Trends
Wood: A stylists guide to interior design
From timber flooring and wall panelling to those staple wooden furniture pieces that seem to adorn every home. If you're eager to discover how to include wooden features in your home, read on for my know-how guide below.
30th January 2024
The history of how wood has been used in interior design
Wood has been used internally and externally, from a housing construction and design perspective, for decades on end, with the oldest-surviving wooden structure (a temple) reportedly being built in Japan way back in 600AD.
Centuries ago, wood was readily used for building structures because it was more affordable and lightweight than other materials. As the years went by, the use of wood advanced, and working with wood became a core trade skill, resulting in the creation of decorative design and wooden pieces of furniture.
These days, wood is a widely-used material renowned for bringing a natural element to the inside and outside of both residential and commercial buildings. At the same time, wood has evolved, with manufactured variations, such as plywood, MDF and blockboard being just as available as your wood staples, including oak, teak and walnut.
Wood interior design is constantly evolving, especially in relation to interior design schemes as new wood innovations continuously push the interior design boundaries.
What is the best wood for interior design?
In my opinion, finding the ‘best wood’ is based on finding the type of wood that lends itself best to the project, or vision, at hand. The options are extensive and include:
- Oak – there are more than 500 different species of oak, which is renowned for being hard, durable and long-lasting. It’s used internally and externally, e.g. for flooring, doors and windows.
- Beech – is hard and heavy and, because of this, is a popular furniture-making wood and flooring material.
- Cedar – a soft wood, cedar is weatherproof and often used to make cladding and outdoor furniture.
- Cherry – with a red hue, cherry tree wood actually gets darker the older it gets, adding to its attractiveness and overall appeal. Because of this, it’s a popular furniture material.
- Bamboo – bamboo canes, in natural and processed form, regularly feature in architecture and design visions because of their distinctive look and deceptive strength.
- Maple – there are around 200 species of maple tree, which produces a hard wood with a fine grain. Maple wood is widely used for interior projects, including furniture and flooring (sports venues) and comes in different colours – white, golden and red.
How do interior designers use wood?
There are countless ways we use wood in the interiors industry, and listing them all here would be impossible! However, I can provide you with a glimpse into the interior styles that seamlessly integrate with wood.
As someone who appreciates interior design, I believe wood is a timeless material that will never lose its charm. The variety of wood choices available ensures its enduring popularity. The possibilities of using wood, whether internally or externally, are limitless, and it seamlessly integrates with various interior design visions.
Wood trends 1: Industrial
Industrial interior design is defined by industrial settings (think factories and warehouses) where raw materials, such as brick, wood and concrete, are left exposed.
From an interior design perspective, this trend is all about untreated wood, reclaimed or distressed wood tables, chairs, shelves and flooring.
Wood trends 2: Country
Country life interior design visions are brought to life by country-style interiors, including wood, stone, exposed beams, wooden floors and panelling.
Simple, rustic and cosy is the overall objective. Wood features heavily within this trend, which centres around natural materials.
Wood trends 3: Scandi
Scandinavian design is built around using wood and appreciating its connection to nature and craftsmanship. Wood furniture is far from decorative, with a huge appreciation for simple lines, grains and finishes, if any at all. Light-coloured wood, such as beech, ash and oak is widely used.
Wood trends 4: Vintage
Vintage interior design without wood simply wouldn’t happen. Wide plank wooden flooring, distressed wooden furniture, sofas and chairs with wooden frames and rounded, carved legs are among the key design takeaways here.
Wood trends 5: Farmhouse
Farmhouse kitchens, with their full-on pine cupboards, drawers and other units, are the epitome of farmhouse interior design. Modern farmhouse design tends to be more sophisticated than classic farmhouse design, but the widespread use of wood (e.g. entire kitchens, flooring and dining sets) still remains.
I love @houseatnumbersix's panelling behind their Kristo dining set and their herringbone flooring
Check out how @laura.elizabeth_ has added wooden touches to her home with a wooden side table, flooring and wooden feet on their Ideal Home Fraser sofa
Wooden furniture items to inspire you
The more you look, the more you’ll find…the range of wooden furniture out there and different wooden types and designs are a feast for the eyes.
Take our wooden furniture range, for instance, there are so many stunning pieces to fall in love with, starting with these items:
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