Chatoyance

Thinking about a new project, intended to appear formal and to impress.
It's a dining room, where I'll make raised panels (lower ~30") of cherry. To impress, will use figured veneer on the center of raised panels (cherry around MDF for stability, to get edges that can be milled, and to keep costs down to Planet Earth).
It's the upper section, (not actually woodworking) where I don't have an idea, and don't know whether it's possible. But I'd like to get chatoyance on a surface that's painted, complementary to the chatoyance of the figured cherry below.

Is that possible with paint, or is there another medium to consider? As above, the final appearance should be formal.

I've seen cars painted with paint whose color changes depending on the direction of light, or the movement of the car. Or maybe the surface was not paint, but "wrap". For instance https://metrorestyling.com/collectio...ift-vinyl-wrap

See if you can find some Moire silk. It is not chatoyance, but is a material that has been used to cover walls. The moire effect shows up as you move relative to the wall. Similar to the chatoyance of the panels.
I worked with making moire silk panels years ago. We made a wood frame and attached 1/4” ply to the face of the fames. We sprayed glue on the ply, laid the silk on it, and wrapped the edges and then stapled the fabric.

Would a bleached or dyed wood retain the chatoyance of the original figure?

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Originally Posted by Dave Fitzgerald

Would a bleached or dyed wood retain the chatoyance of the original figure?

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It does. The attached photo is a desk top, veneered with maple (inset Zia symbol is cherry). Glass makes the photo a little difficult.
The yellow dye was 'tweaked' to get the shade of the NM state flag. The intent of the wavy maple was to convey the waviness of a flag.

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Chatoyance is a reflection of the light and needs some clarity to achieve this, whether it be nothing at all or many clear top coats to help refract the light. Anything with pigment will lessen or mute whatever inherent chatoyance there was. There are some dyes that people use but I don't get into coloring wood like that.
Good luck

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Originally Posted by David Sochar

See if you can find some Moire silk. It is not chatoyance, but is a material that has been used to cover walls. The moire effect shows up as you move relative to the wall. Similar to the chatoyance of the panels.
I worked with making moire silk panels years ago. We made a wood frame and attached 1/4” ply to the face of the fames. We sprayed glue on the ply, laid the silk on it, and wrapped the edges and then stapled the fabric.

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you can also go with the same paint color but in 2 different sheens. This will look more deliberate of course; I did this in my son’s first nursery by painting stripes all around the upper half of the room. I built wainscoting on the bottom half. I liked the way it turned out.

I just read a bit about Moire, and it looks like a great idea. I might try very large frames, (2-4 per wall) stretching the fabric without actually gluing it to a surface, intending for subtle motion with touch or air currents. In your project, did the glue prevent a problem I'm overlooking? (I assume the glue never became evident on the viewed surface).

I find floor to ceiling wood is too much wood and usually too dark. I'd look at wallpaper.

I helped on a wallpaper job that created an affect similar to what I imagine chatoyance to be. It was very thin, end grain balsa wood, sliced at various angles. adhered to a paper and fabric backing. It may still be on the walls of a dance studio here in town. If I have an opportunity and it is still there I will make a short video. It was a cool room!

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