The fact that pine has a significant role in the modern world is hardly a point that is going to be challenged. Think for a moment of the range of solid pine furniture available in furniture stores around the world, or the flooring in a home or even the homes themselves, and it is not hard to grasp its place. This abundant and fast growing breed of tree has been vital to societies around the globe. Pine has long been a favourite wood for many people across the world.

It does not matter whether it comes in the form of a simple pine sideboard or in the decidedly more elaborate form of an antique white dressing table of the revolutionary France period, pine furniture adorns hallways, living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens.

What might come as a surprise, however, is the fact that pine wood has been a significant commodity throughout history. For instance, the city of Venice, famed for its canals, architecture and political intrigue, is a city said to be built on the trade of pine. Many of its original building were of pine, and the city itself sprawls a group of islands that once hosted pine forests.

Pine has always been used by man to make weapons, tools and dwellings, while its cones were reputed to have been the favourite fuel amongst cavemen for fire. Its needles, meanwhile, were the main ingredient in herbal medicines, a fact supported somewhat by the popularity of vitamin rich pine needle tea in Sweden.

The history of pine wood as a desirable furniture material, as opposed to a practical local material, goes back to the 17th century when it became a popular wood for bedroom furniture. The prevalent dark hard woods of the time were too expensive for many people, but pine offered a more affordable option, and over the next 200 years, pine furniture spread out of the bedrooms and into the living rooms and dining rooms. Again, cost was the principal reason for its continued popularity, but with the advent of staining in the latter half of the 19th century, the selection of pieces produced from pine increased, strengthening its place in the market further.

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Of course, even today, furniture made of solid pine remains one of the most popular on the market, and for many of the same reasons. Its attributes make it so, with this soft wood easy for craftsmen to work with and yet durable. This means that, as a long lasting material, items made from it are known to retain their good condition for decades. They do pick up a lot of dents and nicks over time, but these marks tend to blend better with the light colour of the wood, as opposed to darker, hard woods which show visible signs of chipping and scratching.

Solid pine also works well in unison with other woods and finishes, like with a white or ivory paint finish under a solid ash top. Fine examples of such a combination can be seen in the Camden range of painted pine and ash, which features a double pedestal dressing table with solid pine legs and frame and panelled drawers. These are painted white so as to add a contrasting, though nonetheless bright, colour to that of the flooring or walls, as well as a striking contrast with the lightly lacquered ash table top. The coloured finish makes the dressing table suitable for contemporary and well as more traditional decor styles.

The durability of painted furniture is increased by the use of knock resistant paint, which protects the wood from the wear and tear of everyday living. This makes it ideal for the bedroom or playroom of children, where banging, knocking and scratching can happen so easily.

The pine sideboard, meanwhile, has long been a characteristic in kitchens and dining rooms, as additional storage space for crockery and utensils inside, and perhaps decorative fruit laden bowls and wine decanters on top. Sturdy and practical, the sideboard can also enhance any style of the room, either as a brightly shined piece or as a darker stained, distressed piece.

Whichever piece is required, from a sideboard or kitchen table to a stained bed or crisp white dressing table, there is a stylish and quality made option in solid pine furniture. From history, it is clear we have always had a confidence in pine trees, a confidence which sprang from millennia using pine was reliable as a building, heating and healing resource.