Walnut - This Week's Top 5 Furniture Picks

Walnut is prized as one of the most luxurious wood varieties used in furniture and lends itself well to contemporary designs. However due to its status, it’s very rare to find solid walnut furniture available at a relatively reasonable price and so most of these pieces are either walnut effect or feature a real walnut veneer. We’re hoping to make these top 5 furniture lists a weekly feature on Homeli so follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr to keep up to date. Next week’s theme will be desks so if you’d like to suggest any relevant pieces or give us ideas for future top 5 furniture themes then please get in touch.

1 – Ikea Stockholm Cabinet

The Stockholm collection is a new addition to the Ikea range and sees the global furniture giant taking a different approach by incorporating higher quality materials into their products. The Stockholm cabinet here certainly does come at a premium when compared to cheaper alternatives such as Malm. However you can certainly see where your money goes with the Stockholm cabinet as it has a distinctly sturdy feel and the surface features a real walnut veneer as opposed to the cheap foil and acrylic typically used in their best selling Expedit range.

This real walnut means that every panel features unique wood grains as opposed to the printed patterns typically used and it is also harder wearing in many ways and unlikely to scratch easily. The Stockholm cabinet features plain lines and a modern look thanks to the decision to incorporate push-opening drawers and doors removing the need for traditional handles. The cabinet is made up of two cupboards with adjustable shelves about and two drawers below. Not only does this feature a walnut veneer but also solid ash legs making this a high quality, durable piece of Ikea furniture.

Sold by: Ikea
Price: £300

2 – Mode Walnut Extending Corner Shelf

Made up of two almost identical shelf components that interlock, the Mode walnut Shelf can either occupy a corner or be arranged parallel and run along a straight wall. These walnut shelves are described as being extendable as when used along a wall like this, can slide into each other which gives the unit a minimum length of 94cm and a max length of 186cm, essentially doubling in size. This makes it ideal for smaller spaces but also gives the illusion of a bespoke, fitted shelving unit as the Mode shelves could fit wall to wall perfectly as they simply slide.

The Mode walnut furniture range is sold by the UK clothing and homewares retailer Next. All articles feature a walnut effect finish so note that there’s no real walnut used although this is represented in the price with this corner shelf unit costing just £275. The range compliments itself nicely with the same style and walnut effect being incorporated throughout and is mainly suited to the living room. Luckily, Next are also offering a promotion at the moment in which you get £50 off if you purchase two items from the Mode walnut range.

Sold by: Next
Price: £275

3 – Hans J Wegner Style Shell Chair CH07

One of the most iconic examples of moulded plywood chairs, the CH07 shell chair was designed in 1963 by Hans J Wegner and offers the perfect balance between simplicity and comfort. It’s probably the most stable three legged chair you’re ever likely to sit on and the curves of the winged sides give a subtle sense of cosiness. The only criticism I can make about this chair is that a matching ottoman wasn’t designed along with it as is the case with many iconic lounge chairs. However, I’ve coupled mine with this knitted rope pouf from Sabichi.

The CH07 chair is available in many different wood species from various retailers including walnut as pictured here as well as oak, rosewood and black ash. As for the upholstery, there are a multitude of colours available aswell as a choice between semi-aniline leather, danish wool, tweed or even pony hide. The shell chair was deemed too radical by consumers when initially produced in the 60s so you’re very unlikely to find an original but there are many retailers who offer high quality reproductions such as Vita Interiors, Skandium and Interior Addict.

Designed by: Hans J Wegner
Sold by: Interior Addict
Price: £307

4 – Anton Shelves in Walnut

If you’re looking for an luxurious and high end walnut shelving unit without breaking the bank, then the Anton shelves from Made.com could very well be the perfect solution for you. With a solid and sturdy construction, the shelves have an unmistakable feel of quality which is represented in the choice of materials used. The shelves themselves are have a thick walnut veneer which has been finished with a lacquer for extra durability and are suspended, apparently in midair by two thick panes of glass. These are fixed together by modern machined metal bolts.

The Anton shelves are perhaps taller than they may appear at 183cm and provide a platform 38cm deep. A unit is 123cm wide but due to the basic shape and clean lines of Anton shelves, two or more units can be easily combined to create a longer line of shelves. As for other finishes, Anton is also available in a white colour although unlike at Ikea, this plainer option isn’t any cheaper.

Sold by: Made.com
Price: £399

5 – V Plus Coffee Table

Perhaps impractically expensive for many, we can still dream. The V Plus coffee table is remarkable both in terms style and function with its unique swivelling upper table top along with its high end materials and construction. It features a Colorado walnut veneer that has been oiled as well as crystal glass surfaces. The base and fixtures that provide the moving parts are stainless steel and are therefor highly durable and will show little signs of wear and tear.

The V Plus coffee table is sold by Barker & Stonehouse along with many other matching pieces from the same collection. As a high end furniture brand, items such as the V Plus coffee table are made to order with an estimated delivery of 10 weeks.

Sold by: Barker & Stonehouse
Price: £1069