For our wooden beds Natural Bed Company only use timber from sustainable sources, and never use endangered tropical hardwoods. All our timbers are from a legally certified source and purchased under the EUTR (European Union Timber Regulation).
Our pine is from Scandinavia, and our hardwoods – ash, oak, maple, cherry, walnut and beech are from the USA or northern Europe. Being a natural substance means there is variation in colour and grain and the images below can only be indicative. Furthermore your new bed may become a richer colour over time as the wood ages.
Buying timber from managed forests ensures that new trees are planted and the cycle of planting, growth and harvest can continue. We think it is important that the amazing natural resource of timber should be used to make furniture that will last. Timber for the mass produced furniture from China and the Far East may be logged without regard for the sustainability of the environment or the future of the planet.
Most of our customers order their bed in a hardwood, but we also offer most of our beds in pine – we’re aware that people have different budgets and we want to make our designs as accessible as possible.
Take a look at the timber swatches below for an indication of the grain and tone of the timbers available. Please note – timber is a natural product and will vary in colour and grain; we therefore cannot guarantee that every section of timber will exactly match the swatches shown here nor the samples sent. The variations in the timber gives the wood it’s ‘life’ and ensures that every bed we make is unique. As standard, we use a low-VOC, natural-look lacquer on all our beds. We do also have the option of a zero-VOC oil finish should you prefer, which does tint our timbers slightly.
Jump to: Ash | Beech | Cherry | Maple | Oak | Walnut | Pine | Lacquers & Stains | Zero-VOC Oil | Limited Edition Timbers
Ash is a light colour with a cream cast and usually shows a strong figure in the grain. Some darker areas of grain can occur as shown below. See also the Sonora and Ki bed pages. Take a look at the Inspiration page Our Ash Beds for more information.
Beech is a light coloured timber with a slightly pinkish cast and a tight, speckled grain. See the Java wooden bed and Arran Upholstered bed page for beds pictured in this timber.More information and images can also be found in the All About Our Beech Beds blog post.
Cherry has a smooth grain and an initially pale reddish/brown colour which deepens quite quickly (the sample here is the lighter colour). Small areas of lighter colour sometimes occur. See the Sonora, Cochin bed bases and the Solid Cherry Timber – Bed and Bedside Tables blog!
Maple is a very pale wood with a smooth grain and a contemporary appearance. See the Oregon bed and take a look at the Orchid, also shown in solid maple.Find more information on the About Our Solid Maple Beds blog.
Oak has a generally consistent colour with a tight, pronounced grain. See also the, Nevada, Malabar and Kyoto wooden beds pages. Take a look at our Inspiration page Oak Bedroom Furniture for more information.
Walnut has a dramatic grain, rich and chocolate coloured with lighter stripes at times. See also the Hathersage Hoxton and Raj beds. Take a look at our Inspiration page Walnut Beds and Bedroom Furniture for more information.
Pine can be clear lacquered, sanded (no lacquer) or stained in two different finishes (see below). Take a look at the Kobe bed. Find more information on and images of Pine beds in this dedicated blog post.
Our ‘natural’ lacquer finish, named for its clarity, allows you to appreciate the myriad colours and subtle variations in tone of natural timber. It retains a subtle, soft sheen which protects the timber from grease marks and some stains.
We also offer the following finishes on selected timbers to expand our colour range:
White Wash – a very attractive treatment to reduce the darkening and yellowing that normally occurs over time on pine.
A dark espresso-toned stain on pine – a popular choice for the Kyoto and Kumo wooden beds. See example: the Kumo bed below.
An true black stain available on our American White Oak. This stain allows the texture and grain patterns of the natural timber to show through, but gives a solid, completely opaque black finish.
Photographed on our Camden and Carlisle beds below.
A deep, cool brown finish with undertones of black and grey. The Cool Smoked finish gives a more uniform colour, but enhances Ash’s varied grain patterns at the same time. Also available in a warm option (see below).
Photographed below on our Carnaby bed base.
A warm brown finish with a deep caramel cast. This Warm Smoked finish enhances Ash’s natural, varied grain patterns, whilst smoothing everything to a uniform, rich brown finish. Also available in a cool option (see above).
Photographed below on our Camden bed base.
A rich brown finish available on walnut, to enhance and accentuate the natural tones found in this timber. Smoked Walnut has more depth, and appears darker and warmer than natural walnut.
Currently only available on our Highbury and Malabar beds as standard. Contact us for a quote if you’re interested in a different design.
It is possible to order our beds with an oiled finish. This isn’t a standard finish, but is available at extra charge for those who are looking for a zero VOC option. Please see samples of our timbers with an oiled finish below. As you can see it does change the colour of some timbers – particularly walnut and cherry. It also provides a slightly more rustic finish than our standard natural-look lacquer. This can give a slightly more textured, less polished look to your chosen timber.NB: this finish may require a longer lead-time – please contact us for details and a price quotation.
Top row: ash | walnut | mapleBottom row: beech | cherry | oak
In recent years, we have partnered with local timber suppliers Albion Timber, to bring a new selection of sustainably-sourced woods to our range. In 2025, we introduced English Oak and we’ll shortly be bringing Scottish Elm into the fold.
These timbers are sourced in small batches and as such, the ordering process is slightly different for beds made in these timbers. Rather than ordering in large batches, Albion Timbers is a smaller operation, meaning they can source more unique timbers like these. Orders for beds in these timbers are based on the stock we have available, and we release a selection of beds at a time.
At the moment, we have Camden and Chiswick beds available in English Oak, and Kyoto and Camden beds will be available soon in Scottish Elm. If you were interested in these timbers for a different model, we could discuss this with you, but please note that this would require a custom quote, and the lead time may be longer than standard.
A warm, yet slightly ashy shade of oak compared to our American White Oak, English Oak is characterised by more varied, sometimes swirling grain patterns. These can also include small collections of knots called ‘cats paw’ marks.
A beautifully wild timber, Scottish Elm is unapologetically varied. Sometimes, you can find green or pink streaks shot through the timber, small collections of knots, and even intricate, densely patterned areas of grain and burrs.