Bamboo bazaar
Bamboo, a grass that can grow up to 60 feet high within three to five years, is sprouting up in the home as cutting boards, flooring and veneer. The rise in its popularity as an alternative to wood helps give our forests a chance to grow and replenish, something bamboo does with great speed.
CORRECTION
Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2003>> The price of the bamboo wine rack on Page D1 Friday is $36. An incorrect price of $16 was published.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.Adding a touch, whether real or faux, brings instant exotica to the home environment. Some items featured here are new; others are standards with a twist.
Floored: Laminate flooring has the look of bamboo without the fuss of hard wood. The example at left, distributed by Pacific American Lumber for the Laura Ashley Collection, is fairly new to the isles and boasts a 20-year warranty for residential use and a 10-year warranty for commercial. Call Pacific American at 845-8700 for a list of vendors.
To the window, to the wall: Silompan, a bamboo veneer distributed by the Kamehameha Garment Co., comes in 4-by-8-foot sheets for about $35 each. At 1 mm thick, you can cut it to fit with scissors. Use it to frame a mirror or window, accent a wall or update old furniture. It's available at Keller Moulding, Pacific American Lumber, Plywood Hawaii and City Mill. Bamboo Home and Garden Shop on Beretania stocks a bamboo veneer product as well, at 1 and 2 mm thicknesses.
The faux side: Bamboo prints and shapes make a statement like the real thing. At right is a Tommy Bahama woven pillow ($225) from the Ala Moana Center store.
Cutting edge: Bamboo cutting boards from Totally Bamboo, priced from $8, come in a range of sizes. The company said bamboo is 16 percent harder than maple, making it ideal for this task. The one at left is the Lanai model. It's available online at Totallybamboo.com. Call 818-505-0159 for more information.
Accessorize: For just a touch of bamboo, try the wine rack ($16), left, or vases ($16 and $32). All are from Bamboo Home and Garden (941-4067) on Beretania Street, which also carries bamboo curtains, garden lattice and more.
The bamboo clutch from Tommy Bahama ($115) is almost too pretty for everyday use, but it would be a pity to bring it out only on special occasions. Try hanging it up by a home office area as an inbox for incoming mail.
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