b'in terior tren dsA s an interior material, timber has always had a place. Trends may come and go but timberhasacertainfeelthats irreplaceable.Ithasalwaysfeaturedinolder character homes but has become a rising star in contemporaryinteriorstoo,addingrichnessand personalitytoourhomes.Andprotectedand enriched with Resene products, it will continue to look great for years to come.As architect Dave Strachan of SGA says of timber: As a natural material it has personalityevery piece of timber is different. The various timbers reect their inherent qualities. Nothing can match timber for its innite variety ofnaturalmarkingsandgrains.Timberbrings colour, texture, lifeeven a smell. Timbers such as lawsoncypress[yellowcedar]haveadistinctive smellwhichalmostgetsricherovertime,says Dave. The resurgence of timber in interiors goes hand in glove with the return of an appreciation for craft productionoverindustrialmanufacturing.Ifthe budgetallows,Davelikestodesigncomplete interior t-outs using timberfor kitchens, storage solutions including shelving and drawers, beds and so on. We detail a lot of that furniture. It means, as the architect, we have a good idea of whats going inside the building rather than getting an independent interior designer to come in. NicolasStevensofStevensLawsonArchitects also loves timber, because it creates an atmosphere of warmth, giving a crafted, elegant look and a certain sensuality. The advantage of timber, he says, is it can be used in so many different ways. We often use it on the oor, on ceiling linings and walls. We almost always use it in kitchens and on various cabinetry throughout the house.Timber ts with the eco-trend towards all things naturalandsustainable,saysarchitectWilliam Giesen of Atelier Workshop. A lot less energy goes into the fabrication of timber linings rather than typical plasterboard. With timber linings, you dont need to plaster, which is great environmentally.Soundabsorption,hesays,isanothergreat quality. As well as bringing a level of craft to an interior, when using timber inside, you dont end up with hard surfaces everywhere. It makes a room much softer.Resene Red Pepper Left: Designer Peta Davy of Yellowfox used a variety of timbers in her own home, including a recycled tawa headboard and hallway wall, nished in Resene Aquaclear. The walls are in Resene Black White.Top right: The curvaceous wall of this house designed by Studio of Pacic Architecture was shaped in plywood then nished in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt. The ceiling is in Resene Quarter Tea. Right: A customised orange stain, called Resene Maungakawa Orange, is an eye-catching colour anchor in this house designed by architect Davor Popadich of Patterson Associates.41'