DE S I G N
NEW WAVE WEAVES
A new generation of artisans shares the ins and outs of weaving cane, cord, grasses and leather to add texture and warmth to contemporary furniture. By Margot Austin
C
onsider the recent re-emergence of wicker. Although the term is of Scandinavian origin — vika in Swedish means “to bend” and vikker translates as “willow” — this weaving method dates back to ancient Egypt, some 5,000 years ago, when woven furniture was crafted with reeds and swamp grasses. Lightweight and durable, wickerwork has been widely used and prized throughout history, but it was in the damp, dusty Victorian era that wicker furniture, viewed as more hygienic than upholstery, soared in popularity. Then, during the Second World War, when rattan and seagrass were in short supply, furniture makers turned to the strong threeply Danish cord as a substitute. Later, woven pieces fell out of favour when they became associated with the fusty wicker tables and chairs that an older generation relegated to rec rooms and rickety sun porches. The tide has since turned. Wicker is back, but this time, with a focus on how
26
natural materials and traditional weaving methods enhance the spare elegance of mid-century modern, Scandinavian and Shaker-influenced furniture pieces. Wovens tick many boxes for homeowners nowadays. A global pandemic has inspired us to feather our nests with inviting furniture, and wicker’s warm, textured organic surfaces fit the bill, alongside its sustainability and how it supports local artisans. In sync with the wicker trend, Canadian companies have been incorporating natural materials, such as cane and grasses, as well as Danish cord and leather, into innovative designs.
table, side tables–cum–stools and pendant light shades. “Our cane pieces are made by Júlia and Sergio,” says Williams. “Júlia’s father was a weaver of traditional fishing baskets. She married Sérgio, who started weaving too, and their family keeps the tradition alive.” The chair and coffee table are revivals of mid-century styles that the family has been crafting for decades. “We love how the basket-style seat is separate from the base, allowing you to change the pitch,” notes Williams. The pendant shades are new designs conceived along the way, as Williams and Pimentel learned about more weaving options for the cane material. “For us,” says Williams, “it’s always about simple modern shapes and collaborating with the craftspeople to come up with something hands-on that works.”
H A M I LT O N H O L M E S
Sculptor and furniture maker Nicholas Hamilton Holmes has been in business for 14 years at his eponymous studio in Hamilton, Ontario. His Oxalino Captain’s Table and OS Chair and the Shoreman’s Bench all showcase Danish cord, a sustainable material made of paper fibre derived from wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. “The cord brings so much texture and depth to contemporary design,” says Hamilton Holmes. “[And] >
C A S A C U B I S TA
Founded in 2015 by Torontonians Arren Willams and David Pimentel, this homegoods brand has tasked itself with sharing Portugal’s traditional materials and crafts with the world. Its Cane Collection, which debuted in 2018, includes a chair, coffee
THIS PAGE: Hamilton Holmes studio’s Shoreman’s Bench employs woven Danish cord to enhance a minimalist wood frame. OPPOSITE PAGE: The basket-inspired Cane Chair at Casa Cubista features a detachable multi-position seat.
