American walnut is on the rise with furniture designers specifying it in greater amounts.

According to the 2014 Annual Wood Species and Design Survey administered by the Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Inc., walnut was the leader in the bedroom and home office categories, second in entertainment centers and wall units, and third in dining rooms. However, cherry remains the top choice for media centers and wall units for the third survey in a row.

One of the largest gains for walnut was made in home office, where it was used in 17% of the pieces on display, topping cherry at 16.4% and red oak at 15.8%. The top five were rounded out by maple at 9.8% and mahogany at 8.3%. That is a significant change from 2012, when red oak was the leader in home office, cherry was second, maple and mahogany tied for third and walnut was in fifth.

Birch, pine, white oak, alder and elm rounded out the top 10 in home office, each with 5% or less of the pieces on display. Completing the top 10 in species for media centers and wall units were white oak, birch, pine, red oak and poplar, each with 7.5% to 5%.

MOST VIEWED SPECIES

Following is a list of the most viewed wood species on Woodworking Network in 2014:

• Butternut, often called white walnut, has a rich, warm buttery tan color and a satin-like luster.

• Plantation grown red grandis can be used for cabinetry, furniture, windows, doors, flooring and millwork.

• Rubberwood is used today in a wide range of wood products, including furniture, cabinetry, components, flooring, turnery, vases, stair treads, knife blocks, sofa legs, and more.

• The hardwood goncalo alves, also known as tigerwood, is a unique combination of strength, durability and good looks.

• Red alder has morphed from a nuisance tree to a respected hardwood in North America and beyond. It is used today for cabinetry, furniture, flooring, moulding and more.

• There are at least seven species of wood that carry a version of the name padauk, however, African padauk is the most commercially popular.

• Pacific maple goes by a variety of terms, among them big leaf maple and Oregon maple, but is also known as soft maple.

• Vavona burl is so exotic looking it is hard to believe it originates from the massive root area of what is commonly called sequoia.

• Pau marfim is a pale, creamy tone wood that grows primarily in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.