The thing I love most about wooden furniture is for sure the earthy timeless aesthetic that surprisingly goes pretty well with other furniture styles too. But like any other forms of art, wooden furniture over the years have also gone through seasons of change.
I’m writing this article to cater to those of you interested in adding wooden accents or maybe just experiencing a creative block when thinking of redesigning your space.
Here are 6 wooden furniture ideas in 2024, like the ones you adore on Pinterest!
#1 Back to Nature
This style philosophy appreciates wooden furniture in its most raw form. Root tables, curved coffee tables with live edge detailing, dining tables with organic free-form shapes. One thing I love most about this is that each and every piece of furniture is a completely unique art form made by nature. Even if my friends or family buy the same Teak Root Table, each table is unquestionably unique from each other!
If you’re going with this idea, make sure to opt for natural wood finishes to showcase the grains and fibres with light stains or a clear coat. I don’t recommend only sanding and not coating your furniture at all because it will break down fairly quickly (it won’t come crumbling down but it’ll chip away and flake and it won’t be pretty)
#2 Mid Century Modern Relapse (with a touch of green)
3 things: clean lines, tapered legs and warm tones. The styles millennials grew up with is back this time with a twist of green. Multiple research has actually concluded that having houseplants is linked to stress reduction, lowering blood pressure and an improved state of mind.
If you’re going with this idea, consider your time and willingness to care for the plants. Live household plants also bring insects and other small creatures like mites, springtails and others. If you can’t stand these small creatures nor have the time to meticulously care for the plants (like me), you can just purchase fake plants from Amazon. Believe it or not, fake plants nowadays don’t look fake and you’re probably not going to notice them unless you pay really close attention.
#3 Sustainable wood (a story to tell)
In this era of eco-conscious generation, we care about sustainability and caring for our planet. Even though most furniture manufacturers like CH Furniture only harvest the wood they plant, there’s always an option to use recycled wood if you want to go the extra mile. These furniture use “reclaimed wood”, maybe sourced from empty soon to be demolished houses, or maybe even a small piece of local history that didn’t make it to the government’s preservation program. These woods tell a story, of where they’re from and of the precious people you are who go the extra mile for our planet.
If you’re going with this idea, here are some key things you want to pay extra attention to: Be sure to inspect the wood itself for rot, warping, or past treatments that might be harmful. Check joinery and hardware quality to ensure sturdiness. Ask about the wood’s origin, ideally from sustainable sources, and look for certifications like FSC. Deal with reputable sellers who can answer questions about the treatment and construction methods. Finally, carefully inspect for visual imperfections that could impact function or aesthetics.
#4 No Box Unturned, No Space Wasted
A friend of the minimalist. These furniture make use of every empty space as a storage solution. Ottomans with hidden storage compartments, tables that come apart as multi seatings, nesting coffee tables or even console tables that double and extend as desks. If you’re living in a smaller space, this could be a solution to maximize space efficiency without compromising on aesthetics
If you’re going with this idea, you wanna really make sure what you plan on using them for and their sturdiness for your specific use case. You don’t want to buy a coffee table that doubles as a massive storage space under and slow dances at the top after the end of a date night.
#5 A Man of Culture (Or Woman)
The one thing people hate about rattan and wicker furniture is that they aren’t very comfortable to sit on (not to mention the temporary 3D pattern tattoo they give to your skin). It’s actually very rare you find a full 100% rattan or wicker furniture nowadays as most manufacturers and designers combine them with Teak wood and leather with optional upholstered cushioning to add comfort on top of the cultural charm of rattan
If you’re going with this idea, you want to double check whether your rattan is a natural variant or a synthetic one. Each has their own perks and weaknesses so let me break it down for you. Aesthetic & comfort wise, you’d wanna go with a synthetic rattan because they are made from plastic, which has an elastic property so it catches your weight softly. Since they are also factory made, their color and fibres are also uniform, mimicking a high grade rattan like Manao.
#6 Minimalist Magic: Embracing Clean Lines
Sometimes (or most times) the simplest solution is the best. For those who appreciate the beauty in simplicity and having tons of empty space, a minimalist wooden furniture is perfect. I renovated my whole house the other day including breaking down several walls and removing the tables I used to be attached to from my living room. Turns out it was one of the best decisions I’ve made because weirdly enough having a large open space is very refreshing and peaceful to the soul, add in natural light and you’ve achieved zen!
If you’re going with this idea, I’d recommend starting with the bare minimums first. A place to sit, a TV console and a small coffee table and very slowly add in from there. Extra emphasis on “slowly” because the key to a successful minimalistic aesthetic is actually “minimum”
