The Most Beautiful Ways to Use Natural Wood in your Home
- Posted on February 08, 2017
Natural wood is one material that will never go out of style—depending on how you use it. It offers rich color and interesting textures, and it’s extremely versatile. Touches of natural wood can give your home a feel of rustic simplicity or outright luxury. It can even do both, if you get it right.
There are dozens of ways to incorporate natural wood into your home interior, so we’ve put together choices that go beyond the obvious (and popular) hardwood floors and kitchen cabinets.
Here are some of the best ways to bring all the benefits and beauty of natural wood into your home.
Front door
If natural wood says home to you, there’s no better place to start than your front door, where it can welcome you home every day. It will give friends and guests that same sense of home, too. Plus, with the range of wood types in different shades and grades, it can fit in beautifully with any color scheme or style.
Shutters
Whether or not you choose natural wood for your front door, it’s a classic choice for outdoor shutters. And once again, they’re versatile—you can find a style and material that works for any style of home, from ranch to Tudor to ultra-modern.
Exposed Beams
When it comes to interior, you don’t want to leave all the wood on the floors. Draw eyes up with exposed beams on the ceiling. They can be added if they aren’t already there, and a contractor can easily wrap the wood of your choice around existing beams. Keep in mind that this works best with high ceilings, though, as it will make low ceilings seem even lower.
Trim
If you want something different from traditional white crown molding, consider natural wood trim instead. It can make windows and doorways seem larger, and it goes perfectly with white walls for just the right contrast.
Open Shelving
You’ve probably thought of natural wood for kitchen cabinets, but skipping the top cabinets entirely will open your space and help you both simplify and beautify your kitchen.
Countertops
Natural wood is also a stylish and practical alternative for countertops. Choosing a wood countertop for an island or kitchen cart brings in contrast. It looks especially good with standard countertops in white, gray, or black.
Antiques
When it comes to antiques, choose pieces that aren’t too heavy or overwhelming. Think an accent table, an antique desk, or a traveling chest that can serve as a coffee table or entry bench.
Artisanal Pieces
Whether you’re a global traveler, an explorer at heart, or love collecting unusual art, global décor is another great way to bring in natural wood tones. Art pieces like carvings and statuettes or wall décor like clocks are perfect as centerpieces or finishing touches.
Everyday Items
Some of the best ways to incorporate natural wood are also the simplest. A bread box, a drink tray, wooden bowls, coasters, cutting boards, and storage crates all give the right feel without any fuss.