Back to the Woods: Using Native Hawaiian Grown Wood to Enhance Your Home

How does it make you feel when you walk into a home that has some amazing and beautiful wood work? I get the feeling of welcome and warmth. Designing and building your home is all about creating a place of usefulness and also a place of sanctuary.

Wood has so many amazing uses and qualities that can be used to add character to your home. Whether it is used as a decorative canoe paddle on the wall or a reclaimed piece of built-in furniture, by using native Hawaiian wood in your home, you are adding your own piece of history as well. Each tree is alive in its own way and has a story to tell.

What is the Best Kind of Wood to Use?

Did you know that there are more than 800 species of trees grown right here in Hawaii? We have about a million acres of land with soil and the climate that is required to produce timber as a crop. Of the 800 species that are grown here, about 16 of them are mostly used commercially.

The principle and most abundant species are ohia (Metrosideros Colliona) and koa (Acacia Koa), and along with mango wood, are most commonly used for things like furniture. Other woods that are also utilized are avocado, lychee, coconut, and monkeypod. The most attractive woods with the dark and light swirling designs would be the koa, mango, and tropical ash. Finally, if you want an amazing and durable type of wood to use for flooring, your best choices would be the blackbutt, chia, or brush box woods.

I am sure if you look around your home, you can find at least one of these woods being used. If you can’t, it might be a good time to add it to your decor and bring a piece of the outdoor living inside.

Authored by Rebecca Lussiaa