Assorted hues

Considered to have the highest standard in outdoor furniture, teak is a hard durable yellowish brown wood of a tall tropical Asian timber tree that grows up to 40 meters tall. Countries like India, Indonesia and Myanmar are the highest exporter of this timber. A good example of an edifice built with teak is the Vimanmek Mansion in Bangkok Thailand. It is considered the largest golden teak building in the world.

Originally, teak is used in construction of boats but in 1950s and 1960s it was popularized by the Danish as an excellent material for outdoor furniture and other pieces that require weather resistance and durability. It became a symbol of luxury and gained high demand as heirloom pieces among the elites. Acquiring furniture made of teak is considered an extravagance because it costs much more than other woods and in today’s generation the timber is already endangered. But if you have money, teak outdoor furniture is a sound investment.

Teak outdoor furniture is built to last more than half a century even under extreme conditions. You do not have to locate this area to protected area or put cover on it. This is because the timber has natural oils which serve its superficial covering or exterior. Over time this covering turns the wood into silvery, grey color. Teak doesn’t require varnish or oil for maintenance. If you apply varnish to teak, it will peel and become hard to remove.

Today, there are lots of mosaics artists around the world. Even little kids can be mosaic artists if they want to. Age is not a determining factor for being an artist. Some of the world’s most popular mosaic artists today are Boris Anrep, Emma Biggs, Francis Scott Bradford, Trevor Caley, Martin Cheek, Zoe Coles, gery Drostle, and Nuala Flynn. Get to know them better.

Boris Anrep was a good mosaic artist. His works can be found in the Blessed Sacrament chapel. He made the mosaics back in the 1950s to 1960s. Most of his works are religion based.

Last March 2004, the mosaics of Emma Biggs were unveiled. The smalti and marble pavement mosaics can be found at Wharf Walk; which runs the length of Jubilee Palace. The mosaics theme was derived from the dockland history. The mosaics include – Billingsgate fishwives, 19th century furniture using shells, the captain of the ship given a hat as a bribe, 1858 rope, textiles trading, tortoise shell open market, vaults under the London docks, dockers, and the Canary Wharf.