White Pine Packs a Punch: Modern Accent Wall Inspiration

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It’s gorgeous no matter how it’s installed, but the possibilities for using Eastern White Pine to add a pop of color, texture and warmth to an interior wall go way beyond traditional treatments. Have you thought about creating an accent wall to contrast other materials, and taking a modern approach that shows off the material in a novel way? Sheets of plywood, vertical slats, sections of two-by-fours arranged like bricks and even bark-clad wall paneling bring us fresh new ways of looking at interior uses for this softwood.

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This apartment by Netherlands-based firm i29 Interior Architects goes geometric with interesting cut-outs framing a full wall clad in white pine, and the theme continues through the stairwell and into the bathroom as a series of built-in cabinets.

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These ‘Rustix Woodbrix’ white pine tiles by Rustix Creations are tongue-and-groove milled to lock together, and machined individually for a textured look that enhances the wood grain. Here, they’re installed to mimic the iconic look of subway tile.

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Bark House, a company based in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, offers designer white pine bark wall paneling for a look that calls to mind weathered, rusted iron or panels of leather from afar. Step closer and you’ll start to notice all the beautiful textural details of the bark, still speckled with green lichen and small knots.

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A small cliffside residence in Switzerland by K_M_architektur is covered in white pine inside and out, making the wood the main visual component to set a tranquil tone. The architect chose white pine for its minimalist appeal, particularly evident in the bedroom where it can be seen in three different forms.

Carved Japanese Chapel is a Masterwork of Intricate Wooden Design

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Beautifully carved wooden elements have been common in architecture for millennia, including the antique Eastern White Pine columns, capitals, corbels and other millwork and decorative trim found in so many colonial homes. These flourishes are typically used sparingly, so seeing them take center stage in incredibly intricate interiors makes quite an impact. Check out this gorgeous wedding chapel, located at the Ana Crowne Plaza Hotel in Hiroshima, Japan.

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Nikken Space Design collaborated with a kimono designer to come up with the botanical patterns lining the walls and ceiling of the chapel, containing its rows of pews within a shell of lace-like wooden lattice. The complex design is supported by an arched framework measuring 20 feet high by 62 feet long.

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100 hand-carved wooden panels bear the patterns illustrated by the kimono designer, including leaves, flowers, butterflies and billowing clouds. When sun streams in through the floor-to-ceiling window connecting the pulpit to the garden outside, it projects the pattern onto the floor.

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“Hiroshima is often known for the ‘Genbaku Dome’ and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, and one of the most popular destinations for overseas tourists to Japan,” say the architects. “For this reason, in planning the chapel, we were highly conscious of the fact that we were not simply designing as a commercial facility but a showcase that would let the rest of the world know about Japan’s peaceful spirituality, history, traditional arts and crafts, and its refined workmanship.”

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We’d say that goal has been achieved! This chapel is unforgettable, and it’s easy to see why couples would be eager to book it as the setting for their wedding ceremonies. It would be great to see similar woodworking trends catching on in the States, marrying traditional craftsmanship and American motifs with contemporary architecture. (Hint: Eastern White Pine would be an ideal material for this!)

Warm & Welcoming: Beautiful Wide-Plank Eastern White Pine Flooring

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Offering the widest planks of any species, Eastern White Pine flooring has a history extending back to the earliest Colonial structures in America’s Northeast, lending a warm and authentic feel that takes on lots of character and personality over time. Depending on the grade and finish you choose, Eastern White Pine can take on a wide variety of looks, from a pale, smooth modern appearance to the dark and knotty varieties reminiscent of original New England homes.

One of the coolest things about Eastern White Pine, aside from its versatility, affordability and sustainability, is the fact that the wood gets stronger and harder over the years. The fibers compress upon themselves as you walk on them, creating a timeless durability that can still be seen in centuries-old historic floors. Check out this selection of different Eastern White Pine flooring types from Valenti, Hull Forest and Carlisle for some examples.

Artisan’s Boutique Eastern White Pine Flooring by Carlisle

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Colonial Pine Kitchen Floors by Hull Forest
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East Hampton Wide Plank by Valenti Flooring valenti 3

Wide Plank Pine with Circular Saw Marks by Hull Forest

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Wide Plank Eastern White Pine Floors by Hull Forest

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Top nailed with antique wrought iron nails, stained with a 50/50 mix of Cabot’s Australian timber oil in Jarrah Brown and Old Masters wiping stain in Provincial, then finished with Varanthane Diamond water-based clear satin finish.

East Hampton Wide Plank by Valenti Flooring
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Hand-Scraped Eastern White Pine Kitchen by Carlisle

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Wide-Plank Eastern White Pine Flooring by Carlisle

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Wide-Plank Eastern White Pine Flooring by Carlisle

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Top image: East Hampton Wide Plank by Valenti Flooring

 

Warm & Welcoming: Beautiful Wide-Plank Eastern White Pine Flooring

valenti 1

Offering the widest planks of any species, Eastern White Pine flooring has a history extending back to the earliest Colonial structures in America’s Northeast, lending a warm and authentic feel that takes on lots of character and personality over time. Depending on the grade and finish you choose, Eastern White Pine can take on a wide variety of looks, from a pale, smooth modern appearance to the dark and knotty varieties reminiscent of original New England homes.

One of the coolest things about Eastern White Pine, aside from its versatility, affordability and sustainability, is the fact that the wood gets stronger and harder over the years. The fibers compress upon themselves as you walk on them, creating a timeless durability that can still be seen in centuries-old historic floors. Check out this selection of different Eastern White Pine flooring types from Valenti, Hull Forest and Carlisle for some examples.

Artisan’s Boutique Eastern White Pine Flooring by Carlisle

carsisle artisan

Colonial Pine Kitchen Floors by Hull Forest
hull forest 1

East Hampton Wide Plank by Valenti Flooring valenti 3

Wide Plank Pine with Circular Saw Marks by Hull Forest

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Wide Plank Eastern White Pine Floors by Hull Forest

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Top nailed with antique wrought iron nails, stained with a 50/50 mix of Cabot’s Australian timber oil in Jarrah Brown and Old Masters wiping stain in Provincial, then finished with Varanthane Diamond water-based clear satin finish.

East Hampton Wide Plank by Valenti Flooring
valenti 2

Hand-Scraped Eastern White Pine Kitchen by Carlisle

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Wide-Plank Eastern White Pine Flooring by Carlisle

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Wide-Plank Eastern White Pine Flooring by Carlisle

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Top image: East Hampton Wide Plank by Valenti Flooring

 

Pine Plywood Takes Center Stage in Minimalist Home

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Gone are the days when plywood was considered a sub-material unfit for use as a final finish in a quality building. Modern architects and interior designers are featuring it as a focal point, highlighting its textures and natural patterns, especially when juxtaposed with stark white surfaces. This home by i29 Interior Architects in Bloemendaal, Netherlands is a prime example, using pine plywood for everything from the dramatic floating fireplace in the living room to built-in bunk beds.

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The architects carried the use of plywood throughout the entire home, fostering a sense of continuity. Free of busy details like hardware and trim, the large, unadorned sheets of plywood have a tastefully minimalist feel. The all-white space would be far less visually interesting without the unfinished pine accent walls, shelving, niches and custom furniture.

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Aside from its affordability and ease of installation, one advantage of plywood is the continuous pattern that splashes across its entire surface in a motif reminiscent of sunlight sparkling on the surface of moving water. The effect is subtle yet breaks up what could otherwise be a monotonous decor scheme.

Pine for the Urban Apartment: Clever Space-Saving Built-In

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How do you pack a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living space, office and storage into a single room that measures a measly 226 square feet? German architecture firm Spamroom breathed new life into an urban Berlin micro apartment with a clever pine structure that functions like a room within a room, sectioning off different spaces and adding a lot more function.

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Located within a historic apartment block dating back to the early 20th century, the apartment was originally divided into two separate rooms, and subsequent renovations had it feeling a bit unbalanced in the distribution of the space. Internal walls only served to block off natural light and make the space feel small.

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The pine addition houses the bathroom, serves as a platform for the lofted bedroom, and is lined on the exterior with a kitchenette and lots of cabinets. A narrow staircase leads to the loft from a second built-in piece, a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe. Elevating the bedroom takes advantage of the available vertical space, freeing up valuable floor space for other uses.

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The white-washed pine was not only an affordable choice, it has a beautifully minimalist and modern appearance that perfectly complements the historic features in the space. Maintaining a limited color palette and keeping clutter behind cupboard doors makes the apartment feel much larger.