Your Guide to the World’s Most Beautiful, Luxury & Best-Looking Timber Species
With countless dazzling, eye-catching, and jaw-dropping wood species across the globe, choosing the right timber can be both inspiring and overwhelming. Whether you're crafting furniture, flooring, fencing, cladding, or any other wood project, wood remains the ideal material for achieving a stylish and design-forward aesthetic. As a natural material, each piece is entirely unique—no two are alike.
But with over 60,000 species worldwide, “spoiled for choice” is an understatement. To help guide your selection, we’ve curated some of our favorite beautiful and luxurious woods that are not only stunning but also commercially available.
The World’s Best-Looking, Most Beautiful & Luxurious Woods
From the rich chocolate-brown tones of American Black Walnut to the pale, Scandi-inspired hues of American Hard Maple and the striking exotic stripes of Zebrano, each timber species offers its own unique character.
Beauty is subjective, of course, so we’ve included varieties that cater to different tastes and applications. Here are a few of our top picks:
🟤 Zebrano — For a Truly Unique Striped Look
This West African hardwood, also known as Zebrawood, makes a powerful visual statement. Its decorative grain combines golden-yellow heartwood with narrow chocolate-brown or black streaks, creating a one-of-a-kind appearance.
Although its interlocking grain can be challenging to work with, the result is worth the effort—ideal for standout furniture like tables, chairs, and shelves, as well as smaller items such as frames and boxes. Zebrano is also popular in guitar making, boatbuilding, and ski production. If you want a wood that sparks conversation, Zebrano is an excellent choice.
🟤 American Black Walnut — Decorative & Sophisticated
With its deep chocolate-brown heartwood contrasting against creamy sapwood—often with a subtle purplish tint—Walnut exudes elegance and opulence. It finishes beautifully and often features distinctive knots and a stunning grain pattern.
Despite its bold appearance, Walnut is surprisingly versatile architecturally. It provides striking contrast in lighter interiors and is especially favored for flooring in luxury London homes and apartments.
🌍 Iroko — A Touch of the Exotic
Iroko begins as a golden-yellow timber that matures into a rich bronze over time. Its appealing grain and natural durability give it an exotic appeal, fitting its West African origins.
Often called “African Teak,” Iroko offers similar appearance and performance at a more sustainable and cost-effective price point. It’s an excellent choice for outdoor projects like fencing and decking, though it also works beautifully indoors for flooring and furniture.
◼️ Wenge — Join the Dark Side
If you love dark woods, Wenge takes it a step further with its nearly black deep brown tones, occasionally accented by caramel streaks. This Central African tropical hardwood is extremely dense, hard, and durable.
Ideal for scratch-resistant flooring and furniture, Wenge can also be used for external cladding where budget permits. Its dramatic color makes it perfect for bold, contemporary designs.
🟠 Western Red Cedar — Beautiful Color Variance
An excellent choice for exterior projects, Western Red Cedar boasts not only visual appeal but also natural durability. Its color ranges from chocolate brown to salmon pink, often with darker red or brown bands.
This species contains natural preservatives that resist moisture, fungi, and insects, making it perfect for fencing, cladding, and other outdoor applications.
⬜ American Hard Maple — Clean, Light & Airy
For those seeking a lighter aesthetic, Maple offers creamy white tones, sometimes with subtle pinkish-brown hues. Its timeless look is perfect for creating open, Scandinavian-inspired interiors.
This versatile wood is widely used in flooring, cabinetry, furniture, and kitchen accessories. While typically straight-grained, some varieties like American Hard Maple also feature special figuring such as tiger stripe, bird’s eye, flame, or curly patterns—caused by unique growth distortions. These traits make each piece exceptionally unique.
Looking for More Inspiration?
If you want to know how to incorporate these beautiful woods into your space, please explore our website SNXDO.COM
Ready to Choose Your Wood?
Whether you're tackling a home improvement project or planning a commercial build, wood offers unmatched beauty and versatility.