Yard Sale Project, Pure Black Armoire, UK

The Pure Black Armoire is the third piece in Yard Sale Project’s new Pure Black series. Made from oak encased in a steel frame, the wood is finished using the shou-sugi-ban method, an ancient Japanese finishing technique that preserves wood by charring it with fire. In addition to being aesthetically striking and elegant, the finishing technique renders the wood rot, pest, water, UV, and fire resistant. The Pure Black series explores the contrasts that exist within materials. Oak is a beautiful light brown timber, renowned for its use in all aspects of timber construction from houses, Tudor warships and medieval churches, through to today’s best wooden pieces. To burn it would appear to show contempt for such a tradition, but in fact burning has traditionally been used for preserving exterior timber surfaces, and has almost no effect on the strength, as the timber is only scorched for the first 1/16th of an inch.Todd Merrill Studio began representing Yard Sale Project in 2011. Ian Spencer and Cairn Young together form Yard Sale Project, a unique force of talent in the world of design. Yard Sale Project’s one-of-a-kind pieces of wooden furniture combine Young’s highly accomplished technical designs with Spencer’s master craftsmanship.