The Charm of Bleached Wood: Informal Interiors for Cozy People

Bleached wood is a material that evokes the happy memories of a child in his grandparents’ country house, or a long sandy beach where some few white wooden cottages peek out beyond the dunes- the only companions of the albatross and the silence. Especially white bleached wood has the unique power to create bright, informal interiors where people feel at ease and get a great sense of relaxation. This explains the huge success of this material in today’s interior design: bleached wood is everywhere, from country houses to the office of the digital startups, and it is definitively the choice for those who desire to live in a clean and cozy environment.
If you have a country house full of old wooden furniture, you could simply bleach each individual piece of your furniture to get the result. The process to bleach wood is not particularly difficult, and lots of on-line videos and tutorials will accompany you through each step in a plenty of detail. You just need some room outside in the yard, a few sunny days and a lot of patience. Bleaching your old kitchen furniture could be a pleasant way to spend a weekend with your kids and teach them the basics of manual work. Please be sure to use protective equipment including goggles, gloves, apron, etc.
If you are shopping, it is not difficult to find and buy wooden furniture today. Considering the huge success of this material, you could even try to buy second-hand furniture with a good discount from someone who has decided to change to a more formal style. You could get lucky and meet someone that gives you his old stuff for free on the condition that you take everything away at your expense.
Should you also have bleached wood flooring in your house? In my opinion, the answer is negative. Bleached wood on bleached wood looks excessive and overstimulating. It is better to have your flooring of a neutral and plain color (for example, white or light gray) that matches with the white stripes of your bleached wooden furniture. Coming to the materials, marble or matte earthenware tiles could be a good idea. In general, my suggestion is that you should not exaggerate with bleached wood, as this material takes the stage and then needs to be visually counterbalanced by something less catchy.
A problem with bleached wooden furniture is that it works if every accessory, like curtains, lamps and carpets, is planned with it in mind. In other words, you are going to choose a style, not a mere material. So, you must be aware of that and consequent in your design choices, in order to avoid inserting some accessories that could look awkward when paired with bleached wood.
A solution to address these issues is to ask for help. A good interior designer will suggest you the right pairings with your bleached wood furniture and how to lay it out in order to get that airy, bright and informal effect that you are craving for. You may spend some extra money, but you will have your house look exactly as in your dreams in the end.
Photo credit: http://www.opiumshop.co.uk/antique-thakat-dining-table-in-bleached-wood-thar-desert-rajasthan-circa-1890—bsoldb-3169-p.asp