[Art&Design]

THE GROOVY COMEBACK OF MEMPHIS WOOD: A BOLD INTERIOR TREND

Bold, psychedelic, and straight from the '80s: the colorful veneer wood trend is back, giving interiors and design objects a fresh, expressive, and futuristic edge.

Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
ONI Studio

The new wood trend isn’t really new—it’s a stunning Memphis revival straight from an idea by Ettore Sottsass.

Back in 1981, Sottsass founded the Memphis Group and launched its first mind-blowing, revolutionary exhibition in Milan. Among the striking pieces on display, one truly stood out in 1985: the Tartar Console, introducing a never-seen-before take on wood treatment.

Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
Memphis Milano
Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
Memphis Milano

Fast-forward to 2017, the designer Martino Gamper picked up this unique pattern and reinterpreted it for three original pieces, staying true to Sottsass’ material of choice.

Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
Alpi.com
Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
Alpi.com

Then again in 2023 Sabine Marcelis took the internet by storm with her viral bed design, bringing this distinctive aesthetic back into the spotlight.

Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
Sabine Marcelis

This distinctive wood treatment was born in 1980, thanks to a collaboration between Ettore Sottsass and Vittorio Alpi. To this day, Alpi Wood continues to produce the same variant. The process involves slicing a wood trunk into thin sheets using a ribbon-cutting technique. These sheets are then dyed to create striking contrasts, while the final pattern emerges through a meticulous assembly of the individual pieces.
Veneer wood, commonly known as plywood, is now getting a sophisticated twist thanks to vividly colored wood grain patterns.

Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
Alpi.com
Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
Memphis Milano, freemont cabinet

Today this material is the one to watch (and to bring into your interiors) if you want to make a bold statement.

The resulting pattern is hypnotic and never the same because entirely organic.. The enhanced wood grain has a psychedelic quality, giving a futuristic spin to a traditionally classic material.

The result? A highly expressive material, perfect to combine with raw, bold textures. Its fluid, lava-like movement instantly captures attention while maintaining a sense of harmony.

Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
ph. Paul Marcinkowski
Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
ph. Francesco Stelitano
Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
ph. José Hevia

And its applications? Endless. Beyond interior design, it's making waves in product design. Just a few weeks ago, artist Mo Yasin unveiled a massive subwoofer at the Paris Stone Island store, wrapped in Alpi’s custom-crafted wood. The swirling gray veins seem to visually echo the very sound waves of the music playing in the space.

Article wrote by Monica Picchi about the revival of Memphis-style decorative wood veneer, featuring colorful, psychedelic wood grain patterns pioneered by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s and recently popularized by designers like Sabine Marcelis and Martino Gamper. The technique involves dyeing thin slices of wood to create bold, expressive patterns for furniture and interior design elements.
Alpi.com

I see it as an expressive and innovative material—one that tells a story and adds personality to any space. Whether it’s a bar cabinet, a tabletop, or a bed headboard, this groovy Sottsass wood is pure design magic.

So, what do you think? Too much, or just too good?

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Monica Picchi

Monica Picchi

Creative and curious, with a degree in Design and a career in Fashion Digital Production, I'm now sharing my passion for Design across social media.
Though my future path remains wonderfully uncertain, I’m constantly seeking beauty in all its forms. My love for vintage and mid-century design makes me want to explore flea markets worldwide and transform spaces into beautiful homes.

@monipicchi