Into the Woods
From the eighties to the end of the nineties, light colored woods were all the rage. Kitchens were being refaced with light maple, bright birch, and white oak. People raved at the cheeriness of their new bright kitchens; a dramatic change from the extremely dark woods of the nineteen seventies. The seventies brought us Meditteranean-inspired colors like Avocado, Harvest Gold, and Burnt Orange, but it coupled these dark, muted colors with even darker wood tones like Black Walnut.
Except for some retro designs, we will never return to the palette of the seventies, but we are returning to the darker wood stains. Furniture manufacturers have seen a rise in the use of dark wood accents on upholstered pieces and dark stains on tables and dressers. Black Walnut has indeed made a come back, but it looks like consumers have become a bit less focused as some light wood tones have stayed popular, especially in flooring. As people become more environmentally and socially conscious, many of the hardwoods used in the seventies are now taboo. Real walnut, oak, maple, and teak are being replaced with rapidly renewable woods like bamboo and jajoba.
Is it alright to mix different wood tones? Absolutely! Our home was built in the late Victorian age with intricate inlaid wood floors, decorative spandrels and elaborately carved furniture, all with differing wood stains and types. The dark seventies are gone where dark furniture was matched with dark floors and dark colors. The light eighties are gone where light maple ruled the floors and furnishings, surrounded by teals and pinks. Feel comfortable placing a dark stained piece of furniture on a light wood floor, or place a dark dresser next to a light chair, this is the new millennium baby!
