Walnut is making a big comeback in modern homes. In recent decades, light-coloured woods with no obvious grain were the order of the day… Now, this darker wood is becoming the benchmark for furniture with character.
Teak, walnut and mahogany have fallen back in favour. Is dark wood making a comeback? 'After many years of lighter-coloured, Scandinavian-inspired woods dominating home trends, darker, more traditional woods – like teak, walnut, and mahogany – have fallen back in favour,' says Etsy's trend expert, Dayna Isom Johnson.
Walnut wood has been the first choice of north american woodworkers since the 1700's. It is the only rich and dark wood that is naturally found in the americas. Walnut is very commonly found in mid century modern furniture for it's classic timeless look.
Due to its premium quality, unique beauty and durability, walnut is considered a high-end wood. In fact, walnut is considered one of the most luxurious non-exotic woods available for home furniture. Walnut is highly desired for its rich, chocolate-brown color, and lends a feeling of luxury to any space.
After all, they're both materials that are popularly used for hardwood flooring. That being said, oak is a slightly stronger hardwood product than walnut. Oak is one of the stronger and more durable natural wood options available for kitchen cabinets. It holds up well resisting significant dents or dings.
It's prized by woodworkers for its strength, grain and color. It polishes to a very smooth finish, and the color ranges from creamy white in the sapwood to a dark chocolate in the heartwood. Over the years, natural walnut wood develops a lustrous patina.
Modern Walnut Kitchens
Instantly tagged as 'outdated' or '70s' not so long ago, walnut now finds itself in much more contemporary settings. Walnut manufactured for use in modern kitchen is much more sleek than the old dark and dingy walnut cabinetry of yesteryear.
At the beginning of the 18th century, during the Queen Anne period and into the early Georgian period, walnut was the most highly prized wood for making fine furniture.
Harder woods like White Oak will be more resistant to dents, dings, and scratches while softer woods like Walnut will tend to show wear more easily.
Neutrals infused with earthy tones like green and brown work beautifully here. However, avoid overloading your interiors with too much walnut furniture, especially if it has a dark hardwood floor. Break things up with a neutral area rug or think about neutral upholstery.
Pros: Walnut is a very strong and stable wood that can take intricate carving. The color can be beautiful. Cons: Some may not like the variation from dark to light that's sometimes found on a single wide board. Walnut is also one of the more costly woods.
The Black Walnut is one of the most expensive and lucrative trees to sell, thanks to its high-quality dark wood. The tree ranges from $5- $10 per board foot, although it can cost more depending on other factors. In most cases, your 20-inch tree can fetch you $700- $800.
Shades of Light
Light wood finishes are trending all over the place and look exceptional when teamed up with darker colors like black and navy. We love the stylish golden wood finish on this table by Tiffany Duckenfield who paired it the stark black chairs giving it a sleek modern sophisticated look.
Use Contrast to Call Attention
Dark finishes, such as mahogany, walnut, or cherry, stand out in sharp relief against light colors, such as a pale green or blue or a hue from the sunny side of the color wheel.
Modern Walnut is a large-scale grey brown woodgrain with the casual features of knots and cracks.
Walnut is a moderately dense wood, which means that it'll be heavy but not so dense that you wouldn't be able to move it or add extension boards easily. Walnut's durability is one of the reasons why it's remained one of the most popular furniture options for furniture makers and homeowners.
' From the end of the 17th century, through to the middle of the 18th century, walnut was the most highly-valued timber choice for furniture in England due to its exceptional variation in colour and grain. Given the varying appearance of the timber, a clear hierarchy emerged in terms of the most desirable pieces.
What Is Vintage Furniture? Vintage furniture is anything that's at least 20 years old. If a piece of furniture is at least 20 years old, but has been restored, it's still considered vintage. Within the vintage category, newer pieces, especially those dating from the 1950s to1980, are generally considered retro.
In general, woods with a warm tone don't have a stain that changes their natural color — think natural birch, walnut, oak, maple, cherry, or even mahogany. Woods with a stain, particularly those finished in grey or black washes, tend to have cool undertones.
In conclusion, incorporating walnut cabinets into your home is a timeless choice that will add sophistication, warmth, and elegance. Whether you opt for dark, mixed materials or shaker-style, walnut cabinets are a versatile choice that will always be in style.
Dark walnut classic kitchen cabinets are nothing new, however, they have been used in kitchen designs for decades. Their versatility, durability and overall style recommend them to anyone looking for a solid and contemporary cabinet solution.
Following are the reasons why Walnut wood is expensive.
The tree takes around 50 years to mature, it is longer than most other trees. It is in high demand due to its desired characteristics such as durability, strength or aesthetic making it one of the best wood species around.
When it comes to overall strength and durability, maple triumphs. Maple is a significantly stronger hardwood product than walnut. In fact, maple is one of the strongest and most durable natural wood options available. It holds up well resisting significant dents or dings.
Walnut is hard and resilient, with good resistance to shrinking, warping and decay. Walnut wood is quite easy to work with and, as a result, it is often used for detailed carving and turning, as well as furniture, cabinetry and wood veneers.