In brief
- 01Look at samples in the room they are for, not the showroom.
- 02Check them in morning and evening light.
- 03Remember that a finish will usually deepen the tone.
Most disappointments with natural materials start at the sample stage, not on site. A few simple habits make the difference between a surface you expected and one that surprises you.
- Take the sample home, or to site. Showroom lighting flatters everything.
- Look at it in the morning and again in the evening. Wood and metal both shift with the light.
- Hold it next to the other materials in the room: the floor, the stone, the fabric.
- Ask what finish the sample carries. An unfinished leaf will usually look lighter than the polished result.
- For natural veneer, confirm the sample comes from the batch you will actually receive.