Embrace solid ash doors in a walnut-toned finish

This unit mixes two constructions deliberately. The body is ash veneer, which keeps a long cabinet dimensionally stable, whilst the doors and legs are solid ash wood with a walnut-coloured finish, putting solid timber exactly where the piece is handled and seen at close range. Ash has a strong, open grain that takes a dark tone without going muddy, so the walnut finish reads as depth rather than as paint. Measuring 180 x 49 cm, it suits a wall that cannot take a full two-metre run.

The fluted door fronts are the defining detail. Vertical ribs across a wide surface break up what would otherwise be a flat expanse, and because the ribs are cut into solid ash rather than applied to a board, the grain runs continuously over the profile. The effect changes through the day: raking light throws each flute into relief, whilst flat evening light lets the walnut-toned cabinet settle into a single mass. Behind the fronts, 2 hinged doors open onto storage that is fully concealed.

Adjustable shelving, levelling and placement

Inside are adjustable shelves, and on a media unit that flexibility earns its keep quickly. Set them low and wide for a console and a receiver, then reset them higher once the equipment changes and the same cabinet takes books, board games or files instead. Adjustable feet bridge any unevenness in the floor, so the doors keep closing flush even on old boards. Hinged doors are less forgiving of a racked carcass than sliding panels are, which makes careful levelling worth the extra ten minutes at the outset.

The wood is FSC 100% chain of custody certified and comes from a responsible forest management model, so the ash is traceable through every stage from forest to workshop. In use, dust the fluting with a soft brush rather than a flat cloth, which simply skips over the grooves. A solid ash TV stand in a walnut tone works hardest in a pale room, where it supplies the single dark horizontal that stops an all-neutral scheme drifting. Keep it clear of a radiator, since solid timber moves with sustained dry heat.