Hardwood Furniture: Custom-Made Dining Tables and Coffee Tables

Nothing gives a home more character than customized hardwood furniture. Having furniture pieces designed based on your own preferences allows you to express your personal taste and style, but they may cost you a lot of money. You may want to invest in only a few key hardwood furniture pieces such as custom made dining tables or coffee tables if you’re on a tight budget.

Why Choose Hardwood?

There are two general types of wood: hardwood and softwood. Many people believe hardwood is harder, heavier, and denser than softwood, but this isn’t true. Balsa, a lightweight wood, is a hardwood. The main difference is hardwood comes from angiosperm trees (trees that produce seeds with protective covering), and softwood comes from gymnosperms (trees that produce “naked” seeds). Both hardwood and softwood are great for creating furniture. Hardwood resists moisture, a trait that makes it more durable than moisture-absorbent softwood. Hardwood also has beautiful colours and grains, which look fantastic for flooring and furniture.

What are the Types of Hardwood in Australia?

There are many types of hardwood commonly used for furniture. If you’re looking for the best Australian hardwood furniture, though, the following types are your top choices.

* Jarrah – Jarrah’s rich reddish-brown colour and rarity outside Australia makes it one of the most sought-after hardwoods.
* Marri – Marri, or Port Gregory Gum, is highly prized for its beautiful grain and rich golden-brown colour.
* Karri – Karri is the tallest Australian hardwood tree. Its colour is pinkish with a lighter centre, which makes it look stunning after polishing.
* WA Sheoak – WA Sheoak is rare, but comes in an amazing range of colours, from reddish to yellowish brown.

All of these hardwoods grow only in Western Australia. This makes them valuable and sought-after furniture and flooring materials in other countries.

Which Pieces of Furniture Should You Get Custom-Made?

Having a single piece of custom-made hardwood furniture in a room can make a bold statement about your artistic taste. When having a piece of furniture customized, make sure it’s one of the room’s key pieces. Here are a few suggestions.

* Burl or Slab Dining Tables – It seems a waste to cut wood into smaller planks to construct a table, as it breaks up its grain. Slab tables use a large, solid piece of wood that shows off its vertical grain. Burl tables, with their natural-looking edges, show the grain from a top-down angle.
* Contemporary Coffee Tables – The hardwood furniture in your living room doesn’t have to look rustic. If you want a more modern look, there are many hardwood coffee tables done in modern or geometric designs.
* Cabinets or Chests – Hardwood storage units look great in bedrooms, and are often sturdy enough to last through many years of use.

Although custom-made furniture makes your home unique and memorable, store-bought hardwood furniture pieces are still great additions to any home. You can always find ready-made hardwood pieces in furniture shops if you don’t want to trouble yourself with having your own furniture designed.