Dezeen's favourite wooden furniture and lighting from January
Hand-carved lamps and NM3's debut timber furniture are among the striking woodwork pieces spotted by Dezeen's design and interiors reporter Jane Englefield over the past month.
When Dezeen spoke to interior designers about their trend predictions for 2026, creatives were united in forecasting less processed and more honest materials – chief among them wood.
The following pieces are a selection of recently designed furniture, lighting and accessories that demonstrate the versatility of timber, which continues to stand the test of time.
NMNG by NM3
Since its founding in 2020, Milan studio NM3 has been causing a stir with its distinctly utilitarian furniture made from slabs of stainless steel.
NMNG is the studio's latest collection of two tables and a chair, made using the same meticulous methodology that the designers normally apply to steel but crafted entirely from solid oak.
The collection will launch at Stockholm's Nordiska Galleriet as part of an unofficial design festival taking place in the Swedish capital next week.
Acid Lamps by Josh Page
From a distance, these teak veneered plywood lamps look as if they have been stained with acid to create ink blot-style marks on their surfaces.
In fact, British designer Josh Page created the patterns by carving into the teak veneer to reveal the layers of plywood beneath. When carved in this way, each lamp is characterised by a unique "acid" design.
Page chose delicate poplin for the lampshades, which feature electric blue stitching to match the braided blue cables. The result is beautifully layered lighting that demonstrates the decorative potential of timber.
Shelf by Ralph Parks
This wall-mounted shelf was handcrafted by British designer Ralph Parks from unidentified, reclaimed wood that he has resolved is "possibly yew".
Characterised by all the meandering lumps and bumps that feature on an untreated tree branch, the shelf was created as a place to toss keys or small trinkets.
It is a satisfyingly tactile piece, made all the more charming by its unconfirmed origins.
Art cart by Dom Johnson
Multiple uses are packed into one piece of furniture in this nifty art cart by British designer Dom Johnson.
Johnson used Douglas fir plywood and hardwood to create the cart, which features a reversible worktop and pencil tray, as well as a birch plywood pegboard, a mounted paper roll and various bespoke storage.
The cart was designed for Watts Gallery in Surrey after the museum commissioned Johnson to create furniture that would encourage visitors to draw during their visit.
It is an approachable piece of furniture that feels as if it might attract even the most amateur of sketchers.
Thorn by Rickard Torstenfelt
Thorn is a distinctive coat rack by emerging Swedish designer Rickard Torstenfelt, made from the spiky branches of old Christmas trees.
The recent Malmstens furniture school graduate salvaged one of the most overlooked forms of timber and transformed it into a beautifully prickly piece of furniture that is as sculptural as it is functional.
Thorn will be on show in Stockholm next week as part of the annual Ung Svensk Form exhibition at architecture and design museum ArkDes.
Lamp by Charlotte Taylor and Garcé Dimofski
Known for her penchant for collaboration, British designer Charlotte Taylor worked with Lisbon studio Garcé Dimofski to design this chunky solid wood table lamp.
The pleasingly weighty lampshade crowns a base made using Japanese-style joinery not dissimilar to the kind seen in Taylor's Sombresa table, which she debuted at last summer's 3 Days of Design festival in Copenhagen.
Available in both a natural and a black-stained finish, the lamp casts a soft glow across the joinery when illuminated.
Candle holder by Carlo Raymann
Finnish designer Carlo Raymann is a founding member of Minestrone Workshop, a Helsinki-based design collective established to test the limits of timber.
Raymann created this simple but loveable candle holder from small slabs of Douglas fir, which were glued in place to encourage plenty of interaction around the dinner table.
"The idea is a simple play with shapes and grain directions," he told Dezeen. "Several candle holders can be arranged to form different kinds of patterns."
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