How to achieve a timeless look with wood décor

With the current interior décor industry developing at a fast rate, there are newer ways to decorate a home without necessarily thinking of wood. However, considering all its advantages such as the timeless beauty it will provide, you should give it a go.
Hadad Kiwunde, an interior designer, says wood keeps your home natural and cool since it radiates heat coming into the home.

Hard wood floor
Hardwood floors offer warmth and enhance the look of your rooms while increasing the value of your home. Hard wood flooring also comes in a number of shades. In addition to looking great, hardwood is durable and easy to maintain.
Kiwunde says installing a hard wood floor will help you to save money especially that would have been used to buy cement or tiles and hiring labour to place them.
“It also saves time because you are able to use the floor as soon as it is fitted which is not the case with tiles or cement,” he says.
Art
Wood art adds a rustic, crafty element to your décor that you just can not get from other styles. Kiwunde says having wood pieces in your home is one way to reveal your innermost desires and dreams when you display and tell the world who you really are.
Hanging art on your wall also has the added advantage of hiding a cold, bare wall and providing a bit of interest in a room which may previously have been lacking in character.
When it comes down to it though, wall art suits any room in the home even the bathroom provided you treat the art properly to prevent steam damage.

Ceiling
Kiwunde says wood ceilings add beauty, charm and warmth to any room, when you are decorating your room with wood ceilings, there are some factors that you must consider to achieve a cohesive look and provide a warm and natural feeling in the house. “You should not ignore your wood ceiling when decorating your home and choosing a paint color that does match with your wood although in most cases those with wood ceiling they do not paint them,” Mr Kiwunde explains.

Exterior/interior walls
Using wood to decorate the walls in your home adds an earthy, natural element to any room. You can incorporate wood into your wall decor as a small inflection, an entire wall covering or something in between.
A variety of wood species, colours and grains provides options to suit almost any decorating style. But this can be more important when you have a professional decorator to give your ideas that can help your interior walls with the natural look of real wood.
You should install wood trim around open doorways, fireplace mantels and window casements to add architectural interest to your walls.
Design decorative wall panels or a headboard for your bed by creating outlines on the wall using wood trim.

Furniture
Traditionally, furniture has been made of wood. With the industrial revolution, furniture manufactured from materials such as steel, glass and plastic, began to appear. These materials may have changed the furniture industry, but wood is here to stay. Not only is wood everlasting, but it is timeless as well.
“The beauty of wood furniture is that it can be changed over time to give it a second, third or fourth life. By sanding and staining, or painting, you can refinish wood furniture and give it an entirely new look,” Kiwunde advises.

Maintanance
Harriet Mutyaba, an interior designer guides on wood maintainance.

Whether your wood furniture is oiled, painted, or polished, know the surface before you clean it. For example, some wood furniture is light and will not absorb oil.

Wood is very delicate to water and fire. As you decorate your house, avoid those two because you may end up losing everything.

Clean using soft rugs and brushes.
Always sweep wood floors with a soft broom as rough coat brooms may scratch the surface. Do not soak wood surfaces with water while cleaning your house. This is because wood soaks up the water resulting into damage and unplanned fixing costs.
Do not drag furniture across a hard wood floor. Use furniture pads to avoid scratches.

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