Knotty Pine Archives

Sculptural Pine Partitions Bring Some Personality to a Dentist’s Office

Posted on March 23, 2021 by Jeff Easterling

Raúl Sanchez Architects demonstrates a fun new way to incorporate wood into an interior space at the Impress Dental Studio in Barcelona, Spain. Set within a historic building, the office enjoyed high ceilings, enormous windows and beautiful views, but it felt a little sterile. The designers wanted to bring in some warmth, texture, patterns and dynamic shapes to shake things up and appeal to the youthful clientele the studio attracts with its tech-focused model of care.

“The concept of Impress dental clinic is aimed at a young audience, which has grown with new technologies, since its offer is based on online treatments that reduce face-to-face visits. From the first moment Impress looked for a fresh design, which represented the brand and its values, which moved away from the topics of a dental clinic (white colors, aseptic environment).”

The new, interconnected pine partitions mimic the smile shape of the Impress logo and create a set of built-in furniture including two offices and a bathroom. Set back from the facade by about seven feet, the partitions establish a new reception area and create a visually interesting backdrop that can be appreciated from outside. They also separate the treatment areas from the waiting room and from each other.

“The material palette is dominated by the pine wood of the interior partitions, which adds an unusual warmth in a dental clinic; the existing structural elements stand out with the corporate gray color of Impress; a large corporate red-colored sheet metal cladding accompanies the ascent to the mezzanine and stains the interior with red highlights; a neon sign creates a required corner for instagram pics, and above, the corporate blue color stars the wall over the entrance curve; the ceramic flooring has the same red color joints of the metal wall. And in general, all the elements of the interior receive a color and texture treatment that obeys the Impress identity mark.”

As you can see, all it took to achieve a totally new look and feel within this office was cutting pine lumber to create the desired shapes and screwing it into place. It’s brilliant in its simplicity and easy to mimic for other projects.

Archipelago House: A Pine-Clad Summer Residence in Sweden

Posted on March 16, 2021 by Jeff Easterling

Architecture firm Norm Architects wanted this holiday home set on a scenic cliffside to be harmonious with nature, above all. Selecting natural materials that complement and blend in with the picturesque surroundings was a high priority for the design.

Their choice of knotty vertical pine for the exterior siding does just that, with a warm, textural presentation that’s also modern and luxurious. Wood is also carried into the interiors alongside other natural materials like stone and textiles.

Bright and open, this vacation home on the coast of Sweden embraces both Scandinavian and Japanese influences. Though it’s all one residence, it actually consists of four distinct volumes staggered across the cliff, with simple shapes that echo those of the boathouses on the water. The architects hoped the home would ultimately look like a natural extension of the site instead of an imposition.

Interior features include floor-to-ceiling oak cupboards, dark wood vanities, stone tile and Japanese-inspired lanterns made of washi paper by Kojima Shouten. Together, these materials, clean lines and daylight combine to create a zen-like sense of calm.

“Harmoniously embodying chaos and order, nature is a constant inspiration to human kind and will survive long after our extinction,” the architects write. “Therefore nature should always be considered a guideline rather than a simple component. The wooden structure is harmoniously merged with the surrounding nature and draws inspiration from the local building traditions found in boathouses on the rocky shores. Set into the cliff, the house consists of four wooden volumes interlocked and connected by a terraced wooden deck that follows the sloping plot.”

“The fact that human and nature are inseparable makes it all the more vital to have nature be part of our indoor environments – living surfaces, soft and calming nuances that makes us feel at ease. The color and material-scheme of the interior is kept in natural, muted high-end materials that reflect the nature outside. There is not only a direct connection and transparency between inside and outside in this house, but also a more symbolic connection in terms of material and color use.”

Knotty Pine Creates a Contrast with Clear Poplar Plywood in This Wooden Studio

Posted on August 4, 2020 by Jeff Easterling

Every piece of wood is unique, bearing its own markings that tell the story of how and where it grew. Pine lumber with plenty of knots has some of the best character of any species, and it’s always fun to see how people use it. In this case, it’s given all the more visual interest in contrast with a much smoother, almost marking-free plywood.

Architecture firm Madeiguincho created this unusual structure as a reception and studio for a wood supplier called Diagonal Proporcional. In tribute to the company’s name, they made the building a little asymmetrical, with four defining diagonal lines.

“The 90º degree angle as the pinnacle of the project. We chose to work the model as a sculpture and object, so after many studies we reached the final geometrical shape. Since its a reception and studio we decided to let it be very minimalistic in order to let the decoration take place and fill the space as needed and as versatile possible according to the different situations.”

“The material was supposed to be resistant since it will have many hours of sun exposure, also the Portuguese climate is very hot in the summer so it needs a good insulation and no openings to the south side. The floor it’s all in Viroc panels with a matte varnish.The vertical walls are in poplar plywood to have the look of wood but still ‘clean’ in contrast with the angular walls that are in pine and have many knots.”

Those angular walls are really what make the structure stand out, both in terms of their shape and material. Don’t you think the pine brings a gorgeous natural pattern to the space?

Gorgeous Pine Wood Panels in a Geometric Modern Interior

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

Naturally finished tongue-and-groove pine wood plays against modern shapes and bright white paint in this refreshing interior design by i29 Architects. Most people associate pine paneling with more rustic applications, like cabins, but the beauty of the wood is perfectly offset by strong angles and bold colors in more contemporary settings.

In this case, the designers created a space that features solid wood planks on an accent wall which is glimpsed through the architectural cut-outs in a white central volume that acts as both a room divider and a large built-in cabinet for hidden storage.

The geometric shapes offer a peek inside these cabinets – just enough to see the spines of books and edges of plates, adding some visual interest while keeping clutter at bay.

The pine accent wall continues from the ground floor up to the second level, providing a sense of continuity. The warmth of the wood brings a little character and a sense of comfort into what could otherwise be an overly cold-feeling space.

Interior Design Inspiration: Knotty Pine Paneling, 4 Ways

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

Often associated with rustic applications like cabins, knotty pine is actually an incredibly versatile material, able to take on a wide range of finishes to create looks ranging from historic to modern. These four examples show the different ways that knotty pine paneling can be employed in a house, and suggests interior design styles that work well with each.

Textural Knotty Pine as an Accent

Perfect for: modern, ultramodern, contemporary

(Pictured top) Set against stark black and white surfaces, knotty pine becomes a textural visual accent, instantly drawing the eye and making the wood into a major decorative element in the space. Bates Masi architects incorporated what’s conventionally known as a more rustic or traditional material into a modern space that feels fresh and welcoming.

Rustic Beauty

Perfect for: timber frame, cabin

No architectural style shows off the beauty of white pine quite like timber frame construction, leaving the framework of the building exposed, as pictured in this project by Whitten Architects. Combining timber frame construction with pine-paneled walls gives the sace an even more rustic feel that’s deeply connected to nature.

Whitewashed

Perfect for: cottage, shabby chic, beach house

Whitewashed pine paneling has so much more character than plain white drywall, as seen here in a master bedroom by Kate Davidson Design Inc. Muting the wood tones and natural variations in texture, whitewashing has a more subtle and airy effect that’s great for beach houses and cottages.

Dramatic and Traditional

Perfect for: traditional, historic, European

Dark wood-paneled rooms evoke a sense of history and tradition, especially when they’re used as offices or personal libraries, as in this example by Murphy & Co Design.

All images via Houzz.com