One question we receive from time to time is, “What is the best way to incorporate walnut and cherry into a room?” Thankfully, there is no wrong answer. Many of our chairs and stools glean their beauty from employing cherry or walnut as the seat and crest with ash spindles. A balance of light and dark, strength, and utility, where ornamentation is achieved through function. A half-lapped dovetail case front holds ash drawers with walnut fronts, and a wedged tenon in cherry complements the ash mortise that holds the chair together. Our designs are clean and beautiful, and mixing pieces made from different wood species is a great way to achieve an intentional, modern look.
The Coal Shovel Stool in cherry paired with cabinetry in white oak.
Creating an Intentional Look
When placing multiple pieces of wooden furniture in a room, look for commonalities in the undertones, grain patterns, and wood tones. There are as many varying degrees of undertones in wood as there are species, and chances are, you have a few existing pieces in your space already. For example, if you have dark-stained bookshelves, consider adding a rich walnut coffee or side table to your room to tie everything together. In turn, if you have several dark pieces of furniture, consider adding the lighter, brighter look of maple, ash, or cherry into your space, allowing balance and breath in the room, and keeping it from looking too heavy or lopsided.
Does wood furniture have to match?
We encourage people to mix wood species in the same room because it gives a balanced flavor to the space. The lighter hues of new cherry or even ash will complement the richer tones of walnut.
Many pieces that we make at Thos. Moser are a great display of this ebb and flow of light and dark. Our chairs use lightly colored ash for the spindles and cherry or walnut for the seat and crest.
One thing to note is that as cherry, ash, and walnut age, they develop into similar hues, giving your furniture a consistent and balanced tone.
The Continuous Arm Bench in walnut.
Mix and Match
The great news is that you don’t have to start from scratch; chances are you’ve already been mixing different wood species together. Very few people purchase all their furniture at once, and gone are the days when a family would purchase or be gifted an entire set of furniture. Today’s modern home is a delightful mix of old and new, from curated pieces and handed-down heirlooms; these styles and thoughtful accents should tell a story and showcase our individual style.
Layering new pieces of furniture in a room doesn’t need to be daunting. Look to the furniture or existing wood elements in the room for guidance. What drew you to that piece, wood species, or style? Both cherry and walnut have beautiful underlying tones and highlights that can be drawn upon. Freshly sawn cherry will have delicate rosy hues that will deepen over time to a rich auburn, and walnut, with its rich, deep brown and purple tones, will develop brilliant amber highlights over time. A live-edge maple side table pairs beautifully with an ash coffee table or a walnut or cherry lounge chair with light-colored upholstery. Let the wood of your existing pieces be a guide, and don’t be afraid to play with contrast. A deep walnut lounge or side chair brings visual intrigue and depth to a room with light wood floors.
Bowback Stools in walnut.
Cohabitate
When we walk through the woods, we don’t find a stand of just cherry or walnut trees growing, at least not naturally. We find these beautiful hardwoods intermingled with various other trees, cohabitating and drawing upon the same nutrients and sunlight as the next. One complements the other, and furniture crafted from these hardwoods will pair beautifully with other wooden items in your home. Our furniture is constructed of natural materials that are, by design, neutral in color. If you are starting with your wood floor as a guide and adding new pieces of furniture, consider using a rug as a buffer. Or if your dining chairs have upholstery, allow the fabric to be the bridge that ties the room together. Our designs are clean and minimal at their core, making them an authentic addition to any space, whether bold and curated or modern and minimal.
When you enter your home, it should be a harmonious blend of the things you love. A collection of furniture and mementos that bring you joy and display your personality and style. Wood furniture with a natural finish, like oil and wax, allows the beauty of the wood to softly play with the other elements in your home- an overstuffed couch, a metal-based coffee table, or a custom piece of brilliantly colored artwork. Our furniture and designs are timeless and, unlike styles or fashions, remain relevant across cultures and centuries.
Crescent Dresser in figured maple.
At Thos. Moser, we work with the finest, sustainability-harvested American Hardwood we can find. Our love of Allegheny cherry and black walnut from Missouri is evident in the furniture we build. North American hardwoods, no matter what species, have a full spectrum of inherent pigments that, when masterfully crafted into furniture, will continue to develop a rich patina and pair with other pieces in your collection for generations to come.
