| You may think that all bamboo furniture looks like what | | | | warmth and beauty. It is made through a process of |
| you would see on Gilligan's Island-poles held together | | | | cutting strips of bamboo, boiling them to make them |
| with ropes and woven mats strung across the back | | | | resistant to bugs and mildew and gluing the strips |
| or seat. The truth of the matter is furniture from | | | | together edge to edge and pressing the panels |
| bamboo can be just as stylish and beautiful as any | | | | together to make a multi-layer piece of "wood." It can |
| other wood furniture, and it is much more | | | | be shaped into every type of furniture that you can |
| environmentally friendly. Whether you are looking for a | | | | think of and bamboo furniture looks just like hardwood |
| new dining room set, an armoire, a bed, or a coffee | | | | furniture. It comes in both light and dark shades and |
| table, you can find bamboo furniture that will meet your | | | | finishes. When a piece is said to be "carbonized" it |
| needs and provide a unique and fun new look for your | | | | means that it is heated for a long time to make the |
| home. | | | | bamboo darker. The longer the carbonization process, |
| What Is Bamboo? | | | | the darker the piece of bamboo furniture will be. Once |
| Bamboo is not really a wood-it is a grass. A grass that | | | | it is laminated it is very strong and durable and will last |
| takes one year to reach a full height that could be as | | | | for generations if it is well cared for. |
| high as 30 to 40 feet. It then matures and hardens for | | | | Caring For Your New Furniture |
| the next four to seven years before it is ready to be | | | | In order to care for your bamboo furniture you will |
| harvested and used to make bamboo furniture or | | | | need to clean it periodically with a soft cloth and a |
| flooring. A tree, on the other hand, takes decades to | | | | gentle cleanser designed for wood furniture. Make |
| reach maturity for use in furniture or flooring. In the | | | | sure that any spills are cleaned up immediately to |
| same amount of space that you can grow one tree, | | | | prevent staining or water marks. But it will be |
| you can grow several shoots of bamboo. Europeans | | | | extremely durable like any other piece of hardwood |
| have long recognized the utility of bamboo furniture, but | | | | furniture. |
| it is just beginning to catch on in the United States. | | | | Do More Research! |
| Two Sytles Of Furniture | | | | To find furniture that is made from bamboo, or to learn |
| Once you have decided that you want to look for | | | | more about all of the many products made from |
| some bamboo furnishings for your home, there are | | | | bamboo (they even have clothing made from |
| two basic styles that you can choose from. One is | | | | bamboo), you can just take a look online and you will |
| very similar to the bamboo furniture that you saw on | | | | find all kinds of products that may interest you. |
| that tropical paradise that Gilligan lived on. However, it | | | | Whether you just want a single piece of furniture or |
| definitely is more comfortable and is better | | | | you want to decorate a whole room, bamboo may be |
| constructed. It would be great for use on a patio or | | | | just the thing you are looking for. You don't have to be |
| around a pool or even in a tropical themed room. | | | | environmentally conscious to appreciate the quality and |
| The other type of bamboo furniture that is on the | | | | beauty of this type of furniture-it speaks for itself. |
| market may surprise you with its clean cut lines, | | | | |