The other day I visited the showroom of a bamboo products' firm named "Kne Kash". It's a spacious place located near a railway station and some other commercial businesses. The structure used to be a barn, one of a series of seven (7) barns with pyramidal roof shape, close to the train area - the Mamgurot (Barns) area.
It was rather dim inside. I suppose the very high concrete ceiling and the special light fixtures, have something to do with it.
The concept in this showroom is different from that in their flag store situated in another region. The emphasis here is on bamboo and straw as living materials in the hands of architects. Customers come in with their house plan, and get here professional advice as to the best way to use bamboo and straw in their home design.
I love bamboo in all its forms: furniture, fences, flooring, panels, decoration items, textiles. How could one not love it? Bamboo is natural, ecological, flexible, light-weight, and practical. Its simplicity is also its beauty.
Bamboo is usually associated with far-east countries. This strong plant grows there, and the local people make good use of it. Indeed, I've seen over the years some beautiful bamboo furniture pieces made in Vietnam, India, Philippines, China etc...
The problem is that in my neck of the woods bamboo products are quite expensive, since they are imported and mostly hand made. Besides, there has been a rise in the number of environmental buyers; and if that's not enough, people that used to buy bamboo furniture for outdoors mainly , have discovered its charm for the indoors too. As the demand increases, and the supply is sometimes short, prices go up.
There is a little sign at the entrance/exit of the store which says: 'Bamboo - the wood of the future'. Why of the future? If you ask me, its' future as wood is already here and now.
