Maple and Walnut plus Arts and Crafts?

[Arnie Grammon]

Traditionally, the Arts and Crafts/Mission style utilizes quartersawn oak or cherry to achieve the classic look. Well, I'm not traditional......besides, I can't afford either when I've got plenty of maple and walnut on hand.

I've seen some of the Greene and Greene look and it seems they didn't follow too many rules about wood species. I really like the look of contrasting walnut with maple......has anyone used that combination with the Arts and Crafts style? I'm thinking of a Mission bedroom set. Or does this sound a little odd? Thanks for your replies.

Arnie

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

As a rule, I'm not a fan of mixing species on furniture...but I've done it...and I think if you're going to do it, the Mission/A&C style is the way to go. This stuff is mesquite with curly maple.





So yeah...mix it.

KC

[Michael Stafford]

KC, that is striking and beautiful combination of woods. Love that mesquite although unavailable for the most part here.

[Mike Cutler]

Arnie. The two combinations of woods that you are contemplating "mixing" would, I believe, make for a nice contrast. While QSWO is the wood most identified with Arts& Crafts, Mission and Art Deco. It was not the only wood they used. Stickley( All the different combinations of brothers), Green & Green, Limbert, Morris and Macintosh all made furniture out of different woods. Arts& Crafts and the Mission style were a break from the gaudy Victorian furnuture of the day. It was furniture for the common man to be used everyday in the words of Morris. Byrd did work with contrasting wood also.
I've built Arts& Crafts style furniture out of QSWO, Ash, Jatoba and Mopane, Mahogany and Maple. They look nice. I don't try to adhere to the formulaic definition of A&C or Mission design. There is a book " In the Craftsman Style" By Taunton Press that features projects and designs that are not all QSWO in execution. It may be worth a look for you.
A good source for any A&C or Mission hardware you may need is Crown City Hardware, they have a web page.Also try and get ahold of some issues of "Style 1900" Magazine, it's a great source.
I say go for it. The worst that can happen is that you don't like it when you're done, and you will then know which direction to go in. I envy your position of having "plenty of Walnut and Maple on hand" Good Luck

[thomas prevost]

Kirk,
love that bedroom set.

BTW. wood pricing intersting. Can't afford QS white oak, but can afford maple and walnut. Up north here. Cherry is $2.20-2.90 bft. depending upn quality. QS oak same price. Clean white(sap wood) maple and walnut approach $5-5.50 bft. Prices are for select and better. It all depends upon where you live and availablity of local wood.

Gus was no dummy. He used QS wood due to its stability. White oak was the cheapest wood around central NY. used mostly for firewood, pallets and interior case wood. He also saw the anhydrous ammonia at the local Solvay chemical plant turned the oak beams in the plant a gorgious brown.