Oak is the traditional timber of medieval furniture, used extensively throughout Europe, it is very strong and durable, has a distinctive and strong figure and a masculine quality compared to fruitwoods such as Cherry wood and Walnut.

It is well suited to desks, studies and libraries due to its masculine association, also well suited to the rustic and country style dining tables.

 

 

Cherry wood is the traditional French provincial fruitwood used in carved furniture, it has an elegant figure, tight grain and a rich warm reddish – yellow tone that deepens with time. It is a durable timber that caves well and polished to a high lustre.

 

European Beech is the traditional timber used for chairs, armchairs, sofa frames, toys and kitchen utensils, It is a hard timber with a closed grain, very light and pale figure and tiny little dark short bristle like hair when looked at close up. It can have some medullary rays similar to Oak (shiny grain markings going in the opposite direction to the grain). With time, in antique furniture is gains a rich mellow tone similar to Oak.

Can be stained to look like Oak, cherry or walnut though without their rich figure and grain.

Each of these timber finishes has different variations.

• Oak – stained as
  • Light Oak
  • Medium Oak
  • Dark Oak

• Cherry wood stained as
  • Light cherry
  • Medium cherry
  • Dark cherry

• European Beech stained as
  • Extra light old Beech
  • Light walnut
  • Medium walnut
  • Dark walnut
  • Mahogany

 

Our antique process has three main components:

 

Multiple stains hand-rubbed into the wood and rubbed off on proud areas to enhance the carving and give it the richness aged finishes show.

We tailor the level of contrast l- the areas that are darker in the recesses and corners – to the customer, the style and the piece of furniture.

The optional antique distress is level is carefully applied to further enhance the aged and lived in quality of the piece. This also facilitates masking any future minor damage and wear associated with furniture used over time.