STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Lilykind · Hermes

what wood finishes would look best

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

I don't think walnut will look rustic, as long as the design isn't. I'm not feeling the maple. Cherry would work as long as you didn't buy the too-glossy and looks like you could ice skate on it variety. Maybe pecan? As much as I like an expresso finish, it seems like it would be too harsh.

-gd

ILoveChoo · Hermes

I'd go with cherry or mahogany

alagirl · Kenneth Cole

ILoveChoo wrote:

I'd go with cherry or mahogany

That's exactly what came to my mind when reading this post.

AllieGurl · Marc Jacobs

Cherry would be perfect.

The red in it would warm up the marble floor, and the darkness of it would compliment the light colors.

blubirde · Chanel

I'm really into mixing wood finishes right now. Something like this:

C&B calls it a rose wood veneer or something (I call it 70s/mid-century colored - very technical, you see?)

with either
a)

espresso

or

b)

pale something-or-other wood (C&B calls it mango - what's up with them and weird wood?)

I don't suggest all those pieces together, they're just examples of colors. My house currently has a lot of lighter wood pieces, and I'm in the process warming up the place with some detailed richer pieces (some black, some really brown). It sounds hard to imagine but I get a lot of compliments on how warm and inviting my house is (which is really hard to do given my propensity to have very colorful furniture).

Note how the floors are a much lighter wood than the furniture and the lighter wood tray really pops on the red footstool/table. This is a good example (better than mine) of mixing woods.

I think you could definitely get away with espresso furniture if you mix it up with warmer wood pieces. The contrast of the light marble floors and the darker pieces could be really nice with warm colors in accents, paint, couches, etc.

Suasoria · Chanel

It's so upscale and clean already that I'd want to stay with that, myself.

Almost all the time I prefer rich, dark finishes to lighter, medium, and reddish tones like cherry, so I will stand by espresso and teak and others with that look. Plus I think the contrast will make each element stand independently and "speak for itself" - so in that sense being strong is a plus. In my opinion woods don't have to be matchy-matchy, though - I think a cool bird's eye maple art deco piece would be right at home with darker contemporary items. What I dislke is the "got it all at Macy's on the same day with zero percent financing" look.

With all that said, rugs would go a long way towards warming up the overall look of the place and allow you to bring in darker colors. Almost inevitably I say bring in a rug you like before taking any other steps.

Blubirde, where is that last picture from? Someone I know is looking for an ottoman like that.

blubirde · Chanel

Suasoria wrote:

It's so upscale and clean already that I'd want to stay with that, myself.

Almost all the time I prefer rich, dark finishes to lighter, medium, and reddish tones like cherry, so I will stand by espresso and teak and others with that look. Plus I think the contrast will make each element stand independently and "speak for itself" - so in that sense being strong is a plus. In my opinion woods don't have to be matchy-matchy, though - I think a cool bird's eye maple art deco piece would be right at home with darker contemporary items. What I dislke is the "got it all at Macy's on the same day with zero percent financing" look.

With all that said, rugs would go a long way towards warming up the overall look of the place and allow you to bring in darker colors. Almost inevitably I say bring in a rug you like before taking any other steps.

Blubirde, where is that last picture from? Someone I know is looking for an ottoman like that.

Crate and Barrel - it was one of their "room views" I believe.

sydney · Kate Spade

I like cherry or mahogany