Fresh off the heels of Dark Shadows week and in the midst of our Lessons from Japan issue, we found the perfect DIY project for right now: a dark-as-night tabletop made using the Japanese technique shou sugi ban, in which wood is torched. The project and photos are by blogger Nicole Prestholdt, aka The Felted Fox.
For an introduction to shou sugi ban, visit Dark Wood: Shou Sugi Ban Torched Lumber.
Above: The finished design has a charred black top and contrasting unfinished sides. (Shou sugi ban was devised as a way to make wood more resistant to fire, water, and insects.) Prestholdt paired her table with white Eames Eiffel Chairs.
Above: Prestholdt used prefabricated hairpin legs, a Remodelista favorite, that she spray-painted white. For sourcing, see Hardware: Hairpin Steel Legs from Ian Maclean.
Above: The fun part. Prestholdt reports that her husband was uninterested in helping—until he learned he could torch the top. Visit The Felted Fox for Prestholdt's recommended propane torch and tips on DIY wood burning.
Above: The finished table looks silvery gray in some lights, flat black in others. For more photos and step-by-step details, visit The Felted Fox.
While you have your tools out, try these projects:
- DIY: A Glamorous Brass Pinboard
- DIY: Birch Branch Floor Lamp
- DIY: Teal Tonal Chair
- DIY: Dried Flower Garland with Shane Powers
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