Timber Design Trend #1 Natural Connection

There’s little that makes the heart happy like connecting with nature by walking through local bushland or forestry, your surroundings teaming with life and seeming to breathe with every rustle of the leaves. In 2022, we are seeing the rise of biophilic design – the practice of connecting people and nature within our built environments – as homeowners invite the outside environment inside. A timber’s unrivalled ability to offer a natural aesthetic and an immediate connection with nature imbues a sense of wellbeing, which we expect will mean an increase in its popularity in interior and exterior designs.

Timber Design Trend #2 Curved Appeal

In every piece of art, there is an appreciation for curves which mirror the organic forms of nature. As a home is like a piece of art, curves are currently experiencing a renaissance in residential architecture. Enticing to the eye and adding a softness and elegance to a home’s exterior or interior, we predict the new-found obsession with curved surfaces, and in particular curved timber surfaces, will continue. From rounded, panelled facias to curved edges on timber kitchen benches and internal walls, to timber arches, doorways and windows, we’ve only just seen the beginning of this trend.

Timber Design Trend #3 Timber Panels and Patterns

Gone are the days of typical horizontal patterns and symmetrical vertical panels. In 2022, we expect architects to think outside the box and use different widths of timber and uneven spacing to create unique patterns and configurations. In 2021, many award-winning homes heralded significant innovation in the use of timber in residential architecture as large expanses of contemporary homes were clad in natural timber. We predict 2022 will take this even further with cladded facades crafted from Australian hardwood enveloping the home and panelling artfully concealing garage doors. Inside, panelled timber walls and ceilings, room dividers and solid timber beams evoke a Mid-Century Modern vibe.

Timber Design Trend #4 Holiday-at-Home Outdoor Living Spaces

Outdoor living spaces are a hallmark of Australian architecture, as we know from the classic “veranda out the back”. Off the back of COVID lockdowns, travel restrictions and more of us working from home, Aussies are investing in making their everyday home feel like a holiday-home. From expansive entertainment areas with impressive outdoor kitchens, decks and pool areas, to seating areas and timber-clad garden studios / home offices, we’re making our homes our sanctuaries. Whether chasing the high-end lifestyle or simply for function, timber remains the number one choice to take you from home to holiday.

Timber Design Trend #5 Timber Tones

Whether you’re building for the first time or renovating your current home, natural timber tones are in. As we strive to forge stronger links with our environment, we’re favouring nature’s diverse colour palette. A variety of light to dark, washed greys to almost black tones are increasingly appearing alongside the more traditional warm, honeyed and red tones. Rather than restricting ourselves to a small selection of timber tones, our unbridled passion for exploring the full spectrum of timber colours drives us in our quest to find the perfect match for a design aesthetic, location, and lifestyle.

If you’re building, renovating, or simply revitalising the timber features of your home in 2022, we’d love to talk to you, your architect or builder about how CUTEK^® can be used in your project to maintain the beauty of your timber powerfully protect it. Call 1300 CUTEK or send us a message to find out more.

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Our ten colourtones have been in demand in 2018, although the Top 3 Colourtones for the year are Black Ash, Burnt Red and Sela Brown.

1. Black Ash

Interior designers look to shades of black or dark brown to add a sophisticated sleekness to a contemporary, urban space.

Darker hued timber is an obvious choice to fulfil this brief. When stained with Black Ash, the strong grain pattern is further highlighted for a striking visual impact.

Blackened cladding is an architectural trend traditionally achieved using the ancient Japanese technique of Shou Sugi Ban that involves charring the surface of the wood rendering it a deep black.

Using traditional processes to char and blacken timber can be time intensive and costly. Adding CUTEK®’s Black Ash colourtone to the clear wood finish and staining dark timber is an easy, effective way of achieving the same stand-out look.

Timber species match: Black Ash, Western Red Cedar.

Case Study: Ray White’s Queensland office

Western Red Cedar combined with a CUTEK® Black Ash colourtone was the perfect blend for a feature wall and desk area to complement the chic, modern styling of the office space.

2. Burnt Red

2018’s colour trends took us back to nature so it’s no surprise to see Burnt Red appear in CUTEK®’s Top 3 Colourtones. The earthy appeal of rich, red brown timber has made it a popular choice both inside and outside the home this year.

Burnt Red is a match for a wide selection of red toned species, popular with architects for adding organic warmth to a contemporary home.

Timber species match: Red Gum, Kwila/Merbau, Rose Gum, Blue Gum, Jarrah and Ironbark.

Case Study: An award-winning Tasmanian home

CUTEK®’s Burnt Red oil highlights the Western Red Cedar’s natural grain and beauty, while ensuring its design appeal and strength last longer.

3. Sela Brown 

Sela Brown is a classic, traditional colourtone that matches well with a variety of timber types.

This popular colourtone made the most popular on account of its versatility and widespread appeal. Sela Brown is often chosen to stain outdoor decking or seating in a natural setting.

Timber species match: Spotted Gum, Kwila/Merbau, New Guinea Rosewood, Brush Box, Spotted Gum, Malas, Mixed Hardwood

For a naturally fresh colour, try CUTEK®’s colourtones. Contact us if you would like help selecting a wood finishing product or best decking oil to suit your project.

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Traditional wood coatings protect the timber by encapsulation – forming a film over the substrate. The build-up of pigment on the surface obscures the natural grain, variance and beauty of the timber. Initial application can look great with a gloss finish, but once it is subject to water, sunlight and abrasion the coating degrades; resulting in splitting and peeling. Moisture is then able to ingress into the timber and begin the swelling and shrinking process that damages wood.  Screw holes, uncoated ends, joints and the uncoated undersides of timber are also points of water ingress that leads to degradation. With encapsulation coatings, protection is only skin deep.

CUTEK®, on the other hand, penetrates deeply into the timber and, because of its hydrophobic nature, it repels water from the inside. This keeps the timber dimensionally stable, increasing the service life of the timber. This protection stays within the timber no matter the appearance of the surface of the wood.

To complement the protection of the timber, the CUTEK® lab has created a range of CUTEK® Colourtones, to prolong the freshly oiled look and enhance the natural beauty of the timber. This range of colours have been formulated to match many different timber species and design requirements. The pigment in CUTEK® Colourtones help delay the silvering process caused by Ultra Violet (UV) light. UV from the sun causes the lignin to photo-oxidise, creating the silvering effect. The added CUTEK® Colourtone stays on the surface of the wood absorbing UV light to delay silvering, while the CUTEK® oil penetrates into the wood, protecting it from the inside out.

In time, exposed CUTEK® Colourtones will gradually chalk off rather than splitting or peeling. This facilitates easy maintenance; a pressure clean with CUTEK® Restore or CUTEK® Quickclean and a recoat is all that is required. Rather than sanding and countersinking screw holes, punching nails, or stripping for a recoat. Maintenance with CUTEK® products is simple and rewarding. To further increase the life of the Colourtoned CUTEK®, double Colourtones can be used (e.g., 2 Colourtones per 5 litres of CUTEK® oil). This will give a more intense colour and greater UV protection.

To make sure you get the right look on your deck, make use of CUTEK®‘s free samples. This helps you get the right match for your timber. The CUTEK® support team are also on hand to talk you through any questions you may have and how different colourtones interact with different timber species (call 1300 1 CUTEK).

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