Solid wood vs veneer: an honest guide

Ask ten furniture sellers about veneer and you will hear ten different stories. Here is what we actually do in our own workshop, and why.

Solid wood is exactly what it sounds like: the same timber all the way through. It carries weight, takes carving, and can be repaired and refinished for decades. Frames, legs, and anything structural at Haute House is always solid wood.

Veneer is a fine layer of real wood — often from rarer, more figured timber — laid over a stable core. It is not a shortcut. The burl patterns on our Solace cabinet are only possible as veneer; burl in solid form is unstable and would crack within a season.

The honest rule: solid wood for structure, veneer for figure. Be suspicious of anyone selling 'pure solid wood' burl doors, and equally suspicious of veneer used to hide poor construction underneath.

When you commission a custom piece, we walk you through exactly where each material goes — and you are welcome to visit the workshop and see it for yourself.