For many years I’ve held a fascination with Buddhism and its related teachings and aesthetics. In my home there are up to half a dozen Buddha statues and figurines of varying designs, materials and sizes. Some are made from porcelain whilst others are made from stone and wood. The wooden Buddha statues are some of my favorite precisely because of the oneness with nature they bring to an interior.

If you like to meditate, then using a statue or picture of the Buddha or similar image, can help in keeping the mind focussed on mindfulness. One may think wood is a rather plain material to decorative a room with but that’s certainly not the case. There are also painted wooden Buddha statues which come in reds, greens and golds. These maintain the beauty of the wood grains and markings whilst also adding color and vibrancy.

You can see just what I mean on the following page which showcases a large collection of statues made from wood: Wooden Buddha Statues.

The Sankofa bird is a mythical species from the Ghanaian region of West Africa. In the native Akan language, the word ‘Sankofa’ represents both a proverb and a symbol. When translated to English the closest meaning would be “go back and take”, which teaches in a nutshell that it’s not wrong to go back for that which you’ve forgotten. The symbol of ‘Sankofa’ can be seen in two images, one of the familiar heart shape and the other, a bird with its head turned backwards attempting to take an egg off its back.

As many sayings and proverbs in Western cultures teach, it’s good to go back and take knowledge and wisdom from the past to use in the present and future. As one can see from the picture of this African decorative box, the lid portrays the Sankofa bird reaching over its back to pick up the symbolic egg. When placed on a bedside table, living room shelf or bathroom windowsill, the Sankofa bird box will be a reminder of an important philosophical truth from the heart of Africa.

What’s more, the decorative box has been individually hand carved by skilled artisans in the nation of Ghana.

Price: $62

The beaches around St Kilda in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (not to be confused with St Kilda in Scotland) are the inspiration for these driftwood coffee table creations. A dedicated team of surfers and artists are continuously on the look out for good quality driftwood that can be turned into coffee tables and similar items of furniture. The timer is then cleaned, trimmed, wire brushed, colored and waxed before being collected together to form a driftwood coffee table top.

A simple black steel frame provides the basic structure of the table onto which the driftwood pieces are layered to form a table top. Each coffee table is unique because of the individuality of each driftwood piece which is found. Markings and holes are left as they are to provide extra character to the various driftwood coffee tables the architecture firm makes to order.

This colorful driftwood coffee table made by Marcus O’Reilly Architects won the Craft Victoria Design and Innovation Award for 2009. If you live in Australia you can phone or email the creators to buy one of these beautiful nature-inspired driftwood coffee tables.

For more information visit: Driftwood Coffee Tables by Marcus O’Reilly Architects.

H/T: Design Milk.

The above picture shows a wall sculpture by Dolan Geiman, a native of Virginia who now resides and works in Chicago. The piece is titled ‘Shenandoah Ship Wheel’ and is a collection of found wood that has then been painted with acrylics. As the name suggests, the sculpture takes the form of an old ship’s wheel one might expect to see on museum sailing ships.

Most of Geiman’s work is sculptural in nature and takes its inspiration from his rural childhood. Throughout the years he has collected bits and pieces that attract his eye and many have been used in mixed media instillations that have been sold across the United States. You can read a lot more about this artist on his website which can be found here: Dolan Geiman.

This wall sculpture is also available to buy although I believe it is a one-off so one might need to be quick. You can see purchasing information here: Shenandoah Ship Wheel.

However, the 1992 Rio Accord led to a sharp decline in this practice which pleased animal rights campaigners. I must say I am glad too and have never even considered using an animal trophy head in one of my interior designs. Not only do I find the concept of killing an animal for sport cruel but also I dislike the look of once live animals that have been stuffed via the process of taxidermy.

Instead, some Belgian designers came up with an alternative for those of us who would rather miss the regular wall mounted hunting trophies. The moose and deer trophy heads you see above and below are made from beech wood and have been created as an abstract sculptural wall art decoration. They are the perfect trophy heads for those with a fondness for animals and who like to keep a clean conscience.

If you have fond memories from childhood or real animal trophy heads, then you might be attached to the general design focus of an animal head attached to the wall. That is fine but you can have the best of both worlds with these abstract wooden heads which come in a variety of colors. These include white, black and also gold. However, if you feel creative, it’s perfectly possible to paint them a color or pattern of your choice.

Naturally, due to the size of the pieces, they are best suited to a larger room than normal. Suitable interior spaces include a dining room where family and guests can discuss the joys of nature with natural forms adorning the walls; a games room; a high ceiling basement; or somewhere along a hallway where it will be one of the first items visitors see.

You can see more pictures as well as buy this contemporary take on the animal trophy head by visiting the following location: Moose and Deer Trophy Heads Made From Beech Wood

Price: $269

The contemporary folk art style of the angel wall sculpture pair is highlighted further by the style of their creation. Both the Angel and the Fallen Angel have been individually painted on carved wood with further mixed media additions. These include breast faucet handles for the Angel and a naughty split red hook for the Fallen Angel. Both have been given distressed metal wings which adds both contrast and an endearing flair.

These two angel wall sculptures explore the concepts of good and bad, naughty and nice in a humorous and playful manner. The seashell feet and hinged arms just add further to the fascination make-up of this angel wall sculpture pair.

If you have an interior that needs some decorative wall sculptures in order to brighten up the ambiance, then this pair will be ideal. They’ll also be great for a living room or guest room, where a little laughter won’t go amiss among friends and family.

You can buy these angel sculptures for the wall by naughtily spreading your angel wings and hovering to the following location: Angel and Fallen Angel Wall Sculpture

Upon completion of each individually crafted piece, the mango vase is then coated with a clear lacquer finish to protect its natural beauty. These vases make ideal decorative accent details as well as providing a holder for flowers and dried branches.

However, be aware that mango wood, like bamboo, cannot hold water. Although it is certainly possible to purchase plastic containers if needs must. In my personal and professional view, this wood floor vase is best used to provide an accompaniment to dried plants such as lavender, grasses and curly willow branches.

Like with many tall vases, this mango wood floor vase will look good in most types of interior space. Think perhaps of the hallway especially or the bathroom where it will bring a touch of nature to an overly plastic or ceramic space.

Youc an buy this item from the following location: 30″ Mangowood Zebra Vase

Price: $94.95

Cat figurines are numerous and highly popular and being a bookworm as well as a cat lover, these Siamese cat bookends immediately caught my eye. They’ve been carved from environmentally sustainable Northern Thai wood and stand at around 9 inches high. The cat bookend’s beautiful form is very appealing and will be to any admirer of the feline shape.

I can imagine these wooden bookends being ideal accessories on desks, book shelves and coffee tables. The cat figurines almost seem to be asking for a saucer of milk and a home with literary tastes.

These wooden cat bookends cost just $63.

You can purchase them here: Pair of Hand-Carved Siamese Cat Bookends