Nothing can add both comfort and richness to a room in quite the same that wood can. It seamlessly blends timeless quality and comfort with up-to-the-second style and adds a level of depth to a room with an ease no other material can match. The beauty of wood is found in the natural pattern of its grain. It is available in countless different varieties and can be treated, polished, waxed or varnished to suite your needs. The problem with wood lies not in finding uses for it but in having the discipline to stop your home becoming a winter wonderland!

Before deciding on what type of wood to go for, first you must decide how you want it to speak to visitors to home. A dark oak or mahogany will give a room classic stateliness. If this is the style for you, choose a more ornate cut for your furniture and pay close attention to period details such including a wooden dado rail or oversize oak display cabinet. Adding finishing touches such as heavy draped curtains and floral patterned fabrics on your settee and cushions will really complete the look for relatively little expense. For a lighter feel which brings alpine freshness into your home, stick to a blonde wood and use it more simply and robustly. Think wood veneer walls finished of with a sheep skin rug and an open fire. Keep patterns to a minimum and choose a pale green or winter white for your walls.

Wood is used to amazing effect if it is a little retro styling you looking for. Try having a look online or perhaps in a local antique store for some original Ercol furniture which was an ever present in British homes during the mid twentieth century. To strengthen the look add fabrics in classic orange and perhaps add a little plastic detailing in the shape of a clock or lamp then finish it off with an animal print rug or throw.

Wood can also be used to create a real ethnic or Moroccan vibe. Look for carved statuettes and ornaments and really layer up on your cushions and fabrics. To really finish off the look, substitute a coffee table for a large wooden chest.

If you have perhaps gone a little overboard in your quest for minimal perfect and your front room is now a little cold and lacking in atmosphere, wood is the perfect foil. A free form tree section used as a central contrast will contrast perfectly with a pure white backdrop full of sharp angles and clean edges. Alternatively, you could include similarly sharp cuts of wood which echo the theme of the room as accents in the form of lamps, picture frames or ornaments, which will all help break up the empty feel.

With wood there are so many possibilities, there is literally nothing it can't do, nothing it won't match and no room it won't enhance. A true chameleon of home furnishing, wood guarantees your money will not be wasted.