Live edge everything: How long will the trend last?

Stickly

New User
Tommy
I dig live edge, don't get me wrong, but it seems like all woodworking has moved to live-edge everything and it is just so boring and contrived at this point. It has gone so far that buying live edge stock is more expensive than buying S4S even though it requires significantly less work lol.

Is live edge the bellbottoms of woodworking? Personally, I'm ready for the trend to die. Anyone else?
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
I dig live edge, don't get me wrong, but it seems like all woodworking has moved to live-edge everything and it is just so boring and contrived at this point. It has gone so far that buying live edge stock is more expensive than buying S4S even though it requires significantly less work lol.

Is live edge the bellbottoms of woodworking? Personally, I'm ready for the trend to die. Anyone else?
Agreed, while beautiful, I too, think it is over done (the bellbottoms of woodworking) LOL (you may have coined a phrase)

Just think, when it is over we will have a great source of Dry, cheap wood!
 

Stickly

New User
Tommy
Just think, when it is over we will have a great source of Dry, cheap wood!

I like where your head is at lol. So many delicious board feet of wood to be repurposed, up cycled, whatever...
 

Henry W

Henry
Corporate Member
I dig live edge, don't get me wrong, but it seems like all woodworking has moved to live-edge everything and it is just so boring and contrived at this point. It has gone so far that buying live edge stock is more expensive than buying S4S even though it requires significantly less work lol.

Is live edge the bellbottoms of woodworking? Personally, I'm ready for the trend to die. Anyone else?
I too like live edge stuff ; caveat - when done well. Just because it is live edge does not mean I will like it though.
I certainly like a live edge piece, done well, better than an epoxy-poured table with a bit of wood in there for contrast. I think it is even harder to do an epoxy table well than just a live edged one, but I have seen ones that I like.
 
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Chris C

Chris
Senior User
I have the original 80's harvest gold formica tops in my kitchen. I just don't like stone. I won't change them anytime soon.....but they do scream vintage.


I'm starting to get tired of the green too...going to Harvest Gold for a fresh look soon!
 

PeteM

Pete
Corporate Member
Sorry but I have to disagree with most of you. A fad?
Here's andy Roony's desk that he had made in the '70's. Beautiful then. Beautiful now.
Do you consider the work of George Nakashima a fad?
Is all live edge furniture done in good taste? Of course not. Can it be overdone? Of course.
Good design is good design whether it is live edge or traditional.
It's not a fad any more than Green & Green furniture or Maloof rockers are a fad.
It's a style and you can either like it or not.
 

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junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Live edge? We used to call them slabs and burnt them in the fire place or in a a burn barrel to create coals to cook a pig I Guess you can get my drift on "live edge."
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
Sorry but I have to disagree with most of you. A fad?
Here's andy Roony's desk that he had made in the '70's. Beautiful then. Beautiful now.
Do you consider the work of George Nakashima a fad?
Is all live edge furniture done in good taste? Of course not. Can it be overdone? Of course.
Good design is good design whether it is live edge or traditional.
It's not a fad any more than Green & Green furniture or Maloof rockers are a fad.
It's a style and you can either like it or not.
There is no doubt that it has been around a long time and there are some great examples and some stellar woodworkers doing it, but now everybody that can afford a slab is doing it, just too much. Just like th epoxy thing Henry W mentioned. There are good examples, but every time you turn around someone is "making" with epoxy...JMHO
 

bbrown

Bill
User
My mother taught me that if it was not nice, not to say it, so I will not comment on either Nakashima or live edge tables (or "River Tables")
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
I still see "crate" furniture from time to time.
People spending money on the latest fads are to be appreciated on a certain level since they contribute to our economy's growth.
There have been other furniture fads: Chippendale, Hepplewhite, Adam, Sheridan, Empire,
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
Live edge is like a Dome house, it is cool looking and such, but it limits the flexibility of a room p[lace and how you can redecorate. I personally like them, but never can bring myself to make one for myself.
 

craftbeerguy

Craft Beer Guy
User
I've got a couple of Claro Walnut slabs I saw in California back in 1999 and had them shipped back. I could not figure out how to incorporate then in a design so they still sit.

My former Manager has been screwing metal Amazon legs onto slabs he cuts with his mill and claims he's making a full-time job of it. I always failed to see appeal. I wonder about moisture exchange despite the finishes. I seldom see one that has an impressive base. I can embrace any style so long as it compliments the entire design. Here's a one-piece slab on top of a Serpentine front buffet. Old pic and only a partial shot. My idea of using a slab.
 

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tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Agree. It is fine for burl bowls and I guess OK for a hunting cabin, but never what I wanted any in my house. I am more of a Stickley/Chinese provincial/Danish provincial guy. They work together and can even add in Shaker as it is the proportions that mater. Turn of the century modern never seemed to get proportions right except of course Eames. They were genius.
 

gritz

New User
Robert
I bought a 13' x 18" x 3" curly maple slab with one live edge about 8 years ago for $50. A couple of years ago I took my daughter shopping for a slab for a small desk. Wow, prices were way up! Mine sat in my carport under my truck until three years ago when my bride asked for a plant bench. I cut dovetails in both ends of a 55" long piece. My back started giving me trouble so I set it aside. This year I squared those cuts up and cut the dovetails in the legs. I was so ashamed of my dovetail handiwork, I cut it down to 4' and bought some 2" square straight legs on Amazoo. I was happy to be able to take advantage of the fad and get those legs. Even though my project went from woodworking to live edge fad-dom, my bride loves the bench, it looks OK in our mountain cabin, and I'm out of the doghouse. The original legs will become two bowls, which is the reason I bought the slab in the first place.
 

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