Strata is a minimal cabinet created by Sweden-based designer Karl-Johan Hjerling for Snickeriet. By manipulating wood grain patterns, Strata captures an expression of a new decorative material, existing somewhere in-between the organic and the man-made. The surface consists of tangential layers of oak, veneered at an angle on top of each other, and carefully sanded down into a pattern inspired by the veining of sedimentary rock. The technique has its roots in conventional intarsia inlay. But in order to find an expression more organic and naturally occurring, the graphical nature of cut-out veneering has been replaced by an extensive process of sanding down transitions between overlapping veneers. The combination of wood grain and stone veining creates a mesmerizing expression. It draws the mind toward root or burl wood, yet it is distinctly different through its repetition and distortion. Continuing the approach of interpreted nature; all angles, shapes, and proportions of the cabinet relate to pi and the golden ratio. The subsurface of Strata is prepared to compensate for the irregularities caused by the sanding, resulting in a perfectly flush surface. The cabinet is finished with a glossy lacquer and a wax coating.