Twisted metal takes shape as functional art

Toss a sheet of copper on an open fire and it doesn't get destroyed; it becomes a piece of art. That's what Stone County Ironworks of Mountain View, Ark., did to create this sophisticated, rustic, iron bed.

Copper, typically thought of as shiny and cold, transforms to a warm mix of color when the coppersmiths heat the sheets over a hardwood fire and then douse them in mineral water. Enter the words, "fired copper" in the search box of youtube.com and you can see just how the copper changes and the patina are brought out.

This colorful copper bed is only one example of artisan craftsmanship (art that is created by skilled manual labor, in contrast to mass produced items) coming from this manufacturer.

The "Enchanted Forest Canopy Bed with Chandelier" also bears recognition. Like the copper bed, this wrought iron bed defies the cold harshness of wrought iron. Master blacksmiths twisted the wrought iron into branches, added copper accents to the leaves and didn't stop there. The crowning glory of this romantic fantasy bed is a low voltage, pussy-willow chandelier attached to the canopy.

Although the technical aspects aren't as fun to think about, I had to ask the question. How do you get the electricity to the chandelier? A thin electrical wire hides in the canopy and discretely threads through rings placed behind one of the posts on the headboard so it can be plugged in to the wall.

"Every once in a while, we make a piece that just takes my breath away. The Enchanted Forest is simply stunning…" said Corky Baker, president and CEO of Stone County Ironworks. In a recent phone conversation, he enthusiastically shared how both beds were developed and how they are made the old-fashioned way, with master blacksmiths and coppersmiths.

Functional art always moves me. These beds fit that category well.

I hope you have enjoyed hearing and seeing what these creative blacksmiths and coppersmiths are doing for beds as much as I have enjoyed sharing this creative resource with you.

Cindy Payne is a certified interior designer with more than 25 years of experience, a member of the American Society of Interior Designers, as well as a licensed contractor. E-mail questions to her at deardesigner@projectdesigninteriors.com or send them to her at Project Design Interiors, 2620 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 189, Las Vegas, NV 89109. She can be reached online at www.projectdesigninteriors.com.