Get the High Style of Ebony Minus the High Price
Bring the elegance of a prized wood to your rooms with techniques that replicate the look for less
Sought-after since ancient times, ebony is a dark brown to jet-black wood grown in tropical Asia and Africa. Due to its dense nature and scarcity, ebony has been used predominantly as a veneer by furniture makers or carved into small objects. Today ebonizing furniture using paint or stain is a more accessible approach, and ebonized furniture can add sophistication and luxury to interior spaces.
Ebonized furniture in the 18th century. Thomas Sheraton, a well-known English furniture designer in the 18th century, stained pear-tree wood with writing ink, polished it with a stiff brush, then added hot wax to the surface for an ebonized look. German cabinetmakers used a very different process, dipping timber into black aniline dye that was dissolved in alcohol.
Whichever process was used here, this chair is a fitting example of the stained ebony style.
Whichever process was used here, this chair is a fitting example of the stained ebony style.
Ebonized furniture in the late 19th century. Ebonized furniture was very fashionable with designers of the Aesthetic decorative arts movement. As the industry began to use mechanization, these designers could create more elaborately carved furniture that was then stained or painted with a black ebony finish. Gilded highlights in Asian-influenced designs — mostly flowers and feathers — were added for decoration.
This sumptuous chinoiserie-style table ticks all the boxes with its gilt highlights and Asian-inspired design.
This sumptuous chinoiserie-style table ticks all the boxes with its gilt highlights and Asian-inspired design.
Ebonized furniture in the 20th century. Ebonizing can help make inexpensive furniture look more exotic. In the 1960s, laminate tops were fashionable — lacquering just the furniture legs and frames in black and using brass ferrules (metal bands) adds a touch of glamour.
This study conveys a 1960s feel. The desk is inlaid with leather, and the mirror and the sideboard are both ebonized to create a dramatic effect.
This study conveys a 1960s feel. The desk is inlaid with leather, and the mirror and the sideboard are both ebonized to create a dramatic effect.
Timbers that work well ebonized. Some wood species are more enhanced by ebonizing than others. Depending on where you live and what's available to you, plain mahogany (not the expensive kind), walnut, whitewood and beech work well for ebonizing. Coarser woods, like oak and ash, don't respond as well. Also, you'll want to avoid pine, as it takes a lot of work to get a good result. If you're in doubt, seek the advice of a professional.
This painted hutch is just the right tone of ebony, with fitting gold embellishments.
This painted hutch is just the right tone of ebony, with fitting gold embellishments.
How to get the ebony effect. There are many different ways to ebonize timber, from simple to extremely complex. One popular way is to take a torn-up steel wool pad and some rusty nails. Soak them in white vinegar for a few days in an airtight container, then strain the vinegar well for a dark tan stain. Apply several coats to the wood using a foam brush, lightly sanding between coats.
The other, and often easier route, is to find just the right paint color. This room offers a very modern take on ebonizing, with the bed and the side tables showing off the beauty and brilliance that is the ebony look.
We don't know this marble-topped ebony table's origins, but it is an exquisite example of the 16th-century style.