Burl: the wood pattern that looks like a mistake - and is just everywhere
1/6/2026
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Pia Seidel
This swirling, almost psychedelic wood pattern looks like a flaw - and yet it was omnipresent at Milan Design Week recently. What lies behind it is a whim of nature.
«Burl» is indeed such a whim: a growth form, not a type of wood. Certain trees form burl-like outgrowths - triggered by injury, fungal or insect infestation, environmental stress or genetic predisposition. Inside, the fibres grow irregularly around dormant buds, creating the typical knots, eyes and whirls. In different tree species - oak, cherry, poplar, walnut - this growth takes on different forms. What they have in common: patterns that make each piece unique.
In German, we speak of burl wood. On furniture labels, you will often come across «Burl veneer» - sliced wafer-thin and mounted on a carrier surface.
Source: Ferm Living
Source: Ferm Living
Source: Ferm Living
The interest in living wood drawings is so great that researchers are specifically experimenting with them. Scientists at Empa in St. Gallen are cultivating fungi that draw dark lines in wood. This is because such natural markings often only appear after months or years.
Why right now
Burl had its heyday in Art Deco design and experienced another heyday in the 1970s before going out of fashion in the 1980s. Now it's back. And different this time.
Designers see it as a reaction to the dominance of plain woods: burl provides warmth and immediately gives a room depth that flat wood tones cannot imitate. There is also a broader trend: living spaces should feel authentic and connected to nature. The swirled, unique pattern fits right in. It delivers quiet elegance without being loud.
What Ferm Living makes of it
The Danish brand Ferm Living features Burl in its latest collection. It shows how versatile it can be used. All pieces in the collection have FSC Mix certification, which guarantees controlled forestry. However, this means that not all wood automatically comes from trees that have been felled anyway, for example by storms or because they have reached their natural age.
Source: Ferm Living
Source: Ferm Living
Source: Ferm Living
In your own home
Burl acts as an accessory like a larger piece of furniture - mirrors, picture frames or trays are a small introduction, coffee tables or sideboards set stronger accents. Because the pattern says a lot on its own, it needs little competition. It goes well with warm neutrals, matt surfaces and simple shapes. If you already have a lot of prints in the room, it's better to use Burl selectively as a light, clock or frame.
The only thing burl veneer cannot tolerate is randomness. Each piece is unique. You can see that. And that's exactly why it's worth taking a closer look.
Ferm Living Burl Table Lamp - Dark Stained Burl
E27
Westinghouse Pendant Lamp Charlize Barn Wood
E27
EUR76,94
Hanah Home Masivo Round
70 x 38 cm
Ferm Living Folia Mirror - H135 - Dark Stained Burl
55 x 135 cm
Ferm Living Folia Mirror - H82 - Natural Burl
50 x 82 cm
Ferm Living Melt Wall Clock - Dark Stained Burl
Header image: Ferm Living
Pia Seidel
Senior Editor
Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.chLike a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.
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