Woodgrain describes the alignment, texture and appearance of the wood fibres. (wikipedia). In Oregon, it’s true that there’s trees everywhere. In the last few years though, ‘woodsiness’ has gone mainsteam. Woodgrain patterns are now printed on items including curtains and hoodies, patterned onto faux wood, and in the heart of Portland, we even have a restaurant / venue called the Doug Fir which resembles a futuristic log cabin!       

   
My interest in woodgrain began two years ago when I wanted to give my stark and angular collages some life, a bit more of an organic feel. I stopped painting the wood boxes I’d been using and instead left the grain to peak through the layers of paper clippings. I like the glossy effect the woodgrain takes on when coated in resin.  An overabundance of woodgrain can look played out, but one company who uses it well is Portland-based Nemo Design. It works for them because they use a different pattern on their business cards, note cards, and CDs. The rounded corners of their business cards coupled with the white border keep the woodgrain feeling modern and hip.        
       
The trendiness of woodgrain has even reached the rubber stamping and crafting worlds! I know this because I was recently at a craft store and spied Martha Stewart stationary with woodgrain lined envelopes and this little gem. Perhaps it’s a bit ironic that there’s a chunk of wood with a piece of rubber glued to the back mimicking the texture of…wood. Hmm.       
        

More sources for woodgrain goodness:
+ Mayang has thousands of FREE textures, including a few hundred woodgrain images!
+ So simple and elegant: the wooden briefcase and the wooden purse!
+ How about a set of four melamine wood grain plates for your next dinner party?
+ The Nixon  women’s Chalet watch is a super brilliant balance between urban and woodsy and is at the top of my new watch list.

In Closing:Woodgrain should be used sparingly in small doses like an accent in an otherwise stark and modern design. What do you think about the never-ending woodgrain trend?