A Couple Grows Trees Into The Shape Of Stunning Chairs: A True Natural Work Of Art

All wooden chairs start as trees — plants that grow for years before being cut down and turned into pieces that are then meticulously crafted into chairs. And although each tree started unique and organic, most mass-produced wooden chairs end up looking alike. This is what makes this one couple's project so unique. In a poetic take on chair-making, they decided to let the trees grow into the shape of stunning chairs instead.

If it sounds unreal, wait until you see the results. The finished products look like elvish thrones out of a fantasy book. But the England-based couple, whose company goes by the name Full Grown, doesn't use any magic to make their chairs, just patience and care. They prune, graft, and train each tree's branches to force them all to grow into the shape of a chair. Each chair made through this whimsical method takes up to nine years to grow and needs several more years to dry completely after being cut from its roots.

However, as a result, every single chair made by Full Grown is completely unique, with thin and large branches curving together to create the complex shape of each chair. These aren't small stools, either. Most are large, imposing, and complete with a full-size backing, a seat, and two armrests. The feet of the chairs look nearly animal-like, with branches spreading out to create a stable base.

If you love how this looks and want one of the couple's chairs, getting one might be a challenge. These are true natural works of art, and they're being sold and purchased as such. On their website, Full Grown says that because they're working with nature (which takes a while), their production capacity is low. So while these chairs would look great around a wooden dining room table paired with organic earthy colors like green, beige, or gray, that's not where they'll likely end up. Instead, they're more likely to show up in art galleries around the world.

But don't despair. The couple is running a series of workshops to show gardeners how to make their own benches and chairs by growing them from trees. Hey, if you start now, you could have your very own tree-chair a decade from now! And in the meantime, you can DIY your own wooden outdoor chair with quicker and more traditional methods.

But next time you're wondering what the right way to prune your trees is, think about Full Grown. There are tons of tree-growing techniques that you can use to shape and guide your trees into new shapes. You can experiment and turn any woody plant into your very own pieces of art, whether they're organic and poetic or geometric and orderly. This couple's whimsical project is a fantastic reminder that we can work with nature to create art at any scale, even if your backyard isn't the Versailles' gardens.