Lauhala Matting Wall Covering
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Lauhala Matting: An Ancient Material with Modern Appeal

If you’re looking for ways to enhance your home without having to pay for a full remodel, adding decorative elements can do the trick at a fraction of the cost. Adding natural elements to your home, both indoors and outside, can make your home feel warmer, more inviting, and create a welcoming atmosphere. Lauhala matting is a beautiful way to add tropical charm and natural elements into your home design and interior decor without overspending. This traditional bamboo material is versatile, lightweight, eco-friendly, and customizable, so you can create a cohesive look with almost no effort at all. Lauhala matting is steeped in tradition and offers more benefits than you probably imagined.

The Lauhala Matting Tradition

In the Hawaiian language, “lauhala” means “leaf of the hala tree”. For generations, from antiquity to the modern day, Hawaiian natives have been harvesting the “hala tree”, or pandanus tree, and using the leaves to craft gorgeous matting. This matting has been used to create everything from bed coverings to bowls, baskets to flooring and everything in between. The lauhala tradition is long, deep, and full of meaning. Historically, the ability to create these intricate lauhala patterns was a source of both empowerment and income for the tribal women. Women who were able to create this matting, and the beautiful objects crafted from it, were respected, praised, and usually financially secure. Hawaiians who still practice this tradition carry on a proud legacy of craftsmanship and artistry, and for good reason. The lauhala matting process has been sustainable over so many years thanks to the fact that the trees and palms used to create them are rapidly regenerating resources. While the tools have improved over the generations, the technique used to create the mats has remained largely unchanged.

The beautiful pandanus tree grows throughout the Hawaiian Islands and provides the majority of the leaves that Hawaiian natives use to create matting. However, lauhala matting can also be created using other natural materials, as well. Some lauhala matting is crafted from banana bark or palm leaves, however, most of the matting is primarily created from the pandanus or hala tree.

Given that they’re crafted from natural materials, each mat is unique in texture and appearance, lending itself to an authentic, earthy feel. The artistry of braiding, or plaiting, has been largely unchanged for generations though the tools used to create them have improved. Each Lauhala mat is crafted in much the same way that it would have been in antiquity.

Limitless Possibilities

The durability of this natural material lends itself well to both indoor and outdoor design elements and adds a rustic, tropical vibe to your home. From indoor wall decor to outdoor pavilions and bar areas, you can use lauhala matting throughout your home to improve the appearance and add designer elements in a snap. What’s more, you can cut or trim lauhala matting without fearing that it will unravel, meaning you can customize the matting to suit almost any purpose you’d like.

Environmentally Friendly

One of the wonderful characteristics of lauhala matting is its ecologically beneficial nature. Being that this matting is crafted from a rapidly growing resource that is renewable and sustainable, choosing it as your design material means you’re not contributing to deforestation or the myriad ecological problems that can come from using timber and other wooden materials. The harvesting, transporting, and manufacturing of these mats doesn’t disrupt the environment in any significant way, so it’s not just the materials that are eco-friendly, it’s the entire process. As an added environmental bonus, it’s recyclable.

Naturalistic Element

Lauhala matting boasts a rich, dark hue that eludes to that authentic island look so characteristic of tiki bars, pool areas, wall and ceiling treatments, and beachside margarita stands. It’s flexible, making it ideal for areas that are tricky to cover or find decorative elements for, but it’s durable enough that you won’t have to worry about wear and tear. This beautiful, traditional matting can be used in just about any setting or environment to add a bit of rustic, tropical charm.

Lauhala Matting is Easy to Install

This multi-purpose matting is easy to install, and you have more than one installation method from which to choose. You can glue it, which provides a secure bond and is probably best for outdoor projects, or you can staple it, which may be a preferred method for indoor use. This simple installation makes it perfect for wall decor, roofing, cabinet facing, ceiling treatments, wall liners, and many other projects.

Lauhala Matting Project Ideas

When it comes to the ways in which you can apply and utilize lauhala matting throughout your home, the possibilities are virtually endless. Its flexible nature lends itself to areas where more rigid materials would be useless, and its combination of durability and lightness opens it up to multiple uses. Here are just a few ideas of how you can utilize this stunning matting throughout your home.

Tiki bars (for paneling and/or roofing) Wall coverings (entire wall or portion) Wall decor Ceiling treatments Cabinet facing Center kitchen island paneling Pool area matting Cabana decor Guest house elements Countertops Wainscoting Floor mats and floor coverings

The natural fibers of lauhala matting contribute to its unique pattern and textured appearance. You can choose your matting from a variety of style options, color choices, sizes, and patterns or textures. Though this matting gives off a decidedly tribal appearance, it can also be used to create an elegant, upscale appearance.

If you’re looking to upgrade the look and feel of your home without spending a pretty penny, invest in lauhala matting and carry on a tradition of tribal artistry and tropical elegance. Whether you use this matting in one area of your home or across your entire design scheme you’ll experience the warmth, charisma, and rustic charm that has become associated with this material. Using an eco-friendly, sustainable product means you’ll enjoy years of lasting results without harming the environment, and should you ever want to dispose of your matting it’s completely biodegradable and recyclable. See what lauhala matting can do for your home.

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