As a designer
of custom furniture and interiors I love to incorporate
carved panels and such from different parts of the
world. (The example shown here utilized panels purchased
on a recent shopping trip to Thailand.) They are full
of character, interest and charm and often help to
add that extra dimension to a room that brings it
to life. One of my favorite things is to use an ethnic
piece (such as an armoire or coffee table) in a very
simple and clean line interior for a wonderful juxtaposition
of the old and the new, which seems to be a look that’s
already familiar to you.
I would absolutely encourage
you to use the panels you bought as part of your
new wall unit, providing of course that there are
enough parts that can be used to enhance the cabinet
in a way that is not only attractive to the eye
– but sensible as well. For example, when
I design and build a unit for a client I make sure
from the get-go that I have an adequate amount of
carved material to place on all doors or in a way
that is complimentary and proportional with the
design and function of the cabinet. I strongly recommend
that the placement of the panels be as balanced
as possible. I can assure you that having the carving
on just one or two sections of the cabinet will
not bring you the best results.
Even before the design (and certainly before the
building phase) I make sure to discuss all ideas
up front with the client so please be sure to do
this with the builder of your choice. Make absolutely
certain that he understands your desire to use the
panels as an integral part of the overall design
of the cabinet. He will take the necessary measurements
of the space and ask you for the specs for your
TV and all other audio components that you want
included in the unit. And don’t forget to
mention storage space for CDs, DVDs, etc. All cabinets
are built from the inside out as it is the size
and location of the contents that dictates the ultimate
form and space that the cabinet will require.
If you should find that the panels
you bought at the estate sale are not sufficient
to do the job (or if there are readers who aren’t
planning a trip to Indonesia or Thailand anytime
soon!) then you should check out local shops that
might carry ethnic designs (“Romanza”
on Decatur is one that comes to mind) or search
the world-wide web that is absolutely filled with
sites offering carved furniture and the like with
some companies that will even include free shipping.
The effort is surely worth the final results for
a cabinet that will be admired by all and treasured
by you and your family not only for its functionality
but for its style and beauty as well.
