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It’s got richness and depth, it adds texture and warmth to a space, and fits just as comfortably in rustic homes as it does in modernist ones. It’s both strong and pliable, allowing it to take just about any shape or form.

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Joel Loblaw’s log wall is made of maple trees – gathered from his property in Meaford, Ont. – which he dipped in coloured wax and framed in Corten steel. Created for this year’s Interior Design Show in Toronto, the wall has since been dismantled, although Loblaw hopes to create them for clients if a few logistical issues – such as seasoning and drying the wood – can be worked out. joelloblaw.com

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Wood floor tile is nothing new, but if you want to add a cool look that is warm and full of texture to a room, try wood wall tile, says Aaron Emmett, co-founder and designer of Everitt & Shilling Tile Co., a Colorado-based company.

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Everitt & Schilling makes wall and ceiling tile from reclaimed barn board and upcycled hardwood.

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You don’t have to do a lot of it,” Everitt says. “You can do 40 square feet of it on the back wall of a powder room and the whole room changes.” $15-$25 (U.S.) per square foot, eandstile.net

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Native Trails’ Halcyon vanity, introduced last year, is made from caramel bamboo and features a sink made from recycled copper. Its design is slick, but it has a soothing quality thanks to the rich colour and lines of the bamboo. $875 (U.S.) suggested retail price, nativetrails.net

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The Ruth, one of several veneer lamps from Montreal’s Atelier Cocotte, offers soft light and is made from a variety of locally sourced woods, including oak, maple and red birch, to give the piece contrast. $450, ateliercocotte.com

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"Often, the warmth of wood balances the crisp lines and open spaces of modern interiors, but that is only one part of the reason we use wood," says Heather Dubbeldamm, founder of Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, in Toronto. For the design of a house in the city’s Annex neighbourhood last year, Dubbeldam added a room divider made of walnut. The horizontal lines of the grain help to visually elongate the room. dubbeldam.ca

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