Style & Design - September 2025 - Warmth in the Grain – Celebrating Wood

Whether you have a deck, terrace, palapa, balcony or veranda, few things transform an outdoor space quite like wood. It warms up clean white walls, softens tile and stone and it makes outdoor areas feel connected to the home. On Curaçao, wood offers a comforting contrast to sun-washed walls and serves as a visual bridge between inside and outside. A material that when chosen thoughtfully, gets better with age. 

There’s something primal about wood. Likely because it comes from nature and maintains a rawness, it has an unexplainable way of slowing a space down. Strangely inviting and grounding, wood has an undeniably calming and grounding effect.

Choosing Wood That Belongs Here

Not all woods behave the same in island conditions. Some fade too quickly, some warp or crack and some require more maintenance than most owners want to commit to. The good news? There are species that not only survive in Curaçao’s salt air and sun but thrive. Teak and ipe are classics for a reason. Naturally dense and rich in oils, they resist moisture, pests and salt spray without a fight. Left alone, they weather to that silvery patina that feels almost as good as new, just different. Mahogany adds a deeper, redder tone and ties beautifully to Caribbean heritage while thermally modified woods offer a sustainable option that’s surprisingly durable.

Finishes matter, too. Skip the glossy marine varnish that will peel under our relentless sun. Choose penetrating oils or low-sheen sealers that soak into the grain and allow the wood to breathe. Not only will it look more natural but touch-ups are simpler. A quick sand and re-oil brings the wood back to life with no heavy stripping or refinishing needed.

Designing with Wood – More Than Just Material

A foundational design element, wood changes how a space feels, how sound carries and even how you move through a room. It’s used to create zones, frame views and make wide-open spaces more intimate. A slatted screen can carve out a quiet nook without closing it off. A wood plank ceiling draws the eye up and makes a living room feel taller while a timber pergola can turn a basic patio into a destination. 

Wood also plays beautifully with contrast. Pair rich teak with crisp white plaster walls for a resort-like look, or set dark ipe decking against pale coral stone for a pool surround that feels grounded and sophisticated. Even a single wooden element like a front door with presence, a live-edge dining table or a statement console, can shift the entire tone of a space from stark to warm.

Color matters. Light woods make a space feel open and breezy. Darker woods instantly make a space feel richer and more dramatic, great for dining rooms or cozy lounge areas. And like paint, the tone of the wood sets the mood: warm woods feel welcoming and casual, while cooler-toned woods read more modern and crisp.

Connecting Indoors and Out

One of the most powerful things wood can do in an island home is dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Carry the same tone of wood flooring from the living room

out to the terrace and suddenly the terrace feels like an extension of the house. Match your ceiling beams to your pergola rafters and the eye reads the space as continuous. You feel like you’re living larger even without adding a single square meter.

In Curaçao’s climate, where evenings are warm and breezes constant, this connection makes a home feel complete. It invites you to spend more time outside and to treat the outdoors as living space rather than just a backdrop.

The Final Layer – Care as Part of the Design

Great design is what stays beautiful, not just what looks good on day one. Build maintenance into the story from the start. Choose species that can handle the elements, use finishes you can easily refresh and set a rhythm that includes light cleaning monthly and a re-oil once or twice a year. Think of it less as upkeep and more as a ritual, a way to reset the space and keep it welcoming. The reward is worth it. 

When wood ages well, it tells a story. The silvery patina on a deck, the softened edges of a stair tread, the honeyed glow of a well-cared-for beam. These things make a house feel loved and that feeling is the heart of good design.

Wood is more than just a design choice. It’s a way to make a house feel alive. When you choose species that thrive here, finish them with care and let them weather with grace, your home becomes a place that tells a story. It invites barefoot mornings, breezy dinners and nights where the glow against warm grain keeps everyone lingering just a little longer. In a world of trends that come and go, wood stays timeless and that’s the kind of style that never fades.