Dark Wood Chest Of Drawers

How dark is dark wood?
So what is it about dark wood furniture and dark wood chests of drawers in particular that holds such appeal?  Well the first thing is to establish what is actually meant by dark wood furniture.  Some regard dark wood furniture as anything darker than about the colour of white coffee, while to other people dark wood furniture is almost black in colour.  The history of dark furniture is almost accidental as, originally, almost all wooden furniture in Britain would have been light coloured.  So, to take the example of dark coloured oak furniture from the Middle Ages or mediaeval times that is seen in museums, this would actually have been quite light in colour when it was first made as this is the natural colour of oak.  

Possibly the only finish that might have been used to protect wood would have been a coating of wax ‘polish.’  This could have been beeswax or tallow made from animal fats but in either case it would not by itself have made a significant difference to the colour of the wood.  This can be demonstrated by taking a new piece of seasoned oak and applying a coating of wax.  It will be seen that it does not cause any significant colour change.

The effects of time on colouring
What has happened is that over the course of time the wood has mellowed and darkened in colour.  In addition to this there is the fact that wooden furniture from these times would have been subject to hundreds of years of dirt, smoke and soot.  The cumulative effects of this, er, patination, resulted in the creation of dark wood furniture.  Of course the look is not necessarily unattractive and the desire arose to try and recreate this look - even producing dark wood chests of drawer.  This was particularly the case during the Victorian era when there was a surge of public interest in the history of the middle ages, known as the Gothic revival.

Furniture makers responded by producing furniture made from the same materials – mainly oak – and treating it with a stain prior to varnishing, lacquering or waxing.  Another development – perhaps of even greater importance in promoting a desire for dark furniture – was the popularity of furniture made of, or veneered with, mahogany.  This extremely tough tropical hardwood exhibits a very attractive mid to deep red-brown colouring that has remained popular right up to the present day.

These two influences:  the arrival of mahogany from the Caribbean during the Georgian period and the Gothic Revival and desire for dark oak furniture in the Victorian period, are greatly responsible for the evolution of ‘dark wood’ furniture.  The 1930s was also an era that fell in love with all things medieval, from ‘Good Queen Bess’ to dark wood furniture.  It even appeared on the outside of houses with many mock Tudor dwellings constructed during the period.

Out of favour: the dark wood chest of drawers
Following the Second World War, people grew tired of dark colours, dark wood chests of drawers and subdued colour schemes – there’s only so much camouflage colouring people can tolerate!  Perhaps not surprisingly then, when the materials shortages of the 1950s ended, there was an explosion of design using light and colour.  This reaction was so pronounced that the very brightest colours, such as shocking pinks and day-glow greens were embraced.  Dark wood chests of drawers might have been less popular, but brightening up interiors by letting in more light made it possible to enjoy the contrast of darker coloured furniture.

Did you know?
The tallboy is a piece of furniture similar in height to a wardrobe but resembling two chests of drawers placed one upon the other.  It evolved from the 17th Century practice of placing a chest of drawers upon a stand to raise it away from damp floors.  Gradually the stand itself acquired first one and then several drawers.