The American Hardwood InformationCenter asked four top design professionals – a kitchen designer, an interior designer andtwo architects – to share their thoughts andpreferences concerning hardwood as a mate-rials choice. As you will see, when it comes to recognizing the functionality, durability and sheer beauty of hardwoods, great mindsthink alike. For these savvy pros, hardwoods rank at the top of the list. Here are theirhows and whys.

• “I learned about hardwoods as a kid –my dad had a woodshop,” explains Mick DeGiulio of De Giulio Kitchen Design inChicago and Wilmette, IL. “I came to lovehardwood’s beautiful grain structure.”

• “I became familiar with different woodsearly in my career because of the cabinet-maker I worked with,” says Charles Pavarini III, a New York-based interior designer. “Ispecify hardwoods according to what theoutcome of my design projects is going tobe.”

• “I would say we use U.S. hardwood inevery project,” says Jane Frederick, ofFrederick & Frederick Architects in Beaufort and Charleston, SC. “We were introduced to it by lumber suppliers bringing us samples.”

• “Years of doing taught me about hard-woods,” says Bernard Wharton, partner inthe Norwalk, CT, firm Shop Reno WhartonArchitecture. “It’s not about what’s trendy at the time, it’s about wood that not only looksgood but is also really durable.”

And from the twenty or so most rec-ognized hardwood species, here are somefavorites, plus insights on how each hard-wood is used:

ASH – “I use it in cabinetry,” says Pavarini.“I like its natural tone, but I sometimesbleach it to make it look very creamy. Even if ash is sanded smooth, its surface appears tohave texture.”

“I like putting ash on floors,” saysWharton. “It accepts finishes well and, withits consistent grain, is incredibly handsomein its natural state.”

CHERRY – “We choose cherry for flooring because of the color -- a dark tone with areddish tint,” says Frederick. “For cabinetry,we’ve used it with insets – a mix of cherryand maple.”

Wharton says, “I use it more in cabinetry,though it can also be used for floors. Youdon’t stain it; it has a beautiful natural hue.”

Pavarini cautions that “cherry gets lighter

Straight Talk About Hardwoodsfrom Four Savvy Design Pros

with age, and can be damaged by sunlight.I’m careful not to put it directly in front oflarge sunlit windows.”

HICKORY – “Sometimes I use hickory onfloors, instead of maple or oak,” saysPavarini. “Its graining is special, giving acompletely different look.”

MAPLE – “It creates a hardy surface asflooring and is also very good for cabinetry,” says Wharton. “It can be used in its naturalstate and, because of its smoothness andtight grain, can be painted.”

“We’ve made great-looking cabinets out of birds-eye maple in a natural finish,” saysFrederick.

“It’s really durable, and its surface is sohard it won’t absorb dampness. I’ve oftenspecified maple for the interior of kitchencabinets,” says Pavarini.

OAK – “Oak is the greatest,” saysWharton. “It has a pronounced grain andcan be stained any color you want. Andusing oak is traditional, not trendy -- likeowning a pair of gray flannels.”

WALNUT – “When we have clients whowant really dark floors, we always chooseblack walnut for its subtle grain and richtone,” Frederick confides.

For De Giulio, walnut works equally wellfor cabinets. “We often apply an opaqueebonized finish to cover the wood yet main-tain the grain.”

Concerning bamboo as a design option,Pavarini says that “it grows fast but is not asversatile as hardwood.”

Frederick’s take is that “the color you getis the color you better want. And yes, it’srenewable but you can’t get it locally, soyou’re looking at a tradeoff.”

And what about cork?“I think the jury is still out,” Wharton

insists.For Pavarini, cork “connotes a very casual

feeling. You wouldn’t put it in your foyer –you’d probably want to install walnut orsome other beautiful hardwood.”

That’s the gist of it – straight talk from the professionals. For these designers, U.S. hard-woods are unmatched in function, flexibility and sheer beauty.

For information about other hardwoodspecies and some great decorating tips, visitthe American Hardwood InformationCenter, www.HardwoodInfo.com, a serviceof the Hardwood Manufacturers Association.

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