Architect and designer, Frank Lloyd Wright, famed for his innovative approach and legacy, put it perfectly when he said "The best friend on Earth of man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically, we have one of the greatest resources on the Earth." Amen to that! We love wood.
Photo c/o Livingetc
Wood can add warmth and texture to a room. It can make it more inviting and give it greater depth. Plus, wood is very on-trend right now, especially eco-friendly, responsibly sourced and repurposed wood.
Here are some top tips on ways to introduce some of that great natural resource effectively to your home:
Wood furniture: One of the simplest and probably the most obvious ways to introduce wood into your home is with wooden furniture. They give a room a natural, neutral scheme that can be altered in different ways using color. Different types of woods can be mixed and matched, just stick to pieces of similar scale and size for cohesion.
Use wood at your windows: Shutters aren't as expensive now that many DIY stores offer their own versions and swapping curtains for shutters can often help a room feel more streamline and spacious. If you are looking for an intimate feel, choose a dark finish. Go for a lighter or whitewashed wood to lighten and brighten a room.
Flooring: The range of choice for wood floors is endless. Engineered wood is real wood flooring without the problems associated with solid wood, like movement, cracks and imperfections. Some feel nothing says floors like solid wood though! One of the more expensive of the solid wood flooring options is parquet (right) but you get what you pay for and parquet will give a room an extremely stylish look whether your scheme is contemporary or traditional. If you go with a dark wood, a sheen finish will reflect light around the room which will help it feel brighter (although marks show more easily).
Use tongue-and-groove on the walls: If you have a room that lacks character or has uneven or imperfect walls, it can be completely transformed with tongue and groove paneling. As the tongue and groove can be painted, stained or varnished, it's easily updated and changed as you redecorate. Fix the panels vertically to make the room feel taller.
Veneer sheets: You can buy sheets of wood veneer that can be fixed to the walls then stained or varnished. These will give the look of solid wood at a fraction of the cost. And if you think whole room paneling is too much, use a few single sheets in alcoves or as headboard panels for a stunning effect.
Wood accessories: Large wood accessories can tick off both form and function boxes. As a room divider, a bookshelf makes a statement without sacrificing on practicality. Even in smaller rooms, such as bathrooms, accessories in wood can range from the statement pieces, like a bath right down to smaller accessories such as toothbrush holders or mirror frames, which add warmth and texture. You can even use wood instead of tiles for an exclusive spa finish!
Photo c/o Ikea
A wood kitchen: By sticking to a plain design, wood in the kitchen can be timeless. Updates can be as simple as a change of handles. If you want to go for a less co-ordinated look, mix the wood with other material as in the photo above.
Get creative: A feature has been created in this room by filling the fireplace with cut logs. What a great solution for adding a splash of texture to a room (don't want to think about the dust and spiders though)!
Credit and photos (unless otherwise stated): Channel4
To live in modern house doesn’t mean that you have to live in cold place full with steel, iron and plastic. Today’s modern industries are intelligent enough so they know how to work with wood sources carefully and premeditatedly. Many of us love green and are eco-friendly, so why shouldn’t we have a little bit of nature in our houses. It is true that wood really can more warmth and texture to a room. It can turn our homes into more inviting places. Great colour palette of natural wood allows us to create many interesting, stylish and sophisticated homes.
Thank you for your types and tricks. They were inspiring and helpful.
Best regards,
Julie
Posted by: Agent Julie | March 31, 2010 at 03:19 PM