Flexibility is a core principle of the King Difference. From the modularity of the designs to the customisation options available, every piece in the collection is designed with flexibility in mind. 

For any timber furniture in the collection, one element of that flexibility is a choice of signature timber finishes. Up until recently, that included a choice of three – American Walnut, Smoked Oak and Onyx. 

Now with the addition of Natural Oak to the choice of timber finishes, King Living Senior Designer Alinta Lim shares her insights on the stylish new option. 

The challenge of lighter timber

The launch of Natural Oak has been some time in the making, mostly due to the challenges of quality that comes with light-coloured timbers.

“As popular as lighter timbers are, they’re actually not very easy to execute well,” explains Alinta. “With a light timber, you’re relying more on the actual properties of the timber, as opposed to the stain. 

King Living is known for quality. And that’s something we don’t compromise on. The new Natural Oak was a long time in the making to ensure the top tier quality, with Alinta praising the design team behind it. 

“The new finish beautifully captures the qualities of natural oak timber,” she adds. “It’s a timeless finish. I don’t think there’s even been a time where Natural Oak has not been on trend.” 

Like all King Living timber furniture, Heritage Dining is available in your choice of signature timber finishes.

Featuring the Heritage Dining Table in Natural Oak and Heirloom Dining Chair in Natural Oak and TrueTouch Wattleseed.

Natural Oak benefits

While timber features throughout the King Living range, when you think of timber furniture, a dining table is what first comes to mind. 

Alinta says that Natural Oak lends itself perfectly to the laid back Australian coastal lifestyle, performing particularly well for dining furniture. 

“In the family home, the dining table has quite a large surface area,” she says. “The benefit of a lighter timber finish in this setting is that it may not be quite as dominating as a darker finish. Of course it depends on your home, but many people like how a lighter finish can open up the space and make it seem bigger than it is.” 

Another advantage of a Natural Oak dining table is that lighter finishes tend to wear better over time. 

“Lighter finishes can be more forgiving than darker ones,” explains Alinta. “There isn’t a surface stain with Natural Oak so scratches and general wear likely won’t be as visible.”

Featuring the Issho Dining Table, Coffee Table and Side Table in Natural Oak.

Featuring the  Issho Dining Table in Natural Oak, Quay Armless Dining Chair in Natural Oak and NuTouch Tan and Marion Rug in Sandstone.

Spotlight on Issho Natural Oak Dining Table

When Alinta originally designed the Issho Dining Collection, a Natural Oak finish wasn’t an option, but she always envisaged the table in a lighter finish. 

“Having Natural Oak in the range changes the mood of Issho,” she explains. “It’s a very calming design with a lot of organic curves and the Natural Oak plays into that really well. In the lighter shade you can read the curves and shadows even more.” 

Alinta believes that the popularity of the Issho Dining Table is in the sculptural nature of the table. 

“People are looking for something different to bring into their homes,” she says. “Issho is a softer option, particularly in the Natural Oak, with curved edges that invites people to come together.” 

Featuring the Jasper Coast Sofa in Club Natural with Natural Oak shelving.

Featuring the Issho Coffee Table and Side Table in Natural Oak.

Styling with Natural Oak 

If you’re considering a Natural Oak finish for your King Living furniture but worried about how it will fit with your existing decor, Alinta shares her wisdom. 

“Timber floors are popular in Australia,” she says. “Sometimes people get hung up on ensuring their floor and table timber colours don’t clash. But you don’t need everything in your house to match. I personally prefer a much more collected look, where it looks like you’ve collected your decor over time rather than buying everything at the same time.” 

One of the benefits of King Living furniture is that you can completely customise it to your taste. While you can only choose the finish of a dining table, with dining chairs you can play with different colours and textures to match your aesthetic. 

“I really love leather dining chairs from a functionality perspective in that they're really easy to wipe down,” explains Alinta. “But then leather, especially tan and saddle colours, look really good with Natural Oak.”

Featuring the Jasper Curve Sofa in Whiteley Riverstone with Natural Oak shelving.

Discover Natural Oak

The Natural Oak finish is available now on all timber designs in the King Living Collection.  

Explore the Dining Collection and discover the beauty of Natural Oak or visit your nearest showroom. 

Discover related articles: 

• Explore the Heritage Extension Dining Table & Heirloom Dining Chair
• How to choose the right dining chairs for your home 
• Tips for buying the right dining table for your space