Burl Wood Furniture Guide: Types, Styles, and More
Burl wood furniture adds a unique decor style to your home. Furniture made from burl wood are one-of-a-kind pieces; hence, they are much sought-after furniture. Interested in the gorgeous look of burl wood furniture? Learn more about these timeless pieces in this post. Discover the enduring beauty of furniture made from burl wood in our comprehensive guide that includes the origin, type, and styling tips for your home.
In today’s post, we’ll explain the formation of burl wood with its natural, organic wood grain patterns. We’ll cover the various types of burl wood and how to decorate your home with these one-of-a-kind specimens.
Formation of Tree Burls – Burl Wood Furniture
Burls are rounded tree growths with a grain pattern that, believe it or not, is deformed. It is typically seen growing in rounded knot patterns. The formation of a tree burl occurs over time. A burl results from tiny knots of dormant buds, fungi, viruses, insects, and even physical injury sustained by the tree. This stress on the tree causes a round formation that becomes a tree burl. Tree burls occur on a branch, tree trunk, or tree root. However, more frequently, they grow below or slightly above ground as part of a massive malignancy root system. Sometimes, the burl is only found when the tree has fallen to the ground. These burls appear in clusters of bulbs attached to a root system, such as seen in the image below.
Burls are usually covered in bark even when growing below ground. The most common causes of burls are infestation by insects or mold growth. In England, a burl is known as a burr. These tree burls are especially prized because of their unique growth patterns. No two are alike.
Select by Size – Burl Wood Furniture
Some tree burls are significant in size. For example, the largest tree species on the West Coast are redwoods, which can grow up to 26 feet wide and surround the entire trunk. The second largest burls are in Port McNeill, British Columbia—a rarity prized by furniture designers and wood sculptors for its unique grain pattern. Create burl wood veneers for furniture, home accessories, doors, musical instruments, and interior paneling for high-end automobiles and train cars. Look at the interior paneling of train cars in older films such as Murder on the Orient Express. The exquisite paneling of the train cars is beautiful—a luxurious method of travel from yesteryear.
Burl wood furniture is your best bet for a natural and distinctive aesthetic style.
Types of Burl Wood – Burl Wood Furniture
The formation of burls occurs on many species of trees. The most robust and attractive burls are found on hardwood trees. These burls make beautiful furniture, furnishings, and other products. Below are some species of trees you’ll find with burls.
Amboyna Burl
Craft high-end furniture with Amboyna Burl wood. An exotic wood with vibrant red coloring. The intricate grain patterns are ideal for decorative accessories and furniture making.
Cherry Tree Burls
A durable wood species, Cherry Burl, is strong and has a formal look. Cherry wood is reddish-brown—perfect for living room furniture and other home furnishings.
Cocobolo Burl
From Central America, Cocobolo trees are hardwood trees from a tropical region. Features a blend of swirling and straight grain patterns with rich wood colors. Find Cocobolo wood in orange to dark brown colors – perfect for high-end furnishings and other decorative accessories.
Elm Burl
Use Elm burls for furniture making, such as tables, chairs, and cabinetry. Elmwood has irregular grain patterns with wood coloring in light to medium brown. Although not as hard as other woods, Elm has a distinctive appeal and solid furniture base.
Maple Burls – Burl Wood Furniture
Maple is a typical hardwood species in North America and other parts of the world. Excellent choice for furniture and cabinetry uses. Select from maple wood that is white to light pink or light brown in color.
Oak Burl
A burl removed from an oak tree is dense and durable. Considered the highest quality of burl. Colors range from pale to reddish-brown but vary from tree to tree. Oak burls are typically used in furniture building and other wood accessories.
Poplar Burl – Burl Wood Furniture
Create visually appealing furniture with Poplar burl wood. With its swirling irregularities, you’ll find tight clusters of whorls and knots on the wood. Perfect for those seeking a unique piece of furniture.
Redwood Tree Burls
Burls from redwood trees are large, strong, and visually impressive. Redwood burls are more expensive since they grow in mostly protected areas and are difficult to obtain.
Walnut Burl
Burls obtained from a walnut tree, a hardwood, are typically pricier than regular walnut wood. Search for Walnut accessories with rich dark coloring that exudes a luxury appeal. Walnut burls are beautiful and known for their strength, stability, and durability. These burls vary in size and grain pattern. Use these burls to craft high-end furniture, veneers, musical instruments, artwork, and more.
Style Burl Wood Furniture with These Tips
Complement your decor style with the unique look of burl furniture. Known as premium furniture with natural beauty, burl furniture has a timeless appeal. It is ideal for those seeking an investment in their furnishings. Blend burl furniture with a variety of design styles.
Burl Furniture with Various Design Styles
Commingle burl furniture with neutral-colored furnishings. Neutral colors include white, beige, cream, taupe, black, and gray. Create contrast by mixing materials.
If a rustic appearance appeals to you, blend burl furniture with earth tones. Earthy tones include greens, warm neutrals, and browns that enhance the natural look of burl veneer furnishings. Mix burl wood with acacia or walnut accessories to boost the distinctive aesthetic appeal.
Decorate a space with white and cream neutrals to make a burl piece stand out.
Combine burl wood accessories with MidCentury Modern decor using warm wood tones and clean lines. Mix burl wood with traditional and antique furniture for a more formal and sophisticated decor style. Blend textures and tones for a contemporary style. Warm wood tones add character to a variety of decorative styles and looks. Incorporate these refined pieces with a dramatic color palette or alongside warm, earthy tones. Design a series of burl pieces, or use a single piece of furniture in your room. The decorating possibilities are endless.
Fuse Beautiful Burl with Other Materials
Integrate grain patterns of burl wood with other striking materials such as stone, marble, bamboo, glass, and even metal. For a cohesive decor style, merge burl wood pieces with other burl wood furnishings made from a similar wood or style. Another approach is to use a single piece to create visual appeal to maximize decor style. Remember, burl wood is stunning in a living room, dining room, library, or bedroom.
Add these striking burl designs to your home. Make a statement with these beautifully crafted designs. Functional and refined pieces that make your home stand out.
Coffee Tables
Burl wood coffee tables are a great way to accent your living room. Put together a coffee and sofa console table to add drama to your living room.
Office Desk
Create a business atmosphere with a burl wood desk for your office. You’ll find great modern pieces to inspire you while you work.
Dining Tables
Style it formal or casual with a burl dining table. Set the dining table for family meals and dinner parties with guests.
Nightstands
Place a pair of burl nightstands on each side of your bed. Provide quick and easy access to nighttime essentials. Style is either modern or traditional decor style.
Dressers
Design a stunning bedroom style with a Burl dresser. Maximize storage with a larger dresser, the perfect mix of function and beauty.
Burl wood can be used to make a variety of furniture pieces. Credenzas, console tables, end and side tables, plus many decor accessories. Some veneer burl wood pieces can be used as paneling in high-end autos and luxury train cars. Yes, it is that beautiful and has a wide appeal.
Typically, burl wood furniture costs more than other types of wood. This is because of its uniqueness and one-of-a-kind appearance. This exclusiveness will drive up the price of a piece made from burl.
You may wonder whether a single piece of burl furniture is worth the cost. I believe they are. The distinctive grain patterns are stunning and add refinement to any home.
Burl wood is considered high-quality and premium furniture. It is an excellent material for craft furniture and decor accessories. It has been a staple of interior decorating for many years.
If you are unsure how to get started, look at these ideas. Ten ways to use burl wood furniture in your home. Be sure to let us know what you think.
Styling Tips – Burl Wood Furniture Ideas
This is our list of burl wood styling ideas for your home. Remember these tips when styling a home decor look you’ll love. Take a look.
Top it Off with a Gold Mirror – Burl Wood Furniture
Hang an ornate gold mirror over a nightstand. Style the remainder of the room in creams and whites using a variety of textures.
Make a Grand Entryway
Style a grand entryway with this gorgeous entryway console. Top it off with a massive arched mirror. Add a few decorative accents, such as blue coral, on a short stack of books. Center a gold urn-shaped lamp for a warm look.
Pair a Desk with a Warm Brown Chair – Burl Wood Furniture
Keep it classy in the office. Start with a burl desk in an olive ash provincial finish. Use wall art with green tones for a cohesive look.
Art Deco Sideboard for an Impressive Look
Display your favorite wall art above and on an antique sideboard. This French-German sideboard dates from the 1920s and 1930s Art Deco period. Curvaceous and stunning with black accents.
Double Duty Chest
Create a storage space and a refreshment minibar with this Burl Wood chest. We love this piece’s extra storage space, plus the vignette. A vignette with a gourd lamp, bright wall art, ice bucket, glassware, and colorful textured wallpaper.
Go for Warm Tones
For a warm aesthetic, use a scalloped coffee table with a mappa golden oak finish. Pile on a stack of books with some interesting objects.
Mix Orange Tones with Pale Blue Wall Color – Burl Wood Furniture
Keep stacks of good coffee table books on the orange-toned waterfall coffee table. In the background, a burl-veneered chest sports some lovely wall art and sculpture. Paint built-in bookcases in a pale blue as a contrast to the orange burl wood tones. What a terrific color combination.
Burl wood was first seen in Paris during the 1910s. In America, it gained wide popularity during the Art Deco and Hollywood Regency periods of the 1920s & 1930s. Those were the glamorous years.
Blend it with Cream Colors and Wicker
This writing desk mixes traditional and modern styles. Covered in a unique burl pattern, the desk works well with different textures of cream accessories.
Create a Special Nook
Use warm and earthy wood tones to create a space to relax and unwind. The burl wood table is a one-of-a-kind.
Combine Burl, Gold, and White Accents
Create a glamorous workspace with this gorgeous burl wood chair. Add a writing desk with gold finish knobs. Display a gold-framed mirror and wall art piece for a meant-to-be-together look.
Maple Burl Wood Slabs
The image above shows a maple burl wood slab ready for a home furnishing project. Raw, natural beauty that lasts a lifetime.
Be sure to share with us which burl wood furniture ideas are your favorites. We love to hear from our readers.
Please take a look at our other posts for home decor inspiration. Drop us a line below in the comment section. Let us know all about your favorite home decor projects for your house.
Enjoy our other home decor-related posts for additional ideas.
Decorate your home with these great ideas. Check out our other posts for the interior and exterior of your home. Try these posts for additional decorating ideas this season.
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Reach out to us with any questions. We love hearing from our readers. Thank you for dropping by and taking a look at our blog.
Mary
