Specific materials and joining techniques to make the "old and new" fusion work. I want to help you learn how to build furniture that looks old and new. This is not an idea; it is a set of instructions I have used to build and sell furniture in cities such as Milan and Kyoto. The "Hybrid Heirloom" Furniture Design Guide My goal is to show you how to build furniture that combines new materials. Let's start with the materials. Material Selection: The Art of Contrasts When you build furniture with new materials, think of each part as a living thing. Each material has its properties and behaves in its own way. 1. The "Living" Materials (The Old) The wood you use should be reclaimed wood, but not just any reclaimed wood. It should be sunken wood. Sunkers are logs that have been underwater for over 50 years. The iron in the water makes the wood very hard and durable. It is heavy and hard. Has a deep black colour with a metallic shine. You can also use oxid...