White Oak…Is It Here to Stay?

by SweisKloss
September 30, 2021

We tend to avoid the word “trend” around here at SweisKloss. Instead, we strive to use design elements that fit within the architectural style of a home and captures the homeowner’s lifestyle. Yet without question, design should always be beautiful and successfully blend modernity and timelessness. So, when it comes to incorporating one of the most widely used home materials, such as wood, choosing the right type should fall within this blended realm of design.

There was a period where everybody wanted red oak, honey oak, or walnut wood for cabinets and flooring. Darker woods and painted wood made an appearance for a while. But the current movement to lighter natural-toned wood, specifically white oak, seems to be lasting longer than most in home design, and dare we say, it may not be going anywhere anytime soon.

Why the staying power? It could be that white oak has a hardness score of 1360, coming in after Hickory and Maple, which makes it extremely durable. While durability is important, we think its popularity has to do with the versatile aesthetic qualities.

The wheat tone lends itself well as a neutral, and as you may know neutrals helps to balance out colors ranging from subtle to bold. The warm tone of white oak also works well with cooler neutrals such as grey. Although white oak can be stained or varnished to achieve a different color, we prefer the beauty of its natural coloring.

Quarter sawn and rift cut milling also modernizes the look of oak. The grain is straighter with less or very little knots and cathedrals. This straighter grain works especially well in a space with a more contemporary design. The clean lines look elegant and refined, which to us speaks of timelessness.

Since white oak is here possibly for the long term, we must advocate the importance of sourcing it from sustainably minded companies (reSawn Timber is a great one), a key criterion for us when choosing wood for flooring, cabinetry, ceiling, exteriors, etc. The wood must be FSC certified, meaning it comes from a sustainably managed forest, and harvesting trees is done in a responsible way. Some white oak species can live over 600 years, providing an important ecological role while at the same time sequestering large amounts of carbon dioxide. Wood waste can be recycled fully as by-products or biomass pellets.

White oak can be quite appealing in many modern design schemes and has become one of our favorite woods to incorporate into a home. We have used it with some projects, most recently at our Sherman Oaks property, and loved the results.