If you’re looking to add a touch of period or old world charm to an interior, you don’t need to go to extremes. Wooden appliques, or onlays, are often used to add a decorative feature to interiors or furniture.

One of the best things about using decorative wooden onlays is that they don’t require much work to use them. You can simply apply your carved wooden appliques to an item of furniture or interior feature, such as a wall, door, table or old chairs.

What exactly are onlays?

Wooden appliques and onlays are flat-backed, carved decorative components that are glued to flat surfaces to add detail to cabinets, shelves, walls, fireplaces and so many other components of a residential or commercial space. They are typically used to beautify millwork, which tends to be featureless and bland because it is mass produced.

Applying onlays is a wonderful way to add interesting details to woodwork and lend a customized touch to furniture. Your home will be imparted with your personalized essence, making it a memorable place to visit and an inviting place to live. All it takes is simple effort and understanding, and you’ll be able to make your furniture more lively. 

Why use onlays and wooden appliques?

Onlays are widely used for creative interior design projects by a majority of interior designers and consultants. Quality carvings can enrich virtually any surface of your home. It helps you in creating beautiful designs on fireplace mantels, over door panels, etc. You can transform your simple wall into an architectural wall decoration by just incorporating wood appliques.

Stylize your interiors

One of the many reasons behind the popularity of furniture onlays is its aesthetic artistic design and ease of installation. It gives you the luxury to impart your home with your own touch of style, making the interior space of your home, office, or any commercial or domestic space to be exotic, impressive, and expressive too. 

Wood appliques and onlays represent a clear opportunity to emphasize your preferred style. Accents in many styles ranging from floral, to gothic, to contemporary are available, along with transitional elements.

If you are decorating a beach house, bring some whimsy to the living room or bedrooms with ocean-themed onlays on the bed frames or cabinetry. There are a multitude of options available at your disposal: you might enjoy swags of flowers or old fashioned ribbons and bows. If you love wines, you might like to pick from grape clusters or grapes and flowers.

Stylized acanthus leaves have been used to decorate architecture for centuries dating back to ancient Greece. You can bring this stylized ancient motif into your home in the form of onlays. No matter what style you connect with, you can find wood onlays and appliques that accentuate it. 

Give old furniture a new lease of life

They can also be used to restore old furniture by giving them a brand new face. For example, large, full appliques mask a dresser’s imperfections by covering up scratches, dents, or other blemishes.

Wooden appliques can also be applied easily to furniture or carpentry projects such as jewellery boxes, bed frames, fireplaces, restored cabinetry, or chairs and tables.

The great thing about wooden onlays is that they are easy to paint and can be used to easily blend into your project.

Distract from those flaws

If you’re ashamed of a hard-to-fix flaw in your decorating scheme, try adding an applique so no one is the wiser. Perhaps you are finishing off a repainting project. What is a better way to finish off a cabinet or shelf update than adding a scrolling applique along the side or at the top?

Or, if you’re making one change, consider trying to be creative about other stylish changes you can make. Furniture onlays can help you with that. 

The need for beauty is a trait unique to the human experience.

Man-made, modern materials cannot replicate the warmth and beauty of natural wood. History tells us that ancient societies from all over the world have engaged in the worship of trees, some believing that the gods lived in trees. While the present day saying “knock on wood” is a good luck charm with direct roots to these ancient beliefs, the positive energy that emanates from trees cannot be denied. Wood’s texture is pleasing to the eye, whether in a raw, natural state or constructed into a piece of furniture.  

Popular designs to take inspiration from

There are a variety of types of wood onlays and appliques that are popular today for use on pieces of furniture like built-in cabinets and more. Many of these modern appliques incorporate classic and traditional styles into their design.

For example, some wood onlays can incorporate older architectural styles like those from the Renaissance, Baroque, and Restoration periods as well as more modern designs such as those from the Mission, Shaker or Tuscan styles.

One of the most popular styles of wood onlays includes the use of acanthus leaves interwoven throughout the design. Wood onlays that display acanthus leaves are commonly used to decorate kitchen cabinets and can be incorporated with acanthus corbels in order to create a consistent design.

How to apply wooden onlays onto furniture 

Applying onlays is a quick and almost effortless process. You won’t need any special or expensive tools, and it shouldn’t take much of your time.

Step 1: Make necessary measurements 

If you haven’t picked out a spot for your applique, you need to do so. Measure the area to make sure your applique fits. And if you need help remembering the exact spot mark it with a few light pencil strokes. 

Step 2: Prepare the surface

Once you’ve picked out your applique, you’ll need to prepare the surface you’re applying it to. If any parts of your furniture are rough and bumpy, sand them down with an industrial sandpaper. Clean the surface with the appropriate cleaning tools and wait for it to dry. 

Step 3: Glue the applique in place

Once the surface dries, apply a small drop of wood glue and spread it around the back of the applique. If you put too much, wipe away the excess with a cloth or Q-tip before applying the onlay. 

Step 4: Apply pressure to hold the applique in place

You’ll want something to hold your applique in place while it dries. Blue painters tape or small C-clamps are an effective choice, but other heavy objects, such as a stack of books, will work just as well. As your applique dries, watch it carefully. If glue oozes out when you apply pressure with your clamps, books, or otherwise heavy object, wipe it away with a Q-tip. Wait for your glue to dry. Depending on the type of glue you’ve bought, the size of your applique, and other factors, the drying process can take anywhere from several minutes to several hours. Once your applique dries, you can paint, stain, or decorate it to match the overall feel and aesthetic of your furniture. 

And voila, you’re finished!

View the full range of wooden appliques and onlays at Buycarvings.