Indonesian Accents in a California Home

Recently, a Gado Gado customer here in Santa Rosa was generous enough to share some beautiful pictures of our products in their home.  We are always excited to receive back photos like these.

Teak bench, constructed from reclaimed lumber

A hand-carved bench made entirely of reclaimed teak sits near the entrance of the home, providing a sunny spot to read the morning paper.

This hand-carved teak armoire, or “lemari” in the Indonesian language, has been converted by the customer into a unique living room entertainment center.

Teak armoire converted to entertainment center

When closed, we have a beautiful hard-carved accent piece, and when open…

Teak entertainment center with shelves for components

The lemari was the perfect size and style for the room but had one too many shelves; the obvious solution: remove the top one to make room for a wide screen TV.

Sitting atop an end table made of reclaimed teak, we find an intriguing transformation of an old utilitarian object into a wonderful accent piece for the home.

Teak side table and antique Burmese wagon wheel hub lamp

This lamp is made from the hub of an old wagon wheel; you can see where the spokes used to originate around the circumference.

Old wagon wheel lamp

Finishing our tour on the back patio, we find an inviting outdoor dining set perfect for warm Santa Rosa summer evenings.

Gado Gado teak patio set

We also find a pair of our popular “Palawan Loungers” for a bit of after-dinner relaxation as the sun goes down.  The arms rotate upward, and a hidden table slides both left and right for a relaxing drink…

Palawan lounger

Indonesian Teak Doors

One element of Indonesian architecture that can easily be integrated into design projects with fantastic results are antique teak doors.  These can either be used functionally or as a partial wall or screen adding visual separation to a room or patio space.  They can also be used as a headboard for a bed by mounting them against a wall.

Antique Javanese Teak Doors (25"W x 75.5"H x 1"Th)

These antique and vintage teak doors come from traditional Central and East Javanese houses.  There is no “standard size”–either height or width–this depended on the height of the owner of the house!

If these doors are to be used in new construction, it is relatively easy to create jambs and surrounds that match the doors.  However, if you are trying to replace an existing door, some modifications may be needed.  Gado Gado has a large selection of antique teak doors, and a supply of reclaimed teak to create jambs, casing, and for doors smaller than US standard sizes, material to augment the height or width to match your application.

Old Painted Doors, Solid Teak (27"W x 68.5"H x 1.25"Th)

Many doors still have remnants of the original paint in the wood grain, giving the doors a bit of soft color against the rich, natural brown patina of the teak wood.

Antique Teak Doors w/ Newly Carved Raised Relief Panels (35"W x 83"H x 1.25"Th)

Other doors still have the majority of the original paint, often in vibrant greens, blues, reds and yellows.  This particular set would make a striking statement as exterior patio doors.

Old Teak Doors, Original Paint (24"W x 84"H x 1.5"Th)

Petrified Wood: Functional Objects

Here are some examples of how petrified wood can be used:

Petrified Wood Sink (21" x 16" x 8")

Bookends (6.25" x 2.75" x 9" each)

Three-Part Petrified Wood Bench (53" x 18" x 18")

See more petrified wood and other products from Gado Gado International.

Petrified Wood: Formation and Characteristics

Polished cross section of petrified log (16″D x 4″H)

The formation of petrified wood begins when a live tree is quickly buried in an oxygen-free environment.  This can occur when a landslide buries some trees, and in some cases when volcanic ash from a fast-moving pyroclastic flow buries a forest.  Over time, hot mineral-rich water passing through the sediment  or volcanic ash replaces the tree’s carbon with silica, often in the form of quartz.  Silicon is chemically similar enough to carbon that it will take its place in the organic compounds without altering the overall cellular structure of the wood. The result is that the wood slowly becomes a rock that looks very much like the original log, right down to the microscopic level in many cases.

Additionally, certain elements such as iron, copper, cobalt and manganese that are leached out of the surrounding soil can seep into the wood during the petrification process and add striking colors from blue-green to red-brown.

Petrified log with red-orange highlights (20″D x 25″H, 485lbs)

Due to volcanic activity Indonesian petrified wood is formed much more quickly than it is in other areas of the globe.  Hot springs act to dissolve silica present in volcanic ash and then “cook” the buried logs, accelerating the process many fold.

Petrified wood collection in Java, Indonesia.

to be continued…

Timorese Ancestry: Anadeos

Timorese Religion and Beliefs Cont.

For the Tetum people of Timor, the interior of the earth is said to be like a female womb, an underworld source of life where ancestors emerge. At the core of their world view they believe that all humans pass through a corresponding life cycle.

Female Anadeo Figure

For many centuries, the people of both Sumba and Timor have carved stone and wood guardian figures known as anadeos. These anadeo statues are usually carved from sandy limestone, and in some rare cases, vesicular lava. The statues resemble people, and are typically seated in a kneeling position with the arms clasped over or across the knees.

Female and Male Timorese Anadeos

These figures are placed in front of homes or a village square facing outward with the intention of frightening away evil spirits. Many of the statues have rounded bases, requiring that the statues are partly buried in the ground. Gado Gado’s collection of anadeos range in age from the early to late 20^th century.

Anadeos on Hillside

We also have a variety of East and West Timorese artifacts in our warehouse.