Special Who still does inlay work/marquetry?

CONFIRMATION OF A TREND TOWARDS SPECIAL FITTING METHODS?

HISTORIC CRAFTSMANSHIP IN 2020

Photo – Design Parquet

If there is one discipline to test a parquet floor fitter’s skill to the uttermost, it is surely whenever he or she dares to take on the traditional form of marquetry or inlay work. This is certainly the case if we mean marquetry where that same professional starts with original solid wood and makes all the pieces of the pre-designed object himself or herself. Marquetry, which allows you to connect different sections to each other like a puzzle, is not the sole preserve of parquet floors. On the contrary, it also finds various historical applications in furniture. Craft workers used not only various sorts of wood, but even turtle or ivory, which they used to form a sandwich. Yes, marquetry was used even in walls of buildings.

How does it work? First of all, you make a drawing of the object. By sawing along the lines of the drawing through the various layers, you create several parts which are then assembled. With marquetry it is possible to compile both geometrical patterns and detailed depictions. A well known example of this are the furniture items of furniture maker Jan van Mekeren in the late 17th century.

Range on the market Since our editors have also noticed that traditional fitting patterns are clearly growing in popularity, we made enquiries on the market as to how inlay work is faring at present. We looked beyond the traditional professional and asked manufacturers how they are responding to the

Photo – Design Parquet

market demand for special patterns. We asked all sorts of questions, including how fitters go about the cutting. Traditional marquetry is typical handwork with cutting, so we also wanted to know how this goes down if the cutting is done automatically e.g. with a laser. We found equally interesting the question as to how popular marquetry really is on the market. Is it still something solely for the happy few or, on the other hand, has the market opened up somewhat? We asked for statistics to see how the market shares of traditional inlay work on the one hand and the mechanical counterpart on the other are faring. Obviously, this led to the necessary follow-up questions, such as how the market is developing. Is it a temporary phenomenon or, on the contrary, can we expect further advances of special fitting patterns such as marquetry? Does it mean increased demand for purely classic work or is the market showing special trends, whether or not through the influence of architects or interior designers?

Regional differences In all this, we also wanted to know if there are any regional differences in marquetry. What do we see in Belgium? Are there any noticeable differences in taste between Flanders and Wallonia? What about the rest of Europe and even the rest of the world?

Finally, we browsed around with a question about the technical aspects of fitting marquetry. What do fitters have to look out for when fitting inlay work? Obviously, we wanted to know about the entire trajectory, from the preparation of the substrate to the final finish inclusive.

Three specialists

BeaverArt

Since 2013, BeaverArt is specialized in the manufacturing of exclusive wooden floors in almost every conceivable pattern. For example, a boring hardwood floor can suddenly brighten up with a beautiful border, or with a medallion as an eye-catcher in the room. You have also come to the right place for custom marquetry, such as company logos. This can be done in a mix of various types of wood, in your floor, in table tops or as wall decorations. We do not shy away from a challenge! BeaverArt always tries to let the wood speak for itself, by either emphasizing the natural color or by playing with the wood grain. You will not find stained or chemically colored wood at our workplace. Due to the high degree of digitization, standard designs can be manufactured in a cost-effective manner. “Custom made” is of course always possible. All designs can be made from 3mm thickness, above 8mm all designs are manufactured with a birch plywood underlay.

Design Parquet Design Parquet, planned and manufactured your wood floor according to your wishes, your decoration…or just on your originals requests. With our machines (in Torcé, department 35, in France) and the skills of our carpenters we can realise your project on demand. With one or more wood species, with aluminium or other materials insert, everything is possible. Design and manufacture process are in our factory. We realise finishing panels on demand to facilitate the laying. The fitter is very important because he carries out the final step for an unique result, effects to meet your expectations : finishing, matching patterns. We have many references of originals projects : (Carreaux du Temple in Paris, MuCEM in Marseille…). It isn’t necessary to lay special wood floor on the whole room. We realized some kind of carpet in wood. Your room comes to life with a carpet and meanwhile you ‘ve got advantages of wooden floor : durable, natural, easy to cleaning… For example we make this special carpet for a flat in Paris. Carpet 100% natural. Original impact assured.

Futura Floors Explore the artist within with Futura’s magical world of parquet Our luxurious parquet, designed to please the most sophisticated tastes, present clients with high grade, cost effective tiles which combine to create stunning floor designs.

At Futura you can find classic oak parquet with an elegant yet edgy look. Our durable solid oak parquet can be laid in interesting, nontraditional patterns. Futura’s parquet wood floors give you the freedom to express your individuality. Whether you prefer the classic look of herringbone or the grand, sleek look of “brick” or “squares” pattern Futura has the perfect floor for you. Unique inlaid patterns can be formed using sizes from 250mm in length to 500mm and more. The thickness of our parquet flooring 16mm/22mm allows for re-sanding and varnishing to keep the floor looking new for generations.

Imagination is the only limit to parquet wood floor designs. Come to Futura and explore! www.futurafloors.com