Are you looking for something to set your home interiors apart from others? Something unique, elegant, and luxurious. There is one wood finishing technique that checks all these boxes, which we think doesn’t get used enough. It is cerused wood, or also called limed wood.

In this article, we’ll briefly go over what this finish is, why you should use it, and go over some examples for your inspiration.

Let’s get started!

What is Cerused Wood?

Cerusing is a type of wood finishing that traces its origins to Elizabethan era skin-whitening cosmetics. Craftsmen were able to repurpose ceruse, a white lead-based pigment, to preserve wood and prevent rotting. Thankfully, modern ceruse no longer contains any trace of lead. Instead, it now uses white lime wax or diluted paint. Because of this, you may also hear this type of finishing called as “limed finish.”

Cerused wood finishes were widely used in the early 1900s for Art Deco furniture and Mid-century modern interiors. In more recent times, this beautiful finishing technique is experiencing a revival, making its way back into American homes.  

Why Should I Choose Cerused Wood?

If you love wood finishes in general, you should definitely give cerused wood a look. Doubly so if you love wood for its beautiful grain patterns! Cerusing applies white wax onto the grain, filling it with color and emphasizing it. This creates a grainy and grayed rustic feel to your furniture or cabinets. It creates a look similar to weathering or distressing, but without actually damaging your wood.

Depending on the wood you use as your base, cerusing can have dramatically different effects.  Plain sawn oak, for example, has a characteristic cathedral pattern grain. In furniture or cabinetry, it exudes a lot of uniqueness and character. Cerusing it doubles down on this feature, giving your space a dynamic and stunning look. In contrast, using cerused rift-sawn oak will result in a much more subtle elegant look. The white straight grains create a muted and grayish tone, perfect for a modern and sophisticated interior.

These are just some general examples. To give you a better idea, we’re going to examine a few of our projects and see how cerused wood was used.

Using Cerused Wood for Cabinets

In this kitchen, cerused white oak was used on the kitchen island. The white limed grain acts as a complement to the warm cream painted finish of the perimeter cabinets and stone tile flooring. Using cerused white oak in this way enables the island to become the standout piece of the space. Yet at the same time, it does not overpower the other cabinets. This creates a cohesive space without becoming too flat and plain.

Of course, you don’t have to limit your cerused wood to accent pieces. You can just as easily use it for all your cabinets and make it the star of your kitchen. This kitchen uses plain-sawn cerused white oak for all its built-in cabinets and even on the drop ceilings. Normally, all of this emphasized cathedral grain pattern can look very busy to our eyes. However, by combining it with a limited color palette, slab doors, and minimal hardware, the entire space remains pleasing to the eye. The combination of white walls, simple lines, and cerused white oak creates a modern yet warm atmosphere in this kitchen.

Using Cerused Wood for Wall Panels

Just as you can cover all your kitchen cabinets with a cerused wood finish, you can do something similar for your other spaces as well. Similar to the earlier example, the key here is to use a limited color palette and let the cerused white oak create visual interest in your space. In this project, it’s used on built-ins, pocket doors, and on the walls to create an sophisticated yet inviting living space.

If you really want to add more color, you can do so with your furniture. Pieces with more muted colors like the pale blue velvet sofa in the photo are excellent options. You can also add more contrast with dark stain wood furniture. Doing it in this way prevents having loud pieces that clash with the natural beauty of your cerused wood wall panels.

Cerused Wood and You

As you can see, a cerused finish is a solid and versatile option for your home spaces. Whether you’re looking for something contemporary or something with a more rustic feel, this amazing finishing technique can work wonders. It just all depends on how you apply it.

If you think this finish is right for you, feel free to get in touch with us! Our knowledge in design and craftsmanship can help you fine tune your vision, and help you get to the interior of your dreams. We at Wood & Co. would love to work with you!