The charring of wood as a method of preservation is nothing new and was known to European and Mediterranean builders as well as Asians. I have for years charred the bases of deck posts and such as a rot preventative. The practice is mentioned in John Fitchen's classic book Building Construction Before Mechanization. Some of the samples of this shown above are a bit crude. The most beautiful finishes of this type are rather labor intensive as some of the char can be brushed back off to some extent to reveal wood grain. The planter shown below has been coated on the interior with linseed oil, blackjack and turpentine and then set alight with a roofer's torch. The finish is cooked into the wood producing a carbonized insect and decay resistant surface. It gets filled with soil and so the char will be seen only at the edges.

Do you have any photos? Might be easier to offer advice! I love dark floating floorboards too! These articles might help you choose the right sofa! https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/forever-furniture-a-buyers-guide-to-the-sofa-stsetivw-vs~49223903 https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/buyers-guide-need-a-new-sofa-stsetivw-vs~27011754 https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/how-to-pick-the-best-sofa-for-your-living-room-stsetivw-vs~44137925

Trying to learn a new cuisine ..chose Thai as it is healthy plus in some ways it is similar to Viet cuisine..guess what I am making?

Hi Sue. I think it depends a lot on how big and how light your kitchen is. Are the colours firm, or could you swap them, i.e. the white on the island with the wooden top, and the blue on the rest with white top? Try and picture the jarrah on all the tops, and work out whether you think it will be too much (if there is a lot of surface), or would work better as an accent. Best of luck.