At Natural Bed Company, we work with a variety of hardwood timbers, which we use to craft our bed bases. Specifically, our hardwoods are ash, beech, cherry, maple, oak and walnut, and all our bed designs are available in these woods. To introduce you to all the timbers, more information can be found just here. However, in this post, we wanted to focus on how to style our timbers. If you’re wanting to create a certain look, there are certain woods that will better help you achieve this. Read on for our take on how to style our timbers.
Pale, detailed and with varying tones, ash is one of our lightest timbers. The almost striped, contrasting nature of ash’s grain gives a rustic, natural look, and really draws attention to the fact that your bed is made in a raw material. These qualities in themselves resonate with Scandinavian design and interiors. Bringing the outside in and decorating using natural materials are some of the core values of the much-loved Scandi style. Natural, neutral bedding also partners well with this style!
Ash has a characteristically stripy grain pattern, with varying tones of light and dark. It can also have spontaneous areas of dark sections, again highlighting the variation and beauty of working with a natural material. Its overall pale tone fits in perfectly with modern Scandinavian interior design. Pair with plants, pale walls and woven cushions for an instantly relaxing atmosphere.
Look out for the Leith and Sonora beds on our website for Scandinavian inspired design. Perfect partners to the ash timber.
The most characteristically uniform of all the timbers, beech doesn’t have too much variation in its grain pattern. In this way, it can suit a minimal interior. It is sometimes popular with our low bed designs for a ‘no-fuss’ look. Beech has a warm, gently pink hue to it, and often suits more colourful schemes.
Due to this, we find that beech is often purchased for kids’ rooms. Thanks to its warm, almost colourful undertone, beech is a great base for pastel colours. Although this is reminiscent of childhood bedrooms, we have all seen a rise in colourful ‘dopamine decor’ over the last few years (interior design with fun, abundance and colour in mind) so beech may be best if you’re going for a bold, colourful aesthetic!
Take a look at our Kyoto with headboard in beech for a more pared back, simplistic look. Or, see our Arran bed base for an upholstered option with a splash of colour.
Cherry is best known for its deep, rusty red shade. It is a little-known fact that, when cherry is freshly cut, it is a pale, light warm brown colour. However, it is the fastest ageing of our timbers, and doesn’t take long to deepen to the russet tones it is known for. This characteristic deep red-brown, we believe, suits a more traditional look. Whether you’re going for mid-century modern or a more classic, rustic look, cherry is ideal for creating a vintage feel.
Mid-century design has been a real staple for interiors over the last few years. The reclined, retro nature of this style has taken the internet (and a lot of homes) by storm. Cherry timber naturally suits the warm tones and fluid shapes found in this type of design, with warm red tones and flowing grain patterns.
Take a look at our Cochin or Carnaby beds in cherry for a classic example of mid-century style.
The lightest natural timber, maple boasts a pale, milky tone. Shot through with pale grain patterns – often resembling oil slick – in shades of brown. Maple, like all our timbers, does warm slightly over time, but still remains the lightest of all our timber options. Its pale tones offer a minimal, clean look, whilst the varying grain reminds you that it’s still made from solid natural wood.
We think maple pairs wonderfully well with the contemporary, minimal aesthetic. A popular choice for our Japanese style beds and platform beds, maple suits clean lines and an uncluttered aesthetic. We love to match the light of maple with hints of darker colours, even pops of black, to create a stark contrast and draw attention to the natural wood colour. The minimal aesthetic is deceptively difficult to achieve, but in our opinion, you can’t go wrong with a stand-out piece of furniture (or a bed…), coupled with a large mirror and your favourite book on the bedside.
Take a look at our Camden in maple for some serious colour inspiration, or see the Oregon platform bed for a luxurious low bed option.
Oak is a bit of an all-rounder. A timeless classic, oak is and always has been our best seller. Known for its neutral, warm brown shades and varying grain pattern, it’s an easy win. In our experience, oak can often feature knots or wide grain patterns; these variations highlight the natural beauty of the timber and offer a rustic look.
Thanks to its classic shade, oak is a great base to build on, and often pairs well with cool, light tones. Oak is like returning to a good book or favourite pair of shoes; it’s comfortable, reliable and looks great. We love pairing oak with our upholstered beds for a classic, cosy look. Oak is brilliant for matching with colour highlights such as greens, greys or neutrals – and an upholstered bed is a great way to achieve this.
Take a look at our Highland upholstered bed in oak, or our classic Zanskar bed for examples of traditional stylings.
A truly sought-after timber, walnut is the darkest of all our woods. Freshly cut, walnut has a cool chocolate-brown shade and deepens over time to a richer, warmer brown. Walnut also often features a swirling grain pattern. Though it is the darkest timber, walnut can often have spontaneous blonde strips, which we feel further accentuates its darker tones.
In our opinion, walnut is another great option for mid-century interiors, as discussed with our cherry timber. However, walnut’s dark brown colour also pairs well with industrial design. The industrial look is not as prevalent as it was a few years ago, but we have recently seen it re-emerge, in the form of blending with that mid-century style. Loft conversions and stone walls with retro lighting and tan leather are a perfect match for walnut.
Take a look at our Hoxton or Chiswick models in walnut for a retro feel, or see the Bloomsbury with Faux Leather headboard.
We hope this article has given you some insider knowledge on how to style our timbers. Of course, the beauty in interior design is putting your own mark on a space. Although some say there are ‘rules’ in design, others may say they’re only there to be broken… At NBC, we think you should style your space however makes you happy. This guide may help you to achieve the look or aesthetic of your dreams, but if your vision is different; go for it!
You can find even more information about our timbers just here. Or, for more interior inspiration, head over to our Pinterest page!