stil novo wine barrel stool

As any artisan knows, curving wood can be a time-consuming, labor-intensive and skill-exacting process – so why start bending new boards when there are barrels full of already-bent oak in old reclaimed wine barrels?

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stil novo recycled wine barrel

French oak forms the basis for each of these unique creations, designed and manufactured by Stil Novo in California. Deep burgundy reds provide a process-based contrast with the natural pale browns of the original oaks.

stil novo reclaimed wine barrel chair

Oak barrels have limited lifespans in the wine industry, with color, texture, and flavor-influencing properties being leached with each round of wine-making (only 3 to 6 uses are possible for a given container).

stil novo reclaimed wine barrel lighting

This would-be loss is transformed into an incredible gain for those who have a vision for upcycling parts and pieces cut from old barrels.

stil novo oak barrel lamp

Whether the traditional aesthetic suits given tastes or interiors, these projects certainly do a nice job of rounding out the lives of long-felled trees, rebuilding them as tables, chairs, stools, crates, cabinets, lamps, mirrors and more.

“Stil Novo Design’s recycled oak wine barrels creations, unique sustainable custom furniture, lighting, elegant home & wedding decor and gift ideas are entirely made with recycled French oak wine barrels. We are a family business located in Northern California where we design and manufacture all of our products. Each of our pieces is a true labor of love, carefully handcrafted using the finest artisan skills.”

stil novo wine barrel cabinet

“When a wine barrel is converted into furniture and home decor, its history is preserved and can be enjoyed for generations in the form of a unique artisan heirloom. In fact a whole barrel offers the opportunity of reusing every bit of material -from the solid, beautiful white oak of which its staves and head are made, to the metal hoops that kept it together.”

“Working with recycled materials involves time consuming procedures to prepare the wood before the end result can be achieved. We don’t delegate any part of the manufacturing process, in order to guarantee quality consistency.”