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Material is never neutral: on oak, oil and patina
Why the choice of finish is just as decisive as the form and how material communicates the expected lifespan of an object.
Oak can feel like a luxury hotel or a North Holland farmhouse, depending on how you finish it. Same wood, completely different effect. That's not magic, that's craftsmanship, proportion, and context. I almost always use oil or wax, never varnish. Varnish seals the wood and feels dated after five years. Oil penetrates, protects from within, and improves with use. A desk used for ten years has character; a varnished desk has scratches. Material finishing is also a statement about expected lifespan. When you choose untreated oak that turns gray, you're saying: this is allowed to age. That's precisely the intention.