I noticed an interesting editorial piece in this week’s Georgia Straight’s Urban Living Section. A local artist, Matthieu LeBlanc, transforms waste, discarded wood into bold furniture masterpieces. He salvages cedar, fir, and arbutus from B.C. forests and beaches, often on the Gulf Islands, and brings them back to life. LeBlanc said that there is so much wood being wasted and he believes that what he does can bring some aspect of the natural world back into people’s lives. He has a long process of creating the wooden pieces: first, the wood needs to be dry for an extended period. Second, he uses grinders, sandpaper, belt sanders, or electric chain saws to expose the wood’s natural grains. There are no harsh chemicals used in his process. He uses food-safe oil and , sometimes, beeswax to bring out the warm hues and undulating grains of the wood. LeBlanc’s rustic-yet-refined creations are growing in popularity among the general public. His collection varies from coffee tables formed out of a single slice of cedar to simple, cylindrical ottomans. With their unique, straight-out-of-nature finishing, LeBlanc’s furniture pieces have turned out to be the perfect foil for today’s ultracontemporary homes.

At Fluff, we have something similar to LeBlanc’s collection. We strive to use more environmentally friendly furniture and accessories. The Teak Root Bench is the newest addition in our Eco Collection. These benches are made from either recycled or reclaimed wood. Some pieces are over 60 years old and serve as wooden roof tiles or beams on rural houses, barns and Buddhist Temples. Similar to LeBlanc’s work, each Teak Root Bench is sculpted and shaped by nature and is a unique piece because the marks on them are never alike. The durability of teak will ensure the pieces will last for years outdoors and indoors.