Cypress Chopping Bench

This primitive wooden bench from the late 19th century is the ultimate in wabi-sabi chic. Cobbled together from spare cypress wood, no two pieces quite the same, the low bench combines the precision of traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery with the rustic appeal of reclaimed materials.

A thick, cypress beam comprises the rectangular seat, sawn along the wood grain to an irregular shape with tree growth rings still traceable at one end. The heavy seat is supported by four splayed legs linked with stretcher bars, each textured by the untamed movement of the wood grain. When not in use as a seat or side table, the rustic bench likely doubled as a kitchen chopping block, as evidenced by the many blade marks that texture the seat and enhance the natural beauty of the grain.