The Styles of Woodworking

Woodworking is an art that has evolved over centuries, covering countless applications and finding a use in most constructions over the ages. The topic of woodworking is understandably vast for this reason, with applications from large scale building constructions to carving a wooden toy for a child to play with. Lets have a look at some of the several woodworking styles that are still relevant today.

Art Deco Style

Art Deco began in Paris, France and was a popular design style in the 1920s to the 1930s. It can be seen in buildings, houses, and of course, in woodworking. The Chrysler Building in New York is a good example of what art deco looks like.

The popularity of this design style appeals to everyone because it shows modern life, sophistication, and luxury. Everyone wants a piece of furniture with this kind of design as a way to keep up with the times.

Art deco is characterized by clean and often symmetric design. You can often see geometric shapes, zigzags, triangles, and chevrons in most art deco designed furniture and home. The symmetry makes this design appealing to consumers so more woodworkers who sell their creations specialize in furniture in this style. Furniture displays in stores both online and offline are usually not without pieces made in the art deco style.

To apply art deco style to your own woodworking projects, you can try adding them to bed frames, chairs, drawers, vanities, and tables. You can try sculpting thicker wood to create display items with art deco design. This woodworking style is considered a bit difficult so those who are just starting with beginner woodworking may find it to be quite a challenge.

Arts and Crafts Style

This design started in the latter part of the 18^th century in England. English designers and woodworkers started this design movement as a form of ‘protest’ against the mass produced pieces of furniture that are both ‘shoddy’ and lacking in personality. They saw how mass produced furniture made everyone’s home look alike and they infused this personality and individuality into their creations using the arts and crafts style.

This style is characterized by honesty in design as well as good workmanship. It is often thought of as the start of the minimalist movement. Furniture pieces made using this style are fresh takes on current trends. Many of these Arts and Crafts furniture are functional as well as pleasing to look at.

There is no shortage on the things you can Arts and Crafts design in your woodworking. The only limit is your imagination. Use this style on tables, chairs, walls, doors, and any other type of furniture you can think of.

Art Nouveau Style

Literally translated, Art Nouveau means ‘new art.’ This style of woodworking accurately describes what the woodworkers and designers who favored this design wanted to create. During that time, there were so many designs that were considered as revivals of old styles. Designers did not like the repetition. They wanted to create something new and different, thus the Art Nouveau movement was born.

Art Nouveau designs are characterized by ornamental carvings, veneer inlays, and a combination of brass and chrome hardware. Fabrics considered as opulent also abound in designs using Art Nouveau. Intricate designs that combine function and style is one way to characterize this design.

This design is another style that you can use in just about anything. You can use it on your house design, on furniture design, and so much more. Art Nouveau can also be applied to home designs, building layouts, and more. The most beautiful Art Nouveau furniture can fetch you a great amount of money so make sure to give this style a chance.

Modern Style

At the turn of the century, people started seeing designs that many at that time considered as modern. The Modern Style is easy to do for beginner woodworking enthusiasts until they are ready to move on to more advanced techniques.

When the Modern Style became popular, the Industrial Revolution was gaining ground as well. The designs started straying from traditional opulent furniture and woodworking that are often found on English and French pieces. Instead of traditional intricate wood carvings on chairs, tables, and drawers, the designs shifted towards combining metal and other materials with wood.

It is said that this modern era of woodworking drew influences from Asian and African designs. As the world became smaller and more people were able to travel and see other places, they became inspired by other cultures and designs as well.

To apply this type of woodworking design to your projects, the thing you need to remember is that your design should not follow traditional English and French designs. Use items that work well together like steel and wood or wood and leather. Mixing other elements add texture and uniqueness to your design.

This design style is great for people interested in beginner woodworking projects. The finished products do not always have to be structured so this is a great place to start making your art.

Post Modern Style

Post Modern design came after the earlier designs and is still in place today. You can see it in woodworking that’s inspired by movement, by the unusual, and the out of this world. Wood workers seem to have exhausted the Earthly designs so they look to the stars and to space for answers. Post modern designs are creations that celebrate uniqueness and individuality. These styles draw inspiration from just about anything.

The one characteristic of post modern design is its unpredictability. One minute minimalist is in and the next minute it has to be extravagant and over the top. Creations using Post Modern design are usually 3D artworks that are often functional too.

To apply this style to your woodworking project, you should try to think outside the box. It’s alright to let your creativity soar and see what you come up with. Some great post modernist woodworkers would see something and try to deconstruct it just to find out what makes it tick.

These five styles are some of the most well-known and recognized styles of woodworking. Try each of them out on your own woodworking projects and see which kind calls out to you. Or learn all of them and be an expert woodworker.

These styles, though some of them have been around for centuries, will not cease to exist and will continue to be shared among the woodworking community. People will be continuously inspired by these styles so expect to see more of them in products everywhere.