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More wood

 I recently was alerted to some research that is being done on our perception of temperature when there is wood present in a room - as the amount of wood in a room increases, so our feeling of warmth increases. This and other studies have been carried out in cool climates, so it would be interesting to see whether this makes a hot room feel even hotter in a warm climate. Instinctively, I would say not - my apartment is full of wood - floors, furniture and artefacts - and my experience is that the rooms feel warm in winter, yet cool in summer.

An elegant kist made in the 1980s - the bookcase in the background is simple pine with a dark stain to complement the woodgrain of the kist

Moreover, wood gives a feeling of luxury and is very visually satisfying, even if the pieces are not top of the range - a very modest piece of furniture or artefact can make a room seem more complete. This may be attributed to the properties of natural wood: anything made from this material automatically expresses its functional characteristics. You cannot make an object from wood that does not have structural integrity - it would simply break, usually while you are making it!

I have sourced wooden furniture from a range of places. There is a whole street in Johannesburg (in Sophiatown) with second-hand furniture shops that have some wonderful pieces that are often quite affordable. I also know of people getting fantastic bargains at auctions, such as with deceased estates, although I have never been to one. Within my comfort zone, and very affordable, is pine furniture. In its natural form, it is not very inspiring, but when stained or varnished, it can look quite special. I had a number of bespoke pieces made from hardwood in a dark stain, which I complemented with some pine bookcases and a chest of drawers in the same dark tone. To finish off the look, I used some dark wood picture frames - the consistent colour helps to harmonise the room.

I am also fortunate to have inherited a couple of lovely tables: a mid-century coffee table and a slightly more recent dining table that can extend from a four-seater to seat six. As with the bookcases, I paired the table with very affordable wooden dining chairs from a home store, also in a very dark finish. The dark wood theme creates visual continuity from room to room, which is important in a small home. 

A mid-century coffee table complements the parquet flooring

Even more affordable than pine furniture is wooden artefacts, from as simple as a wooden spoon for the kitchen that you can have on display when not in use. I have been gifted a number of wooden objects over the years, all too special to press into everyday use. I have assembled them into a composition that has changed over time as more items join the collection. This is next to my front door, so I am constantly reminded of the people who gave them to me and the stories behind them. They create a warm welcome to my guests and the last thing they see on leaving.

A collection of wooden artefacts from around the world
My kitchen is very austere and minimalist, with white fittings and white engineered stone countertops. To soften this austerity, I have chosen out timber artefacts - a dish drying rack, a storage container for cookies and two beautiful salad bowls gifted to me by one of my uncles. These are all in use every day, and not just for visual enhancement of the room. I was watching a YouTube by Nick Lewis on creating a feeling of luxury in your home. He promotes the idea that things you use every day are those with the greatest impact on your feeling of well-being, so a small investment in an object for regular use that looks more luxurious can have a bigger impact than those items merely for show.

A bamboo dish rack

I think one of the most important attributes of wood is that the grain is visible: this adds texture and interest even to a very humble piece. It is so easy to surround ourselves with items in plastic and metal, which makes for a visually harsh atmosphere, so keep your eyes open for opportunities to bring the natural into your environment - not only to make the room look more luxurious, but to make the space actually feel warmer.

A simple pine cookie container




 


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