Kitchen Inspiration: Cerused Oak Cabinetry!

We are so inspired here on Hadley Court by the beautiful cerused wood finishes we are seeing at the National Kitchen and Bath Association show happening right now out in Las Vegas,

#KBIS2016

So, today, dear readers, we are going to show you some inspiring examples of cerused oak kitchens and baths, like the example above designed by Mary Haynes of Tory Haynes, Inc. in New Jersey.

In addition, we will share with you a bit more about the history of this finish, why designers are using it today, and what you need to be aware of when specifying the type of grain to be used.

Ready?

What does cerused mean?

Cerusing is a wood finishing technique that involves the application of whiting and rubbing the whiting into the grain of a wood, then hand waxing it.
Cerusing adds contrast in order to highlight the beauty of a wood’s grain, typically oak.

This finish, first made with white lead {now banned in most places} and used in cosmetics during the Elizabethan era in the 1500 -1600’s to whiten skin, is making a comeback in the design world today, most noticeably in kitchen and bath cabinetry.

The use of ceruse as a finish for furniture was first popularized in the Art Deco era when the iconic French designer Jean Michel-Frank employed it for some of his well known pieces, like this original shown below, which are now bringing top prices at auction houses around the world.
Since, then, the use of ceruse as a finishing technique on oak has fallen in and out of favor, but today, it is once again enjoying a renaissance, thanks to its use by top designers like Kelly Wearstler and Jefferey Alan Marks, who have both used it to great effect.

In addition, oak is a less expensive wood than some other types of typical woods used for kitchen cabinetry, like cherry or maple, and cerusing the oak in gives a stunning custom finish that can be used to create many different types of kitchen aesthetics depending on whether your taste is modern, country, traditional, farmhouse and industrial.

For instance, below is a contemporary, modern kitchen designed by Mr. Marks, using a pale cerused finish.
A different wood stain combined with cerusing gives this coastal kitchen in Darien, Connecticut a beachy, driftwood feeling, while still maintaining its elegance and charm. It was designed by Shelter Interiors, LLC.
A more traditional kitchen is shown below, again using cerused oak cabinetry and Le Cornue appliances. It was designed by NYC based Robert Schwartz of St. Charles Kitchens.
Are you noticing his use of mosaic wall tile, too, on every wall surface except the ceiling?
Here’s a clean, modern kitchen, below, employing the use of a light cerused finish on rift sawn oak cabinetry.
Are you noticing that the gas stove burners have been custom colored in hunter green?
Leave it to a professional designer like Kelly Cleveland, who designed it, to add that luxurious, personalized touch!
Fabulous!
By now, you may be noticing that the grain pattern of the oak wood used in some of these kitchens is different.

Here’s why.

Oak can be sawn at the mill in several different ways. This graphic below will help you understand the differences.
Using a professional designer like Leslie Hendrix Wood or your own local designer means that the board cuts they specify for your kitchen or bath will be appropriate to the overall design aesthetic you have chosen.
This additional diagram explains it further. Also, the best cuts of wood for your usage and budget will be a discussion your designer will have with his or her cabinetmaker.
A key factor they will consider for you is the stability of the cut for your usage patterns. You don’t want doors and cabinets that warp.

Keep in mind: quarter sawn, rift sawn and riven are always going to be more stable than standard rotary cut veneer, the type you most commonly see in big box stores.
Note that the amount of cerusing using, a lot or a little, is a design decision, and can be impacted by the cut of wood your designer thinks is best for your kitchen or bath.
A professional designer will always present you with finish samples for your sign off and approval.

We close this post today, dear readers, with another beautiful design from Mr. Marks, this time of a bathroom he designed using a cerused finish on a beautiful golden toned oak. What do you think? Do you like this finish?
Please let us know in the comments and, as always, thank you for reading Hadley Court.

We appreciate YOU.

~~~

Leslie Carothers

for

Leslie Hendrix Wood

Leslie Hendrix Wood Interiors
Interior Designer
Midland, Texas
Owner, the Hadley Court blog

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