The perfect palette: natural wood + clean black lines

Once upon a time I hated natural wood. It felt—can you believe it—cheap? I scoffed at how people could actually want a piece of furniture that looked like it was halfway done.

Oh, how we grow up.

Now, I see natural wood as one of the most sumptuous materials you can have in a home. It brings a sense of softness and warmth that grounds homes that are otherwise super contemporary.

Both Scandinavian and West Coast homes love a good dose of natural materials, especially oak, ash, and pine. Sophie Burke and Falken Reynolds are two local designers who are no stranger to letting these two designs mingle with one another.

All across B.C. (and well beyond that, too), these two firms have made their mark in creating homes that pair the intentionality & coziness of Nordic design with the natural & organic roots of West Coast living.

I’ve actually walked by several Sophie Burke homes along the sometimes surreal stretch of homes on Point Grey Road in Vancouver. I’ve always been so curious about what they looked like on the inside… I’ll see this cool, Finnish pendant light against a warm oak wall with tall ceilings and just think, “Dream home? Is that you?”

“No, Miranda. I’m not yours. At all. But I’m flattered.”

The best part about letting natural wood & such angular, matte black pieces hang out is how they amplify each other’s best qualities.

In each of these rooms, the wood finishings feel even more serene and elegant thanks to the modern black focal pieces elsewhere. If you didn’t have a heavy splash of oak in the background, the contemporary furniture and architectural elements would feel cold and unapproachable. Instead, they elevate the space to feel multidimensional.