A Favorite Material: Groovy Driftwood

Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected." I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.

Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »

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Now that the holidays are over and the cold is getting old, I'm thinking about warmer days, and the coast, and all of the interior details that go so well with that, like driftwood. My driftwood obsession began about five years ago, when I saw a picture online of one with a crisp white in a store window. Many eBay searches ensued. These funky lamps adds natural texture and interesting shapes to any interior. Also, like snowflakes, no two are alike. It's always cool to know you have something that is unique.

Driftwood (I'm going to be a little liberal with the definition of driftwood here, and include any old stick or stump one picks up outdoors; no beating by the ocean required) can work not only on a lamp, but as a table base or in a simple pile on a tabletop. Driftwood works with a nautical coastal cottage, with a retro, Jonathan Adler Happy Chic vibe, and can be that one rustic element that adds interest to an elegant room.

by Amy Lau Design »

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I love the way this sculptural, rough wood contrasts with the otherwise crisp and perfect Regency style here.

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OK, to be honest, what I am really drooling at in this picture is that shade of orange with that shade of blue. This vignette is so gorgeous.

by CWB Architects »

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The driftwood coffee table can often be found in mid-century modern shops, and lately at big stores like Crate and Barrel. While this would usually signal the tipping point, I don't care; driftwood is a classic that will always work.

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This piece could be used as a room divider, a work of art, or here, a headboard. Notice it is the one wackadoodle element in the room, while everything else is neat, geometrical and tucked in. That's what makes it work so well.

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Of course, if you want to go full-on wackadoodle, you could get this entire set I snapped at ICFF a few years ago. I know this is a terrible shot, but I had to include it after using the word "wackadoodle" above. It's rather fantastic!