattern that we’ve developed over twenty years – one where the grain is open enough to create some movement, but not so much to look ‘primitive’ or rustic. It creates an overall look that leverages the variation in color and texture of the wood but still has a certain kind of natural elegance.
We end with a result that is a more responsible and sustainable use of the high-grade material from the tree, with a more unique look and natural feel. A winning combination. A natural haute couture.
