Why is pine so passé?
Friends and family like to ‘donate’ furniture to The Odd Thing workshop. When vintage pieces land on our doorstep we get slightly excited. We’ve spotted a bit of trend recently – a lot of the furniture is made from pine.
But not just any pine. Orange pine! You know, that bright orange wood with visible knots, made famous by stores like MFI in the 1980s (the cheap furniture predecessor of IKEA for those unfamiliar).
A quick check on social media forums confirms our suspicions – pine is officially passé. On one board discussing interior pet peeves, amongst the magnolia paint and beige décor (you won’t find either of those in our workshop!) there are posts pleading for tips on how to upcycle old-fashioned pine furniture – usually bedroom sets and kitchen units.
This type of pine has fallen out of favour. It makes us sad to see it so unloved.
What makes pine so unlovable?
Pine is everywhere. It was made popular by the Victorians who treated it like we do mdf today. It’s a soft wood that’s inexpensive to produce, affordable to buy and lends itself to a number of uses, including flooring, window and door frames, roofing, and, of course, wall panels in saunas. It was chosen for this job because it resists shrinking and swelling in the heat and humidity.
Most of the unfashionable pine tends to be a colour between warm yellow and orange, often varnished with a darker stain to make it even more vibrant - and bring those dark knots to the surface!
Pine has its place in interiors. On a weekend break last year we stayed in a pine clad log cabin in the middle of a forest. In the right setting, pine can be beautiful.
On the downside, pine’s flexibility is also its weakness. Its softness makes it prone to scratching and dents. It ends up being used in places it shouldn’t. That’s why so many pieces find their way into our workshop. In most cases, this is easily rectified with careful sanding and refinishing.
How do you make knotty pine look modern?
If you don’t want your interiors to resemble a 1980s Swedish sauna, there are many things you can do to transform any piece of pine furniture. We have loads of ideas so here are a few to start you off.
Change the room, not the furniture
Sometimes you can tone down the appearance of your furniture by pairing it with a complementary colour scheme. Bright oranges and yellows can be balanced out with a lighter warm colour.
A word of warning! Some shades of blue and green can jar when put next to pine, but choose the right shade and it could transform your furniture. We recommend consulting the colour wheel or use paint charts from a DIY store to find the right combination.
Alter one aspect for an instant update
Changing the handles, painting the carcass, or wallpapering a drawer front can refresh and update pine furniture. Remember though, you don’t have to cover it all. By leaving some of the original wood exposed, you retain the integrity of the piece and will never lose its history.
A refreshing change
In this project the client asked us to transform the look of their orange pine bedroom suite. We sanded all the surfaces before applying a white paint wash to bring out the grain and freshen up the look. This transformed their bedroom into a light, bright and spacious place to relax, and fitted perfectly with the new décor.
Total transformation
If you’ve had enough of your day glow orange furniture why not turn it into something completely different. We created this modern, contemporary bench seat from pine taken from a child’s bed frame.
A final word of warning
Whilst it’s resistant to heat and humidity, pine isn’t suitable for outdoor use. If you intend to transform your furniture, keep it indoors where it belongs.
Ideas for upcycling pine furniture
We have loads more ideas for upcycling furniture and using up offcuts of pine. A few of them are in development in the studio right now, so keep an eye on our shop for the big reveal.
For more creative inspiration, check out our Pinterest boards or drop Matthew a line to discuss your furniture project.
