Our wood selections

European oak

An iconic species of French forests, oak has long been associated with strength, longevity, and nobility. With a high density, it offers a straight grain — sometimes flamed — and a beautiful range of tones from golden beige to deep amber.

Its mechanical resistance makes it an architectural wood, but its expressive grain also makes it a wood of ambiance. At Uphile, we use oak for pieces that are bold and enduring, asserting a calm and well-grounded presence. It responds well to light, reflecting it in soft touches that highlight its wide growth rings and natural patterns.

When brushed or oiled, it reveals a warm depth. It is a wood of memory, a wood of heritage. It can either structure a space or soothe it, depending on how it is crafted. Its use is both ancient and strikingly modern — it stands the test of time. A lamp made of oak does not seek to charm — it takes root.

European beech

Beech is a familiar wood throughout Europe, especially in France, where it is valued for its strength and consistency. With a medium to high density, it lends itself to solid, reliable constructions. Its grain is fine, its grain pattern straight, and its colour a warm beige, sometimes tinged with pink.

This wood diffuses a soft, steady light, without strong contrasts. It is perfectly suited to models with clean, architectural lines — where the material must structure the space without overwhelming it.

At Uphile, beech is often chosen for pieces that play with verticality and rigour, but also with the discreet sensuality of a firm yet welcoming wood. Its local availability, its behaviour under sanding, and the way it interacts with light make it both a rational and poetic choice. It is a species we choose for its precision and warmth.

In laminated form, it is especially pleasing to the eye, offering harmonious contrasts.

American red elm

American red elm is a vibrant, living wood, marked by deep and unpredictable grain patterns. It comes from the temperate forests of North America. Its density makes it stable, while retaining a certain suppleness in shaping. With its often wavy grain, reddish-brown hues, and uneven gleams, it is a wood of expression.

It captures light in motion — catching it, reflecting it, sometimes disrupting it. Elm is thus ideal for creations that carry meaning, that embrace a certain disorder or emotional resonance.

At Uphile, we use it for lamps with open lines, slightly asymmetrical or architectural, where the wood itself becomes a narrative. It is a sensitive essence that rejects smooth perfection but, in return, offers a rare poetic depth.

We use it exclusively in solid wood.

American walnut

American walnut is one of the most refined woods we use. Native to the United States, it is dense and silky to the touch, darker than its European cousin—deep without being heavy.

Its tight grain and brown tones—sometimes tinged with violet or charcoal—make it a material of choice for sculptural or architectural pieces. Light does not bounce off it, but sinks into it, embracing volumes and giving them a quiet density.

At Uphile, walnut is a wood of character, reserved for statement pieces. It is used when a lamp becomes almost a presence. Each board is unique; each cut reveals something unexpected. This is an essence one does not simply shape—it requires a dialogue.

We use it exclusively in solid wood.

Zebrano

Zebrano is a rare wood native to Central Africa—particularly Gabon and Cameroon. Highly graphic by nature, it features alternating light (golden beige) and dark (chocolate brown) stripes. With its considerable density, it is strong, tense, and demanding to work with.

Its light is rhythmic: it doesn't diffuse—it draws. It creates visual tension, a line.

At Uphile, we use it with great care—often as an accent, a punctuation, or in dialogue with more restrained woods. It is suited to simple, geometric shapes that allow the natural pattern to breathe, without excess. This is a wood that resists taming, but when embraced, becomes a signature.

We use it exclusively in solid wood.

Ziricote

Ziricote is a remarkable wood from Central America, known for its striking natural patterns that evoke misty landscapes or abstract ink drawings. Exceptionally dense, it is hard, stable, and heavy. Visually, it is unique—deep blacks, browns, and olive greens, sometimes laced with ivory streaks.

It absorbs light with intensity, rendering it matte and profound.

At Uphile, we reserve ziricote for rare pieces—often bordering on sculpture. It is a wood one approaches slowly. Each piece becomes a work of art.

We use it exclusively in solid wood.

Wengé

A quintessential African wood—native to Congo, Cameroon, or Mozambique—wengé is dark, extremely dense, and finely grained.

It embodies majestic sobriety. Light is not reflected, but absorbed—almost swallowed—giving it a natural authority within a space. Difficult to work with, heavy, abrasive, yet stunning once crafted.

At Uphile, we use wengé to establish contrast, add verticality, or create silent and powerful pieces. It is a wood of shadow, but one that makes every glimmer of light more precious.

We use it exclusively in solid wood.

European walnut

Lighter and softer than its American cousin, European walnut is a refined wood with understated charm. Grown in France, Italy, and Central Europe, it stands out for its subtle hues—from soft blonde to warm grey—sometimes streaked with nearly black veins.

Its medium density and regular grain make it both elegant and easy to work with. At Uphile, European walnut is reserved for creations where light must glide and reflect gently—like on matte silk. It is ideal for quiet forms, contemplative objects, designs that invite stillness.

This wood carries a sense of refined restraint. Neither flashy nor rustic, it evokes the intimacy of antique furniture, the precision of musical instruments, the delicacy of a confident gesture. A lamp made from European walnut imposes nothing—it suggests, it soothes. It is a wood of quiet confidences, made to accompany soft, warm, never harsh light.

Our filtering veneers

Some Uphile models feature an exceptionally fine surface—almost diaphanous—that filters light without obscuring the material. For these specific cases, we work with a carefully curated selection of natural European veneers, chosen for their ability to diffuse light like stretched skin or delicate paper.

We use European ash for its warm translucency, sycamore of the same thickness for its cool, satin-like whiteness, and figured ash burr for its organic texture and light interplay. To these are added two more specific veneers: bleached European oak, offering a soft yet structured presence, and white European beech, which filters light with an almost textile-like consistency.

The thickness of these veneers ranges from 0.6 to 0.9 mm. They are never used to conceal lesser woods—they are chosen for their own merits: their capacity to filter and diffuse light, their harmony, their voice. At Uphile, even the thinnest layers are expressive.

Availability and consistency

Not all species are permanently in stock. Supply, tones, and patterns cannot be guaranteed.

For grouped orders, we will do our best to harmonize the lamps, upon request. We invite you to contact us for any specific needs.