Stella Chair

Walnut is prized in fine furniture for several interconnected reasons:

• Its heartwood ranges from rich chocolate brown to ash grey-black, a color that's both rare and deeply luxurious — most hardwoods are pale by comparison
• The grain is typically straight but often features beautiful figuring: curly, crotch, and burl patterns that are visually striking
• It has a natural luster that takes finishes exceptionally well. It's tight pores create a satin smooth touch
• Despite being hard and dense, walnut is ideal for creating refined shapes and designs. Adapting easily to fine, complex designs without tearing or splintering.
• It's strong and stable once dried, resisting warping and movement with seasonal humidity changes — critical for longevity in furniture
• Good dimensional stability means joints stay tight over decades

Wood workers use mortise tenon joints in their construction in order to allow the individual components of the piece to fit firmly together while still accommodating tiny changes such as humidity and temperature that will impact an organic material such as solid wood. Relying on screws, nails, and staples to build furniture is more time efficent but ultimately results in a weaker joint which will become loose and unstable quicly. Although building with mortise tenon joints add quite significantly to the a labor and time to build a piece, mortise tenon joints increase furniture's longevity significantly. We think they are worth the effort!

Mid Century Modern style is an enduring favorite of discerning interior designers. Although trends come and go, the MCM popularity has been enduring. Using Mid Century Modern accent pieces are a perfect way to inject your personality into a space. You do not need to go full-on mid-mod 60's style throughout the home. The elegant, sculptural shapes and lines that define Mid Century Modern design are timeless and combine easily with Contemporary, Transitional, and Classic interior design motifs.

We own and operate our wood working facility in China where this piece is made. We purchase Walnut wood from orchards that sell the trees when they are no longer producing nuts. The wood is kiln-dried and each piece is crafted by skilled carpenters. Gingko's Design Office and Warehouse is located in northern California.