Every week we see dozens of projects pass through — apartment renovations, new houses, shops. Here, with no crystal ball, is what actually dominates this season's orders and what we believe will last.
1. «Invisible» blond becomes the standard
Request number one: an oak that does not yellow. So-called invisible finishes — lacquers and oils that keep the wood looking raw — have gone from niche to reflex. They carry the Scandinavian and japandi styles and serve as the backdrop for colourful interiors. Verdict: a groundswell, not a fad.
2. Widths keep growing
180 mm was the «wide plank» of ten years ago; 220-260 mm is the new normal of fine projects, up to single-plank formats in large volumes. The sheet-of-wood effect — fewer joints, more calm — explains everything (including in small rooms). Verdict: durable, now that engineered construction has solved stability.
3. The return of patterns
After fifteen years of the straight plank reigning, chevron and herringbone are back in force in urban renovations — often in one room, as a «wood rug». The Versailles panel follows, in its blond, graphic version. Verdict: patterns have returned in cycles for two centuries; this one has good years left.
4. Total matteness
Satin is receding everywhere: the matter the finish, the rawer the wood seems, and the more current the interior feels. Practical corollary: brushed mattes hide daily life better. Verdict: acquired.
5. Smoked oak in ambush
The assumed counter-trend: while everything goes blond, the «evening rooms» — TV lounges, bedrooms, studies — darken with smoked oak for the hushed mood. Both movements co-exist, often in the same house.
To explore: Nordic for blonds, XXL for widths, Chevron and Herringbone for patterns, Smoked for the counter-trend — and the current bargains in end-of-line lots.