Everything you need to know about straw marquetery

The decorative art that blends tradition and modernity!

Straw marquetry is experiencing a true revival. Once reserved for art workshops and luxury houses, this craft technique now attracts designers, interior architects, and creators from all over the world. Its raw material, rye straw, offers unmatched shine and texture, capable of transforming a piece of furniture, a wall, or an object into a work of art.

In this guide, discover the history, techniques, and contemporary uses of this French decorative art, as well as the artisans and houses that are bringing back its brilliance.

What is straw marquetry?

An exceptional decorative art

Straw marquetry is a fine craft technique that consists of gluing strands of rye straw onto a surface (wood, metal, cardboard) to create geometric, floral, or abstract patterns.

Each strand is flattened, sometimes dyed, cut, and then applied by hand, one by one — a meticulous and patient process that enhances the light.

Noble origins

This delicate art dates back to the 17th century, when French artisans used straw to adorn boxes, screens, and prestigious furniture. Forgotten for a time, it is now revived by a new generation of artisans who preserve this unique craftsmanship.

Why choose rye straw?

1 – A naturally luminous material

Rye straw is renowned for its silky sheen. Its surface, coated with silica, reflects light in a unique way, creating golden or colored reflections depending on the viewing angle.

Each shade, natural or hand-dyed, has its own character: from antique gold to sage green, deep blue to warm hazelnut.

2 – An ecological and sustainable choice

Made from an entirely natural and renewable resource, rye straw is biodegradable and requires very little processing. Choosing straw marquetry means opting for eco-friendly and natural decoration that respects the environment.

3 – The authenticity of handmade work

Every piece made with straw is unique. Behind each creation lies the artisan’s hand: a slow, precise gesture, and time spent in the workshop devoted to the beauty of the material. This manual craft gives each work a living, tactile, and poetic quality.

Essential tools and materials

Creating straw marquetry requires few tools but great care. Here are the essentials for your workshop:

NOTE! We’re talking here about a small project using rye straw.

• Rye straw — natural or dyed, available from Jean-Luc Rodot.
• Precision cutter and scalpel
• Iron (to flatten the strands)
• White glue or natural-based glue
• Brush for easy glue application
• Rigid surface: wood, cardboard, or MDF
• Protective varnish or natural wax

ARTISAN TIP! Preparing the straw is the key step. Cleaned, ironed, and sorted straw ensures an even and luminous result.

Straw marquetry: steps to create your work

Creating a straw marquetry piece is a patient but fascinating process. Here are the main steps:

1 – Preparing the straw

Rye stems are split lengthwise, then flattened with a hot iron to reveal their natural shine.

TIP! You can soak your straw beforehand to prevent it from breaking during cutting or flattening.

2 – Applying and gluing

The strands are glued directly onto the surface following a specific pattern (chevron, sunburst, fan, etc.) defined in advance. It’s best to sketch your layout first.

Each strand should slightly overlap the next to create a smooth, even texture.

3 – Cutting and finishing

Once the surface is covered, trim the edges precisely, then apply varnish or wax to protect and enhance the reflections.

Want to give it a try? It’s a meditative, sensory activity — perfect for lovers of handmade work and natural materials.

Artists, designers, and architects reinventing marquetry

Today, straw marquetry inspires top designers and interior architects.

Creators such as Lison de Caunes, Atelier Saint-Lazare, and the houses of Hermès, Dior, and LVMH use rye straw to design exceptional pieces.

They’ve made it a symbol of discreet luxury, combining contemporary minimalism with artisanal warmth.

This once confidential art form has become a modern visual language serving straw design and high-end interior architecture.

Modern applications and decorative inspiration

Straw marquetry now appears in contemporary interiors in many forms:

• Marquetry furniture: dressers, tables, sideboards, or mirrors
• Wall panels or headboards with shimmering reflections
• Decorative objects: boxes, trays, lamps
• Custom wall coverings for private homes, boutiques, or restaurants

It pairs beautifully with other noble materials such as light wood, brass, marble, and leather to create interiors that feel both natural, luxurious, and timeless.

Where to buy rye straw for marquetry?

When it comes to premium rye straw, one name stands out: Jean-Luc Rodot.

This passionate artisan-producer is currently the only person in the world who grows and processes rye straw specifically for marquetry with such exacting standards.

A craftsman’s work, from seed to bundle

At his farm, nothing is left to chance. Jean-Luc Rodot sows, harvests, sorts, and dyes every single straw himself. His secret lies in an entirely artisanal process: sowing the rye, cutting it at the perfect time, drying the stalks in the field, then bundling, cleaning, and hand-sorting them. Each step is designed to preserve the straw’s flexibility, brilliance, and purity.

Unique technical and manual expertise

To achieve this level of perfection, he even designed and built his own custom machines for harvesting and bundling — tools that simply don’t exist on the market.

Yet despite this innovation, much of the work remains purely manual: the hand-cleaning, straw by straw, to guarantee a flawless result, as well as the dyeing process.

A living, precious, and rare material

When you look at his straw, you immediately sense it’s a living material — as delicate as a gemstone. Each strand, worked, dyed, and dried multiple times, captures light like a noble metal.

This uncompromising craftsmanship makes Rodot straw a global reference in marquetry, sought after by top artisans and contemporary designers.

Good news: this exceptional straw is now available online!

You can order it directly for your marquetry, basketry, caning, or natural décor projects — in its natural or hand-dyed versions, depending on your needs and inspiration.

What’s the difference with wood marquetry?

Although wood and straw marquetry share a quest for harmony and precision, their appearance and essence are quite different.

Wood marquetry involves assembling thin pieces of wood veneer to form decorative patterns. The result is solid, textured, and more static, with a matte surface that absorbs light — emphasizing the warmth, veins, and natural grain of the wood.

Straw marquetry, by contrast, transforms a humble material into a luminous, delicate surface. Each flattened rye straw strand has a natural sheen thanks to the silica in its outer layer. This fine coating reflects light like iridescent fabric, creating shimmering tones throughout the day.

Where wood asserts presence, straw evokes emotion: its play of light brings surfaces to life, making them seem almost in motion. Depending on the angle, shades shift from pale gold to honey, copper, or bronze.

This “vegetal silk,” as artisans call it, gives each creation a poetic and almost living dimension.

Another key difference is flexibility. Thin and supple, straw easily conforms to curved or irregular shapes, allowing it to cover complex forms that wood marquetry often cannot. That’s why it’s so popular in contemporary furniture, decorative objects, and bespoke wall coverings.

Straw marquetry: an art passed down through generations

Balancing tradition and innovation, straw marquetry perfectly unites nature and design.

Sustainable, elegant, and endlessly customizable, it belongs equally in artisan workshops and modern interiors. By rediscovering rye straw, creators celebrate the beauty of craftsmanship, the rhythm of handmade work, and the poetry of simple materials.

Inspired to explore this timeless art? Discover our collection of natural and colored rye straws and let your creativity shine!