Everyone wants their home to look special. At the same time, not every owner thinks that the colors of wood for furniture can change the perception of space. Also, not everyone knows exactly what shade of furniture will fit into their living room or bedroom. The art of choosing the right shades of wood is not complicated and is based on several principles.
In a classic living room Source decor.alimy.us
OAK
Places of growth: Europe, Asia, America. There are more than 200 varieties. An unusual species is red oak with wood the color of red oak.
Characteristics of oak wood:
- The kernel is yellowish-brown and darkish-brown.
- The sapwood is narrow, light yellow.
- Mature wood ranges from light brown to yellowish brown.
- The wood is hard, strong, durable, has a beautiful texture and color, and is resistant to decay.
- Over time, the oak darkens a little.
- With accelerated drying, its wood is prone to cracking.
- A traditional breed for Russia for the manufacture of furniture, doors, stairs and interior decoration.
Tasmanian oak - grows exclusively in Australia. The color of the wood ranges from light gold to red.
Overview of colors and textures of natural wood
Wooden furniture looks solid, has a pleasant smell and gives a feeling of comfort. You usually don’t want to hide the noble and unique textures and shades of wood under a layer of paint or tint it with stain. Clear coatings for such surfaces are the best option. They hardly change the appearance of the products, but protect them from moisture and other external influences. This is especially important for items standing in the bathroom or bathhouse. Garden gazebos also need a protective covering. And, since impregnations and varnishes will preserve the natural botanical color of the solid wood or board, it is very important to take this color into account at the stage of developing the interior design.
Black and white interior and wood are one of the favorite techniques of designers
What colors of wood are there?
Furnishings made from natural materials are suitable for different styles, but in some cases it is better to use light wood with a subtle texture, and in some cases rich tones of wenge or mahogany with a pattern characteristic of these species would be more appropriate.
Light
Almost white, honey or light beige shades are found in such species as beech, birch, pine, spruce, bird cherry, barberry, pear, ash and maple. The light brown color scheme with a yellow tint is inherent in the wood of alder, oak, teak, larch, and mango.
Siberian cedar is distinguished by a yellowish-pink color of the wood core, and buckthorn is orange.
In nature, an ash tree can be easily recognized by the helicopter fruits that it drops to the ground; but furniture made from ash wood can only be recognized by a specialist.
Unusual work made of aspen - a light table with curved legs
The warm shade of wood “warms” the austere interior
Dark
Dark wood can be burgundy or red. Sucupira, sapele, jatoba, and cherry have such tones. Wenge, walnut, and zebrawood have warm chocolate tones. The darkest color - almost like coal - is found in amaranth, bog oak, ebony and rosewood.
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Often black wood is obtained by staining
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A small shelf attracts attention with its non-standard shape and beautiful wood shade
It is recommended to “support” dark shades of wood for furniture with something else: this can be dark decor on the walls, as in this photo
Gray
There is also wood with a smoky gray tint. For example, white beech. Oak also has a gray undertone.
Gray furniture is more suitable for modern interior styles
BY THE WAY. There are breeds that change their color over time. Cherry becomes darker, beech takes on a reddish tone. And pine - without proper treatment - turns yellow. Take this feature into account when thinking about the color scheme of the interior.
Sandalwood is associated with perfume and fine furniture
Wood texture and pattern
Species such as sucupira, alder and beech have delicate patterns. But zebrawood and teak have pronounced stripes. You can make the wood structure more expressive by using a wire brush. But in many interiors, it is “plain” wood that looks good.
The structure of the furniture surface depends on how the wood was sawn - radially or tangentially. In the second case, rings and knots will be clearly visible.
Wood with a bright texture is suitable for various styles - loft, scandi, rustic
There are also such bright patterns on mango wood
BEECH
Where to grow: Widely distributed in Europe. The age of the trees reaches 600 years.
Characteristics of beech wood:
- The color of the wood is yellowish, reddish-white, and has a noble appearance.
- The annual layers are clearly distinguished, the heart-shaped rays are visible in all sections.
- The wood is strong and hard with a beautiful uniform texture, bends well, but is susceptible to rotting.
- Well processed. When heat treated, it evens out the color towards red tones (smoky beech).
ASH
Places of growth: Central Europe. There are about 70 species in the ash genus, distributed mainly in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere.
It is considered one of the most valuable deciduous trees in the European part of Russia after pedunculate oak.
Characteristics of ash wood:
- Strong and tough wood with a very beautiful texture, resistant to decay, durable.
- Ash is harder than oak, but at the same time it is very elastic - it bends well.
- Prone to cracking during accelerated drying.
Living room decoration
Wood in the living room interior always looks very impressive and is appropriate in almost any design. If this is a Scandinavian style, then the use of light woods emphasizes the connection with nature; wooden furniture in pastel shades is suitable for Provence. Small and simple wooden details are appropriate in minimalism and hi-tech.
Stumps and large saw cuts in the interior of the living room can play the role of a coffee table and become the main focus of attention of guests. You can make an accent wall near the TV from saw cuts and pebbles; from processed sticks and branches you can make a cornice, lamp and other accessories.
MAPLE
Places of growth: represented by more than 100 species and a huge number of varieties and forms growing in North and Central America, North Africa, the southern half of Asia, throughout Europe.
Characteristics of maple wood:
- The wood is particularly durable and non-curved.
- The color of the wood is white with yellow or reddish hues.
- Heart-shaped rays are visible on all sections, numerous.
- The annual layers are clearly visible.
- The wood is well processed, and the sanded surface has a great shine.
Application
Processing ebony is a labor-intensive process; it is difficult to saw and cut, requiring tools of high sharpness and strength, but it almost does not form cracks or chips during operation. The solid wood is practically not impregnated with liquids, but the surface of the wood is well polished, acquiring an almost mirror-like shine. After hot steaming, many types of ebony bend well. Ebony does not need additional treatment with antiseptics or staining with coloring compounds due to its unique qualities and natural beauty.
Eben has never been widely consumed. This material serves as an indicator of prosperity, delicate taste and is not accessible to everyone. It is not easy to purchase it on the market; it is much easier to run into a cheaper breed or a painted fake.
In ancient times, dishes were hollowed out of solid ebony wood. It was believed that in such pots food became medicinal, and the wood was quite capable of neutralizing any poisons. Now large sections of the massif are rarely used.
Products made from ebony wood can be called exclusive. It is used to make piece carved and bent furniture, inlay expensive finishing panels, use it to decorate artistic products and interior items, cut out parquet flooring, candlesticks, boxes, collectible figurines, canes, knife handles, pens, and jewelry. The precious material is suitable for rings, bracelets and necklaces.
The bodies of stringed musical instruments are made from planed veneer, and flutes, oboes, and clarinets are made from solid wood. Eben withstands shock loads well, which is why collectible billiard and bowling balls, cricket pins and clubs are made from it.
BIRCH
Places of growth: there are more than 100 species of birch trees growing near the Arctic Circle, in the temperate and cold zones of the Northern Hemisphere. In Russia there are about 20 species, distributed throughout the entire territory, except for the polar regions, as well as the deserts and steppes of the Caspian region. Karelian and burl birch wood is especially valued in furniture production.
Characteristics of birch wood:
- The color of the wood is white with a yellow or reddish tint.
- The wood is moderately hard, uniform in density, and easy to process.
- High resistance to splitting, easy to imitate valuable wood, easy to paint and polish.
- Subject to warping and rotting.
- The most valuable for use in the field of parquet is Karelian birch, which has a very beautiful texture and color.
Rosewood tree species
Rosewood is a special type of wood, characterized by high hardness, resistance to the negative effects of external factors and pests, wear resistance, decorative and aesthetic qualities. This material is among the rarest and most expensive in the world. Trees that produce it grow in some countries of the Middle East, Indonesia, India, and South America.
A characteristic feature of these trees is considered to be extremely slow growth - a full-fledged mature trunk takes about 200 years to form, which does not allow for the rapid breeding of these valuable species. In diameter, such species reach from 30 to 150 cm, the average height is up to 12–25 m. Broad-leaved species of Dalbergia are planted on plantations or near the terraces of houses to create shade. Freshly cut logs emit a specific, pleasant floral aroma of essential oil, which evaporates some time after processing. Widespread wastefulness and great demand for rosewood led to the almost complete disappearance of many varieties of trees. In the past, the refined taste of connoisseurs did not allow even the slightest green shades in the finished material; if a defect was suspected, such parquet was mercilessly destroyed. Considering that it takes many centuries for valuable trees to be restored, it is understandable why they have become rare and protected by law. Many breeds are prohibited from being exported from the countries in which they grow.
HORNBEAM
Place of growth: Widely distributed in Central, Southern and Western Europe, Iran and Asia Minor.
Characteristics of hornbeam wood:
- Hornbeam, a relative of birch, has twisted fibers (curls), which interferes with its processing.
- The wood is heavy and “sticky”.
- The color is brilliant, pearly white (or the color of melting snow), with thin sandy threads.
- Relatively difficult to machine.
- The sapwood has little difference as it transitions to the core.
Bathroom decoration
Wood in the bathroom interior creates the feeling of a sauna or Russian bath. Wooden walls and stone floors, or vice versa, create a unique design. To finish the bathroom, you need to select moisture-resistant species (Brazil walnut or bamboo, as in the photo below).
For a bathroom in an apartment, you can use wood-look tiles, wooden accessories and inserts.
BAMBOO
Places of growth: Southeast Asia, but currently various types of bamboo are grown all over the world, including in Russia and the Caucasus.
Characteristics of bamboo wood:
- Formally, it is not a tree, but bamboo is not inferior in properties to real trees. This is not a tree, but a cereal; its stem is a hard straw, reaching 40 m in height and 30 cm in diameter.
- The density of bamboo is about 700 kg/m3, which is comparable to the density of oak.
- An excellent material for making parquet boards. Such parquet will be very durable, bears loads well, and is resistant to climate change.
- The natural color of bamboo is straw or golden yellow.
- Almost does not shrink or warp.
- Has antiseptic properties.
- Wear-resistant.
How to combine different shades of wood in the interior
Wood color is a very broad concept. And those who renovate and furnish their home are often concerned about the issue of combining different types of wood and artificial wood-like materials. And this applies not only to furniture, but also to doors, parquet or other floors, ceilings, and baseboards.
A combination of different types of wood that share a warm tone
Combining different shades of wood in one room is not an easy task for a designer.
Designers do not have a common opinion on this issue - some combine colors and textures carefully, others boldly. But there are recommendations that will help make the situation harmonious:
- Do not use more than two or three types of wood or wood imitation at the same time.
- The baseboard can be the same color as the door, the floor or the wall.
- It is better to make small and interesting furniture in a contrasting color in relation to the walls - this way it will be more noticeable. It’s better to “dissolve” bulky cabinets in space by choosing the same shade for them as the walls.
- The shades of furniture, doors and other wooden surfaces should be either perfectly similar or noticeably different. But a slight difference in these elements of the situation will create a feeling of disharmony.
- Pay attention not only to color, but also to texture. If the wood has pronounced wavy lines, stripes, and rings, then furniture made from it will look better against a plain background. And objects that do not have a noticeable pattern can coexist with both patterned wallpaper and other, more textured types of wood.
- An original combination can be achieved by choosing wood species of different patterns and shades. But they must be made in the same style.
- Interiors are not always created from scratch - we also use things that we already had before the renovation. If suddenly the new does not combine with the old, some of this should be visually separated. For example, you can place a table on top of a rug and it will separate the piece of furniture from the wood floor.
- The color white wood is neutral. It is appropriate in many interiors, even in those where there are already objects made of brown or gray material.
The almost checkerboard black and white interior is diluted with the warm color of wood
We invite you to familiarize yourself with video recommendations from two practicing designers.
