Morris Chair Meltdown: Has This Woodworker Gone Wild With Walnut & Padauk?

For over three decades, the scent of oak sawdust has been the perfume of one dedicated woodworker's life. He’s built everything from sturdy benches for his kids to entire library rooms, all from the venerable timber. Now, with an empty nest and a new office, his lifelong dream of crafting a Morris Chair is finally within reach.

But here's the twist that has the woodworking community buzzing: he wants to build it from something other than oak. Specifically, he’s eyeing walnut with bold padauk accents.

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"I've used so much oak I can't stand it," he explained, acknowledging the potential heresy of his proposal. While he cherishes oak's reliability and beauty, he yearns for a fresh aesthetic for this deeply personal project. His question to the community was direct: "Am I crazy?"

Reactions poured in, revealing a clear divide between those who champion creative freedom and those who advocate for tradition or cautious material choices.

One camp enthusiastically embraced his adventurous spirit. "Use whatever you want," cheered one commenter, who proudly shared their own successful ventures with Morris Chairs made from cherry and maple. They noted receiving "plenty of compliments and no criticism," suggesting that a well-executed alternative can be just as, if not more, stunning than the traditional. Another chimed in with, "You are the craftsman, you be you," empowering the maker to follow his vision.

Historical context also played a role for this camp, with someone pointing out that "British chair bodgers used whatever they could get hold of," implying that adaptability and resourcefulness are themselves traditional values in woodworking.

However, a second, more cautious camp raised valid concerns, particularly about the use of padauk. While open to walnut as an alternative to oak, the bright, almost fiery red of padauk gave some pause. "I find padauk really ugly personally," one person confessed, also advising the woodworker to "consider the upholstery as well" as part of the overall design.

The most frequent warning about padauk centered on its notorious tendency to fade over time. "It won't hold the color," cautioned a seasoned voice. "Either you use too much and the piece is garish, or a tasteful amount that then disappears into gray over time." This suggests that while padauk might offer an initial pop, its long-term aesthetic can be unpredictable.

Some also argued that while the woodworker might be tired of "any other white oak," quartersawn white oak—a traditional choice for Morris Chairs—is a distinct and superior material. "QSWO is totally different," one person stated, implying it deserves special consideration.

Alternative suggestions emerged from this camp, including "ebonized maple or ash" for a sophisticated dark look, or highly figured cherry, though one maker who used it warned it became "too orange overall."

Ultimately, the woodworker finds himself at a crossroads: honor the "Stickley gods" with quartersawn oak or forge a new path with the striking combination of walnut and padauk. The debate underscores the tension between respecting classic designs and the artisan's desire for innovation and personal expression.

Our hosts on Rough Cut dig into this story, debating whether this bold wood choice is a stroke of genius or a recipe for a woodworking disaster.