"How do I know which timber option is right for me?” or “what is the difference between Natural oil and Pure oil?” are the kinds of queries the Pedersen + Lennard team gets asked all the time. 

While some questions are easier to answer than others, we do know for sure that solid oak – our preferred wood of choice – as a natural material presents variation in colour, grain patterns, and knots. It’s this natural nuance in appearance that makes it so beautiful to us, which we’d like to express through our different finishes. 

No matter which timber and steel colour combination you choose, the final piece is always inviting, never overpowering, and makes the everyday beautiful. We invite you to revisit this guide when selecting your next P+L piece, and to get to know each of our timber finishes. 

 

NATURAL OIL 

Natural wood-oil is our most popular timber finish known for its soft, neutral aesthetic. When exploring our website, you may notice most items are pictured in Natural oil. 

Natural oil easily introduces timber into a space that wishes to keep tones clean and light without being too pale, making it the perfect choice for smaller accessories, spacious tables, and everything in between. 

It’s also easy on the eye and seamlessly couples with our full suite of steel colours: pair Natural oil with Ivory for our lightest colour combination, with Dusty Pink for something soft and feminine, or with Vintage Green for a verdant finish. 

PURE OIL

Pure oil gives solid oak a light, warm finish with a caramel undertone that adds brightness to our full range of furniture and subtly uplifts any room. 

Pure oil and Lemon Yellow create a bright, citrus like combination. Pairing Powder Blue with the texture of Pure oil elevates the optimistic nature of blue, whereas Terracotta and Pure oil is a vivid colour combination that adds a toasty touch to a piece of furniture.

 

COFFEE OIL

Just like the morning’s first sip of coffee, your initial encounter with a P+L piece in Coffee oil is warm and smooth on the palette, with surprising versatility that allows you to enjoy it in almost all of our designs. 

Coffee wood-oil instantly makes any item even more luxurious with its warm tone and lasting impact, transforming everyday essentials into a design that captivates and surprises you in any space. This sumptuous finish also pairs beautifully with our stainless steel colours. 

Coffee oil’s rich earthy tones with playful steel accents in both gleaming neutrals and pops of colour builds a full spectrum of furniture options, from subtle to striking. Create comforting seating with benches, chairs, and stools in a grounding colour combination like Coffee oil and Textured Black steel or a sultry seat with Dusty Pink steel and Coffee oil.

 

ONYX VARNISH

Deep, matte-black, and reserved for a select range of products, Onyx varnish is our most bold timber finish. Best seen in our Tulbagh Coat Stand and ISO Lamp, Onyx is available in pieces that you may be in contact with less frequently than a table or chair. 

We’ve taken great care to find an Onyx varnish that is rich in colour, preserves the wood’s natural grain, is water-based and low in VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds that can affect the air inside your home). Pair Onyx with Textured Black for a full matte monochromatic piece, or create a subtle contrast with an Onyx and Anthracite colour combination.  

IROKO HARDWOOD

Our go-to wood for long-lasting outdoor furniture is Iroko, known for its lively colour expression and resistance to the elements like rot and insect attack. This hardy and durable outdoor wood, when freshly oiled, is a yellow brown to medium brown, but ages to a darker brown and silver grey finish with time. 

Not only is it great for building long-lasting outdoor furniture, Iroko is also widely seen in boat-building,  outdoor decks and terraces. To ensure our outdoor furniture doesn’t gather more moisture than it can handle, every outdoor piece is designed with slats or drain holes allowing for water to easily pass through. 

 

CARING FOR YOUR SOLID OAK FURNITURE

 

All good things built to last need to be cared for. Rhythmic in appearance with unique, naturally-ocquerring grain, solid oak is grown to age better while it moves through life with you and passed down for generations – as long as you care for it. 

Our solid oak furniture is extremely durable and any scratches/dents can easily be sanded out. Although wood can expand or contract with sudden or frequent changes in its surrounding humidity and temperature, we include an Indoor Timber Care Kit tailored to each product to guide you on caring for your Pedersen + Lennard furniture. 

In the case these go missing, you can find a copy here.