linkmx674 Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 i am wanting to know how to decide if i want to use all of one species of wood for my end table or combine different species? ex- walnut and white oak? one or the other for legs and or aprons and top? how do you know what wood will look good together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flairwoodworks Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flairwoodworks Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 I didn't mean to be short, but that's literally all there is to it. There are no rules. You must learn to trust yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Or, find examples of pieces of furniture you like, and find out what kinds of wood they used. Even if you are using your own design, it makes sense to look around and say, "I want it to look like that". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linkmx674 Posted January 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 hey thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhl.verona Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 I think a small table is an excellent choice for this type of thing. You can always make up another top in a different species. Some people prefer quite startling differences, Maple and Walnut for example, others prefer similar colours but different figures, Ash and Beech perhaps. John (who is making a small table, and may make more than one top ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fransikaner Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 There is a great article in Fine Woodworking that speaks to wood pairings. Some noted include: cherry-maple red oak-white ash butternut-walnut beech-quilted yellow birch mahagony-cherry cherry-ebony mahogany-curly maple wenge-walnut zebrawood-butternut cherry-sycamore pear-beech birdseye maple-tiger maple I have also done some reading/looking to see what cabinet/furniture craftsmen are doing and have been compiling a list for my own use. David Marks in particular mixes different exotics to beautiful ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CessnaPilotBarry Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Ditto to Flair! Try, see what you like! One thought... Most parings usually look much better if one wood is dominant, and the other an accent. In other words, 1/2 and 1/2 can look weird. The accent wood can create a focal point, or de-emphathize a section, depending on the grain and figure (or lack of...), color, contrast, etc... Mixing wood is a huge design palette. Have fun as you explore! As you step onto the slippery slope, you may even start looking at color and texture paint, stone, metals, fabrics, glass... and how it might work with your favorite woods... Then, there's veneer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 we had a talk on here at one point about how someone noticed that he often sells to women more often to then men and they usualy want furniture that has similar wood on it. also it was noted that alot of wood workers have found that younger people like contrasting woods but older people liked a wood that are similar. i dont know if its a generation thing or if as people get older they want a more solid look to there furniture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linkmx674 Posted January 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 all helpful thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Pants Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 There is a great article in Fine Woodworking that speaks to wood pairings. Some noted include: Depends on your viewpoint if it's the article I'm thinking of, that's why I joke about calling my planned (someday) purpleheart/maple workbench the Garrett Hack bench . I like contrasting colours myself, it's when they overwhelm that it's a personal turnoff. Mixing grain is more jarring to me than contrasting colours personally as they just don't seem to go together. I'm not sure how walnut/white oak would work for me personally as a result. But like others have suggested there's only one way to find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fransikaner Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Kevin - good memory, I had to back check and it was Hack's article. When the conversation moves from technique to taste, all bets are off. Grain, color, veneer, solid, bleached, whatever works, works. Good luck with the PH/M combo. In time I'm sure it will be gorgeous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Pants Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 When the conversation moves from technique to taste, all bets are off. Grain, color, veneer, solid, bleached, whatever works, works. Good luck with the PH/M combo. In time I'm sure it will be gorgeous. Couldn't have said it better. Everyone's taste is different and all opinions are just that. Hopefully I'll get around to the bench this year, but my list of stuff to build is soooo long and I don't get near enough shop time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fransikaner Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Word Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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