BEECH
Beech is a type of wood that is hard and resistant. It is very light in colour but can also be reddish brown with hints of pink and orange that become golden with time. This wood, homogeneous and heavy, with no elasticity but resistant, is ideal for turning and cabinet making. It is said that Johannes Gutenberg invented book printing by observing pieces of beech bark leaving black marks on white paper.

CANALETTO/AMERICAN WALNUT
Canaletto walnut is dark and harder than ordinary Italian walnut and has linear grains, its heartwood is brown with purplish-blue hues, while the sapwood is lighter. Unlike most other species, American walnut becomes lighter with time.

RED CEDAR
Red cedar is pleasantly reddish-dark brown in colour with elegant grains tending to rosy red and streaked violet, with a nearly white sapwood. Its resin, delicately scented, is a natural insecticide and for this reason, its wood is used to keep moths away from wardrobes and to scent garments.

INDIAN PALISANDER
Palisander is a material with excellent acoustic properties; indeed, it was used to construct musical instruments. Its colour varies from violet to dark brown with exquisite blackish and purplish-blue streaks. Its essential oil smells of rose, so that it is also known as rosewood in English-speaking countries.

LIME
Lime is a tender species, white with wonderful shades tending to pink; appropriately worked, these shades give an extremely elegant effect. Its fibre is homogeneous and thin and is easy to engrave. It is a very long-lived plant: there is a specimen at Macugnana (at the foot of Mount Rosa in Northern Italy) that is thought to have been planted in the 15th century.

ASH
This wood is very elastic and flexible, so much so that it is considered to be the most robust and resistant of European woods. It is a fine golden white and its glossiness is reminiscent of silk. Owing to its elasticity and resistance, it was used to make skis, tennis racquets, aeroplane propellers and musical instruments.

OAK
Oak, with its typical yellowish-brown colour, is hard and durable. If properly seasoned it is quite a stable species. Oak is a quality wood and is used to make furniture but also for precious parquet flooring and casks for the ageing of great wines.

LEBANON CEDAR
Lebanon cedar is particularly appreciated because it is compact and durable and has a unique, almost fruity, aroma. It is used to make furniture, furnishing articles and also ornaments. The outer part of this tree is whitish and the inner part is brown with orangey grains; it has a fine texture and a straight and resistant fibre.