1. Shelf Life
Stylish storage is the key to keeping entry halls and mudrooms neat and organized. You can mix and match pieces from the new Livingston collection, which features a coastal casual look thanks to gray washed wood. This four-piece arrangement—a bench, two towers and a bridge—is $2,994 at Pottery Barn in Bethesda (301-654-1598; potterybarn.com).
2. Faux Real
Get the best of both worlds with a product that looks like wood but is actually a durable porcelain tile. Use it on kitchen, bathroom or mudroom walls or floors, or even around a fireplace. The Ballad style comes in six colors, and standard pricing for 8-by-48-inch tiles is $8.67 per square foot at Architectural Ceramics in Rockville (301-251-3555; architecturalceramics.com).
3. The Dark Side
Cerused wood finishes don’t just come in gray. The Decorage sideboard from Bernhardt is made from solid ash and quartered white oak veneers, and has a “cerused mink” finish and a stainless steel frame and base. It measures 75 inches wide by 34 inches high by 20 inches deep and is $3,666 at Sheffield Furniture and Interiors in Rockville (301-881-6010; sheffieldfurniture.com).
4. In the Round
A distinctive wood finish can add interest to an otherwise simple piece of furniture. This table’s curvy base is made of reclaimed pinewood stained a rustic gray and juxtaposed with a round white marble top that’s 48 inches in diameter. Find the Luca dining table for $2,698 at Arhaus Furniture in Rockville (301-230-2973; arhaus.com).
5. A Cut Above
The chic curved handles on this knife set are made of richly grained ash pakkawood, and acrylic covers on both sides of the magnetic block protect the knives but let the grain veneer show through. The Schmidt Brothers bonded ash seven-piece knife set retails for $299.99 at Crate and Barrel in D.C.’ s Spring Valley neighborhood (202-364-6100; crateandbarrel.com).
6. Into the Woods
Move over, all-white kitchens—the natural look is back. A special wire-brush finish reveals the grain and gives these cabinets a warm, modern look. The Unica cabinetry from Downsview Kitchens, in white oak with 1-inch-thick doors, is priced at $2,000 to $2,300 per linear foot through Stuart Kitchens in Bethesda (240-223-0875; stuartkitchens.com).
