Refresh the look of wood!

Sheetal Bhandari Sheetal Bhandari
3 Bay modular library, 3rdspace 3rdspace Study/office
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Of all the trends in interior designing world, wood never seems to go out of fashion and deservedly so. Wood is organic, easy to work with and most importantly adds a certain character to the ambiance, be it indoors or outdoors. Wood equals timelessness and elegance. Even in its worn out self, wood tends to have a certain beauty about it. No wonder antique furniture is a huge market in itself! If you have been using wood in different forms for your home or some furniture has been passed on to you, it is possible that the wood has been worn out over a period of time. Restore the wood with some simple tips which will increase its life as well as refresh it completely.

Stairs

Wooden staircases often bear the brunt of maximum wear and tear. Apart a regular cleanup, install some lighting around the stairs in order to make them look more prominent. One can also repaint and re polish the wood to a different colour. So a really light shade turning into a dark mahogany can instantly change the wood's appearance and overall look of your home.

Floor

Wood flooring is a classic. Not many home owners choose real wood flooring and instead use laminates which provide an illusion of wood floor as they are easier to maintain and way more cost effective. But  laminate cannot recreate the magic of real wood. Refresh your wood floor by giving it a thorough clean up using a soft cloth first. Remove dust from the surface and then apply a wood polish for that shine. The result would be a brand new shiny floor for your room.

Beam

Wooden beams are so old wordly. You wouldn't find wooden beams very commonly in modern homes and apartments. If you have used wooden beams in your house, make sure you show them off in every way possible. Change the polish to a completely new shade, paint them new or simple add element of natural and artificial light to enhance their appearance. Treating the wood with termite free agents also helps in restoring the material.

Furniture

Have some old chairs lying around in the garage? Paint them in colours of your choice; maybe all white or contrasting multi colour chairs for your dining room. But by all  means, first identify the type of wood, paint them if any coating already exists on the furniture. Use the right paints for the wood as wrong paints can cause irreversible damage to the wood surface. A coat of oil is good to use before applying any chemical/ paint to the furniture. 

Door

Sometimes wood restoration may require lot of oil coating first and it depends on how thirsty the wood has been. Being a natural organic material, wood needs replenishment in order to stay in top condition. So for a door, maybe a quick sand paper ritual followed by lot of oil coating will refresh the wood immediately. For an even fresher look, you can change the door accessories by adding a new handle or door knob.

Looking for more ideas on front doors. Check out Beautiful main doors.

Paneling

Wood paneling is often used on walls or even as terrace floors in backyards or gardens. Outdoor wood is usually treated with extra layers of polish and wax so that it can sustain different weather conditions; be it rain, sun or dusty storms. Again regular cleaning is the least that should be done. Cleaning and treatment with water proof paints and varnish needs to be done in order to refresh the panels.

The easiest way to restore and refresh your wood is through cleaning. A dry cloth wipe is good enough for well coated wood. But over the years, the wax or varnish layer on top often attracts dirt and grime. Commercial cleaning agents are your best bet that will cut through the grime. Repainting, re polishing and re coating jobs can either refresh the wood or even change the look of the wood giving it a new life altogether.  Recycled wood is a wonderful way of using old wood and turning it into beautiful interior pieces for many more years to come.

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