Walnut cabinetry for the kitchen is a good idea. The cabinets feature a fine, smooth and overall straight wood grains with colors ranging from light reddish-brown to deep chocolate. Light brown or light yellow sapwood areas may also be found. The wood offers a rich warm color that suits various finishes. It’s classy and so often used for carving projects as well as bespoke woodworking and high-quality kitchen cabinets.
The common walnut, and the black walnut and its allies, are important for their attractive timber, which is hard, dense, tight-grained and polishes to a very smooth finish. The color is dark chocolate or similar in the heartwood changing by a sharp boundary to creamy white in the sapwood. When kiln-dried, walnut wood tends toward a dull brown color, but when air-dried can become a rich purplish-brown. Because of its color, hardness and grain, it is a prized furniture and carving wood. Walnut burls (or “burrs” in Europe) are commonly used to create bowls and other turned pieces. The grain figure exposed when a crotch (fork) in a walnut log is cut in the plane of its one entering branch and two exiting branches is attractive and sought after. Veneer sliced from walnut burl is one of the most valuable and highly prized by cabinet makers and prestige car manufacturers. Walnut wood has been the timber of choice for gun makers for centuries, including the Gewehr 98 and Lee–Enfield rifles of the First World War. It remains one of the most popular choices for rifle and shotgun stocks, and is generally considered to be the premium – as well as the most traditional – wood for gun stocks, due to its resilience to compression along the grain. Walnut is also used in lutherie and for the body of pipe organs. The wood of the butternut and related Asian species is of much lower value, softer, coarser, less strong and heavy, and paler in colour.
Freshly sawed walnut heartwood may be greenish in color, but with exposure to air this color quickly changes to brown.
In North America, forestry research has been undertaken mostly on J. nigra, aiming to improve the quality of planting stock and markets. In some areas of the US, black walnut is the most valuable commercial timber species. The Walnut Council is the key body linking growers with scientists. In Europe, various EU-led scientific programmes have studied walnut growing for timber.
The Cherokee Indians would produce a black dye from walnut bark, which they used to dye cloth. As early as the 2nd century CE, shells and kernels of the edible walnut were used to make a dye solution in the Levant.
– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juglans
Reasons to choose walnut wood for your kitchen cabinets
There are many reasons to choose walnut for crafting your kitchen cabinetry as well as other furniture.
But walnut can be used for more than simple traditional spaces. It’s a complex yet dynamic wood species that people love for many reasons. Some of the reasons are as follows:
• Walnut offers endless possibilities – The wood brings a more vintage look if used in a traditionally designed kitchen. Nevertheless, you can provide it a different look by mixing the walnut with newer materials like high-gloss white worktops. You can also choose metals such as stainless steel to give the kitchen an enhanced modern appearance. But not just the kitchen cabinets, the wood looks great in other places as well. Use walnut as a standalone piece like a trim. Since this is a rich and dynamic wood, you should consider how much natural light is received by the space. Walnut has a wide range of colors. More natural light makes the area look warmer brighter. On the other hand, less light can give it a rich dramatic look. This also goes the same with white shaker cabinets.
• It is known for unique patterns–Different types of walnut woods are available in the market. Each type has its value and look. American walnut, for instance, usually has a straight-grained timber. There are stained walnut, black walnut, and natural finish walnut as well. You can also use them for walnut cabinets. Depending on the type of wood, you can expect different grain, texture, and color combinations from the walnut tree. Accordingly, the cooking area will look as unique and exclusive as you dreamed. No two walnut-fitted kitchens will look the same. If you’re looking for a more luxurious look, choose burled walnut accents. This is, however, a rare wood.
• The wood makes a solid statement – With its deep hue and strong pigments, walnut kitchen cabinets dominate the space. It tends to be the focal point of the room with other subdued materials to follow suit. If you don’t want to change the kitchen theme frequently, walnut would be the right choice for you. As a matter of fact, it would serve as the statement piece in the kitchen. That doesn’t require you to cover the whole kitchen with the wood, in case your budget doesn’t permit. Just use it as an accent on the upper cabinetry or the island. It will have an impressive impact.
• The wood features both function and form – Walnut is a durable wood by nature. It lasts for decades. Being lightweight, it is easy to work with walnut. If you don’t want to stain the wood, you can leave it in as it is condition. It will still provide a posh warm surface.
As it comes to renovating your kitchen, the first thing that comes to mind is the kitchen cabinetry. And, walnut wood can be the right choice for you if you don’t want to change the look of the kitchen seasonally.
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