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What does ‘dark wood’ mean?
So what is it about dark wood furniture and dark wood sideboards in particular that is so appealing?  Well the first thing is to determine what is actually meant by dark wood furniture.  Some people regard dark wood as anything that is darker than about the colour of white coffee, while to other people is almost black in colour.  The history of dark furniture is almost accidental as, originally, all wooden furniture 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.  

Darkening, rather than Dark, Ages
Perhaps the only finish that would have been used to protect wood would have been a coating of wax ‘polish.’  This might have been beeswax or tallow made from animal fats but in either case it would not by itself have significantly darkened the colour of the wood.  To test this claim, simply take a new piece of seasoned oak and apply a coating of wax.  Do you see any significant colour change?

What happened was that during the passage of many years wood mellows and darkens in colour.  Add to this the fact that wooden furniture from these times would have been subject to hundreds of years of dirt, smoke and soot.  The cumulative effect of this resulted in the creation of dark wood furniture.  Of course the effect can be quite attractive and the desire arose to try and reproduce this look - even producing dark wood sideboards.  This was particularly the case during Victorian times when there was a revival of interest in the history of the middle ages, known as the Gothic revival.

The response was to manufacture furniture from the same materials – mainly oak – and treat the completed furniture with a stain prior to varnishing, lacquering or waxing.  Another event that promoted a liking for dark furniture was the popularity of furniture made of or veneered with mahogany.  This tropical hardwood has a very attractive mid to deep red-brown colouring that is still popular today.

These two influences:  the arrival of mahogany in the Georgian period, followed by the Gothic Revival and desire for dark oak furniture in the Victorian period, are chiefly responsible for the creation of dark wood furniture.  The 1930s was also an era that fell in love with the medieval period and the dark wood furniture of that time.  Dark wood also appeared on the outside of houses with many mock Tudor dwelling constructed during the period.

Dark days for dark wood sideboards
In the aftermath of World War 2, people were tired of dark colours, dark wooden sideboards and subdued colour schemes – there’s only so much camouflage colouring people can tolerate!  So, when the materials shortages of the 1950s came to an end there was an explosion of design using light and colour.  The reaction was so pronounced that the brighter the colours the better.  But this wasn't the end for dark wood sideboards however, as lighter homes and colours allowed a revival.

Did you know? An interesting fact about sideboards
Apart from the obvious advantages brought about by improvements in household plumbing during the 20th Century, one of the less well-known benefits was that it rendered obsolete the once common practice of keeping a chamber pot in the sideboard for the use of guests at dinner parties.

We hope to have been a help in your search for a dark wood sideboard.