What is Quercus Furniture?
Quercus furniture is a range of contemporary furniture designed from solid oak. Although you may think that oak is just one type of tree, you may be surprised to find out that this is not the case.
The name Quercus is Latin for oak and there are around 600 species of this tree, ranging from deciduous (trees lose leaves in winter) to evergreen and semi evergreen.
For classification purposes, the genus oak/Quercus is actually divided into two subgenera (the taxonomic rank below genus and above section) which are Quercus and Cyclobalanopsis. The Quercus subgenus is divided again into 5 sections – Quercus (white oaks), Mesobalanus (Hungarian oak), Cerris (Turkey oak), Protobalanus (Canyon live oak) and Lobatae (red oaks).
Oak is an amazing wood for use in furniture because it is strong, beautiful and even better than that – it improves with age if treated with care. It is also resistant to fungal attack because of the natural tannins it contains. The natural grain means that furniture is beautiful and each piece is unique.
Whilst Quercus furniture could possibly describe any oak furniture, there is actually a range of furniture that has Quercus Furniture as a brand name.
The Quercus furniture range was designed by Dean Robbins (present owner of Con-Tempo Furniture). The pieces are crafted from European white oak for a clean, natural appearance. Designs are focused on perfect proportions to give timeless appeal. Contemporary lines and innovative design detailing are characteristic of the collection.
Dean created the original Quercus range in 2001 after deciding to take the big step from simply manufacturing pine furniture. The rest of the country was still busy producing pine furniture but Dean branched off in a risky new direction and launched The Quercus range in 2001 at the NEC Furniture Show. The launch featured a bedroom range, designed (as now) by hand. The following year Quercus dining was added to the collection.
All current Quercus pieces are based on a design that has evolved over the last decade. The furniture comes in a choice of oil and lacquer finishes, maximising the oak’s natural appearance and protecting the wood.
Solid oak furniture needs proper care to keep it looking good. With regular polishing and by keeping it away from extreme heat and humidity, oak should look good for hundreds of years.
It’s an amazing timber, both in terms of looks and durability. This is why Quercus wood is used in furniture and why it is a firm favourite with home owners all over the world.
