Oak is always a timeless material when used in furnishing – its strength, resilience and attractiveness means it can be used in countless ways. It lends itself particularly well to creating a classic rustic effect – which is only enhanced further with age.  With a wide range of tones and warmth, each piece of oak furnishing has a unique sense of warmth. Oak furnishing exudes a distinctive character, whether it’s used for a single coffee table, or an entire bedroom set, and can help you create an elegant and inviting rustic feel to a home.

 To create the rustic look most simply and effectively, it’s best to use oak in its unadorned form, without paint or artificial stained colours. A traditional oak console or sideboard can be used to create an immediate inviting feeling at the entrance of your home, with discreet drawers and cabinets to create useful storage space that does not impose on the effect.

You can bring together a living room by harmonizing the main elements of furnishing to create an overall balanced effect. For example, a sleek, well-structured coffee table looks fantastic when paired with a similar rustic style tv or multimedia unit – without looking overdone or excessive. In the dining room, a minimally styled oak table can create a dramatic impact on the room. If you need extra space, an extendable table adds a useful option when you need it.

A rustic effect can be enhanced with clean, fresh tones that can complement the warmth of oak, such as pale stone shades, warm creams and cool blues and lilacs. To avoid a dated look, add contemporary touches such as favourite photographs or artwork in sleek black frames, glossy metallic lighting fixtures and abstract, organic shaped vases and ornaments. Keep the space open and clean, and allow your furnishing to speak for itself.

Oak is also a great material to use in the bedroom – an oak furnishing set will provide a long lasting and elegant environment that will last for years to come, as the wood builds up a deep patina with age, that is impossible to create artificially. To create an alternative look to the traditional rustic finish, reclaimed oak gives a more original and unique character, as the material has been retrieved and reused with a new lease of life. In bold, modern shapes, the natural oak finish looks both contemporary and classic. A pair of matching bedside cabinets have a charming rustic feel, and work well with a traditional kingsize bed, built in strong, chunky proportions.

Rustic style oak furnishing looks at home in any setting – whether you are decorating a traditional country home or a city apartment. Oak lends an inimitable character and feeling to any space, which only deepens and develops as the material grows richer with age.