The Comeback Of Oak

When you think of oak cabinetry what do you envision? Probably a kitchen in an older home with lighter toned cabinets and all of the “typical oak” graining showing on every door and drawer.  We have indeed torn out many of these older style oak kitchens to complete updated remodels in our client’s homes.  However, due to recent techniques we’ve developed for treating this durable wood, oak is making a comeback.  We will be featuring it in a variety of styles in our new showroom in uptown Shelby.  Oak has long been a widely used resource for cabinet building due to its hardness and strength.  It contains a high level of the chemical tannin, which makes it invulnerable to insect or fungal attack.  The grain of the wood makes it widely recognizable as well as desirable, especially when quartersawn.   As you’ll see here, the species can be used to encompass many different styles.

Victorian  

Victorian Style Oak Door – Stock Photo

Organic shapes and spiral flowing details are hallmarks of the Victorian furniture style.  While most of the cabinetry we build and the accents we use are rectangular, we can incorporate carvings, corbels, onlays, and decorative posts to achieve the Victorian look.  Glass and mirrored doors are often used in this style. We can now design and cut any shape of doors on our CNC machine, creating endless design combinations.  We used to be limited to rectangular shapes, but using the latest technology we can now create softer curves and gliding lines that fit into the Victorian designs.

Traditional 

Traditional Oak Cabinetry by Walker Woodworking

This has been the most popular style in the Walker Woodworking customer service area for many years.  Neutral stain colors are most used in this style, but neutral paints have become more popular to incorporate in recent years.  Thicker moldings, a few touches of ornamental details, and raised paneled doors and drawers are staples of this design style.  Although we don’t do very many projects like this these days, it is still a timeless classic style. 

Industrial 

Industrial Style Oak Cabinets by Wellborn Cabinetry

As the name implies, this style is characterized by its practical look and use.  These cabinets are designed with ultimate functionality in mind, not necessarily decorative appeal.  For our cerused oak industrial cabinets, we let the grain and finish speak for itself, not using elaborate moldings and ornamentation.  Often times slab doors and drawer fronts will be utilized, not unlike you see often on utilitarian lockers or workbenches.

Transitional

Cerused, Quater-Sawn Oak Cabinetry by Walker Woodworking

This is a recently evolving style that has developed through the years as a blending of traditional elements and cleaner more modern designs.  Cerused oak fits well into this style since many consumers already associate oak cabinetry as being a traditional design element.  We’ll use simple door and drawer styles mostly when building this style, but can dress it up with ornate hardware, or pair it down with sleek handles. See more of this project here.

Contemporary 

Cerused Oak, Quarter-Sawn Oak by Walker Woodworking

Everything about this design style says simple, simple, simple.  Slab doors and drawers are a hallmark of this look but not required.  When using cerused oak in this way the grain and coloring used really speak for themselves.  White is a popular color choice, as well as the other end of the spectrum, going extremely dark with the color selections.  There are no curves to be seen in this style, hard edges reign supreme, letting the colors and textures speak for themselves. When we use cerused oak in this style the graining brings an added level of detail and makes this widely seen style appear fresh again.  

Read more about Cerused Oak here.

Arts & Crafts

Arts & Craft style, Quater-Sawn Oak Cabinetry by Walker Woodworking

Simplicity is a common theme here as well, however, small intricacies can be added to make a large impact.  This style is hardly ever seen painted, and mostly lends to mid range stains, many times with a reddish undertone.  Furniture legs are often incorporated into this design style and moldings used can make it distinctly different from other styles. See more of this project here.

We love the many uses of oak – trending right now are Industrial and Contemporary styles. Cerused oak has become one of our favorite types of material to use. There are so many unique stain options to choose from. To find out more about the uses of cerused oak, and to see if it is right for your project please call us today and set up a design consultation and a time to visit our showroom.

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