Faceted, Textured or Natural: Wood Carving Styles Explained

Faceted, or low-poly, carving shapes an animal from flat planes with visible edges, textured carving adds detail such as fur, and natural finishes leave the wood unpainted so the grain shows. Each style gives a different look, and the right one depends on the room and the person receiving it. Our range includes all three, in hand-carved, hand-painted decorative pieces.

What is faceted or low-poly wood carving?

Faceted carving builds an animal out of flat surfaces, called facets, that meet at visible edges and corners. The word low-poly comes from computer graphics, where a shape made from a small number of flat polygons gives a graphic, geometric look. In wood, the same idea creates an animal that is clearly a cat or a dog but is built from planes rather than smooth curves.

The effect is bold and modern. Light falls differently on each plane, so a faceted piece changes with the light in a room, and the edges give the figure a crisp outline from a distance. It suits contemporary homes, desks and bookshelves, and people who like a design-led look.

Faceted pieces are usually simple in detail, and paint is used to give them character, such as the stripes of a tabby or the markings of a tuxedo cat. That is why many of our faceted cats are described by their colouring first.

Which of our pieces are faceted or low-poly?

Our faceted cats include the Faceted Grey Tabby Cat, the Faceted Ginger Tabby Cat and the Faceted Tuxedo Cat. The Tiny Golden Retriever is a small faceted dog and the Faceted Panda is a chubby faceted panda just under 7.5 cm tall.

Several other pieces are described as low-poly. The Border Collie on Paw Base is carved in our low-poly style, the Cat in a Midnight-Blue Onesie is a sleepy low-poly cat, the Orange Cat Hanging Pendant is a long, low-poly orange tabby, and the Snowy Owl on Engraved Base is a white low-poly owl.

If you like the look, these are the pieces to start with.

• Faceted: Grey Tabby, Ginger Tabby, Tuxedo Cat, Tiny Golden Retriever, Panda
• Low-poly: Border Collie, Cat in a Onesie, Orange Cat Pendant, Snowy Owl

What is textured carving?

Textured carving adds surface detail, so that fur, feathers or scales can be seen and felt. It is a softer, more traditional look than faceting, and it suits animals whose coat is part of their character. A thick-coated dog looks natural with a carved fur texture, and many people find it warmer and more familiar.

The Textured Golden Retriever is a seated golden retriever with a carved fur texture, on a round pine base, and the Textured Pug is a big-eyed pug with the same carved fur texture, also on a round pine base. The Textured Golden Retriever is often chosen as a pet memorial, and both pieces are tagged for memorial use.

A textured piece rewards a close look. Hold one in your hand and the surface has a feel that a smooth figure does not, which is why people tend to pick them up.

What does natural, unpainted wood look like?

A natural finish leaves the wood unpainted, so the grain, tone and small variations are the decoration. The Natural Wood Fox is a curled-up fox in natural, unpainted wood and is described as simple, warm and suited to Scandi and rustic interiors. The White Horse, Head Up sits between painted and natural: it is finished in a semi-transparent white so the wood grain shows through.

Natural pieces suit rooms with wood, linen and stone, and people who prefer quiet colours. They also work well beside painted pieces, because the plain wood gives the eye somewhere to rest.

Because there is no paint to hide the material, each natural piece looks slightly different, and that is part of the appeal. See our care guide for how to look after natural wood.

Which style makes the best gift?

For a gift, the animal matters more than the style. Someone who loves cats will be happy with a faceted cat or a vintage-style one, as long as it looks like a cat they would recognise. The style is the second decision, and it usually comes from what you know about the recipient's home.

If you do not know their taste, a hand-painted piece in a classic pose is the safest choice. The Vintage Tabby Cat has a hand-painted vintage finish and is a classic small-format cat. If you know that they like modern design, choose a faceted piece, and if they like plain, natural things, choose the fox.

Personalised gifts are a separate question. Several pieces in each style can have a name or a date engraved on the base, including the low-poly Border Collie and Snowy Owl and the Natural Wood Fox. Our personalised gifts page lists them, and it is worth checking before you decide on a style, because not every piece can be engraved.

Finally, remember size. Faceted and textured pieces in our range are small, and the measurements on each product page will tell you whether a piece suits a desk, a shelf or a windowsill.

How do you choose the right style?

Start with the room and the person. For a modern flat or a minimalist desk, a faceted piece is a natural fit. For a traditional or cottage-style home, a textured or hand-painted piece tends to feel more at home. For a Scandi or rustic setting, natural wood is the easy choice.

Then think about the animal. A dog with a thick coat suits texture. A cat with bold markings suits a faceted shape painted with stripes. A fox or a horse suits natural wood, because the grain gives them character.

You do not have to choose only one. A small group that mixes a faceted cat, a textured dog and a natural fox gives a display that looks collected rather than matched. Browse the whole collection to compare the styles side by side.

Frequently asked questions