Just as marquetry has been employed throughout history to embellish wood surfaces with imagery, motifs, or personal symbols, Hudson River Inlay offers the same capabilities for the modern home in its Modern Marquetry medium. Designer Jeff Nelson crafts an array of simple and elaborate designs ranging from classical and traditional to stylized and pictorial in wood and semi-precious stone veneers applied to wood surfaces. “We specialize in naturalism and organic forms,” says Nelson, but the artists in Hudson River’s studio are willing and able to explore designs taken from historical eras. “Our artists are versed across a number of disciplines. We’re happy to explore any number of different styles.”
Clients can choose from the studio’s existing marquetry designs, adapt them to their own preferences, or create entirely custom designs and applications. The studio has completed projects involving interior architectural elements such as moldings, panels, and mantels. Hudson River Inlay utilizes modern technology in the form of digitizers and laser cutting equipment, which allows the studio to accommodate larger projects or work that involves several repeats of the same design.
Artists create the marquetry designs in hardwoods from all over the world, but several domestic woods are popular, such as bird’s-eye maple and quilted maple. Colored veneers are sometimes used, but the natural colorations and grains of the woods are primarily allowed to speak for themselves. Reconstituted stone materials are also utilized, such as malachite, chrysocolla, mica, turquoise, abalone, and mother-of-pearl. “We use the shell materials judiciously,” Nelson says.
“They give a real nice sparkle when the light glints off them. They have a rich shimmer that goes perfectly with wood, and we like to use them for birds’ wings and stars.” 800.369.8146. www.hristudio.com. Circle 172.
