Figured Anegre and Recomposed Veneers Drive Design Trends
"The figured anegre was chosen because it's a very beautiful wood with a vertical fiddleback grain pattern on the veneer," adds Oneto. "The units stand out from the wall with a vertical grain pattern with horizontal flakes that gives a 3-D effect, and creates a high-end look."
Due to the limited availability of some exotic veneer species, recomposed veneers are gaining traction at the upper end of the market as well, and this opens up another niche that U.S. plywood producers can exploit. The process of man-made or recomposed veneers begins with a species such as African obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon), Italian poplar or some other wood that absorbs color evenly.
The wood is sliced into thin leaves and then "recomposed" into a curved or molded block which can be sliced at any desired angle. Using this process, artisans are able to highlight the wood's grain pattern and create striking geometric patterns. Once colored, the veneers can be made to emulate natural exotic veneers, such as ebony, rosewood or mahogany. Or, for exclusive, custom applications, they are sometimes dyed non-traditional hues such as blue, pink or green. The engineering process results in consistency of both grain and color, making it easy to match the panels and harmonize the veneer with other materials.
One popular contemporary technique is to use a combination of light and dark veneers – either natural or recomposed or a mix of the two types – to create striking design contrasts. As an example, designers are pairing rift white oak with wenge or anegre with Macassar ebony. It is a hot trend right now to see designers mixing woods in very imaginative, innovative ways.
As designers and architects experiment with ever more artful and novel applications, high quality woods and wood products offer a rich palette of materials from which to select. Whether sourced from the U.S., Canada, Africa, Europe, Asia or South America, every species imbues its own distinct beauty, texture and character, and having broad access to a worldwide range of sources is a boon for the industry. It enables consumers and designers to create works of durable and lasting beauty that people will enjoy for many years to come.
Frequently asked questions
Why is figured anegre veneer popular in high-end design?+
Figured anegre features a vertical fiddleback grain pattern with horizontal flakes that creates a 3-D effect, giving units a high-end look when they stand out from the wall.
What are recomposed veneers?+
Recomposed or man-made veneers are created by slicing woods like African obeche or Italian poplar into thin leaves, then reassembling them into curved or molded blocks that can be sliced at any desired angle to highlight grain or create geometric patterns.
Which wood species are used to make recomposed veneers?+
Recomposed veneers typically start with species that absorb color evenly, such as African obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon) or Italian poplar.
Can recomposed veneers replace exotic wood species?+
Yes, once colored, recomposed veneers can emulate natural exotic veneers such as ebony, rosewood or mahogany, and they can also be dyed non-traditional colors like blue, pink or green for custom applications.
What are the advantages of recomposed veneers over natural exotic veneers?+
The engineering process delivers consistency of both grain and color, making it easy to match panels and harmonize the veneer with other materials. They also help address the limited availability of some exotic species.
What wood pairing trends are designers using to create contrast?+
Designers are combining light and dark veneers—natural, recomposed, or a mix—to create striking contrasts, such as pairing rift white oak with wenge or anegre with Macassar ebony.