Wood You?

I am continually hot and cold with wood tones (Que Katy Perry's song now...). One minute I like dark espresso, the next minute I prefer the wood hiding behind a  painted finish. While I have currently been practicing the mixing of the two, I happened to flip through the current issue of Ballard Designs and came across cabinet in a Flemish Oak finish and LOVED it. How is that possible? Maybe because it's not the standard yellowy gold oak that track home builders love to use and maybe that's why poor oak gets such a bad reputation. Oak is actually quite lovely when done right and when done in moderation.

In an ashy tone, the oak is a combination of Scandinavian, country, and modern. This particular cabinet could change styles very easily based on how you style it.

Reclaimed oak paired with modern chairs has that popular eclectic contemporary look that is so much better than austere contemporary.

Perfect mixture of tones and colors! The wood table stands out next to the white painted chairs, the ebony floor, and the blue painted sideboard.

Another reclaimed oak table. This time paired with West Elm-ish chairs and acrylic end chairs. A simple tablescape and chandelier complete the rustic girly look!

Love the chunkiness of this end table! A pair of these on either side of a sleek lined sofa would look fantastic.

In this case oak is a supporting character in a movie starring white and black. It helps soften the room.

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