Paduak
I use African Padauk for the same reason that the great cabinet makers of the 1800s did, namely its rich colour. Coming from West and Central Africa, Padauk is a hard, heavy wood with a coarse grain and large pores.
The heartwood is a mixture of oranges, reds and purples whilst the sapwood is creamy white.
It looks much like an elm having a large spreading crown and reaching heights of up to 120 feet.
A firm favourite of both Louis XV and XVI, perhaps its most famous admirer would be King Solomon who, recognising its fine combination of strength and beauty, used it for some of the pillars in his temple.
